NL board to decide early next week

[MAD_MAGPIE]

The outcome of the National League season will be shaped by the English Football League, with no decision made until next week at the earliest.

It follows a board meeting on Tuesday, during which a range of views were put forward by 65 of the 68 clubs that make up its three divisions.

The National League is keen to keep its two promotion places into the EFL.

Meanwhile, a number of clubs do not wish to give up on the possibility of playing the play-offs.

The National League, which brought its season to an early conclusion on 22 April, is unable to make a clear decision until they see what the EFL decides.

For instance, BBC Sport understands if the EFL does not complete its season then Stevenage are likely to avoid relegation, with only one team coming up from the National League.

However, the National League board has not yet ruled out the possibility of expunging all results and following the same pattern as steps three to seven of the non-league system.

As it stands, all matches have to be played before 1 June unless the National League seeks an extension from the FA Council.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52550181

I think the last 3 paragraphs are the most interesting.

The closer it gets to the dates of player contracts expiring at the end of June in the EFL the more I think that Leagues One and Two will follow the same path as the National League and their remaining games will be cancelled.

Then it will be a case of deciding promotion, playoffs and whether any relegations happen which it seems unlikely that teams will be relegated.

The National league teams that get promoted to league two is at the mercy of what the EFL decide to do.

It also seems more and more probable that Stevenage could get a reprieve as they are currently members of the football league.

If the National League do decide to expunge all this seasons results then I guess we are back to whether the EFL invite anyone to make up the numbers.

If 3 go up from the championship, league one and league two and no relegations then you get;

Premier League = 23 teams
Championship = 24 teams
League One = 23 teams
League Two = 21 teams

That makes 91 clubs. So it just needs one more to replace Bury to make the 92 but it’s a place in League Two as opposed to League One.

So that’s when you get into the realms of which team will it be from the National League and how will it be determined?

After all this and once all those players out of contract are off the clubs books it’s then what happens to clubs in the lower leagues. Do they get mothballed until next year?

[Chinawhite1000]

The closer it gets to the dates of player contracts expiring at the end of June in the EFL the more I think that Leagues One and Two will follow the same path as the National League and their remaining games will be cancelled.

Then it will be a case of deciding promotion, playoffs and whether any relegations happen which it seems unlikely that teams will be relegated.

The National league teams that get promoted to league two is at the mercy of what the EFL decide to do.

It also seems more and more probable that Stevenage could get a reprieve as they are currently members of the football league.

If the National League do decide to expunge all this seasons results then I guess we are back to whether the EFL invite anyone to make up the numbers.

If 3 go up from the championship, league one and league two and no relegations then you get;

Premier League = 23 teams
Championship = 24 teams
League One = 23 teams
League Two = 21 teams

That makes 91 clubs. So it just needs one more to replace Bury to make the 92 but it’s a place in League Two as opposed to League One.

So that’s when you get into the realms of which team will it be from the National League and how will it be determined?

After all this and once all those players out of contract are off the clubs books it’s then what happens to clubs in the lower leagues. Do they get mothballed until next year?

3 up to the PL makes no sense at all, leaving it and div 1 with 23 teams is non-sensible.

IF the PL is increased in size surely it would end up as either;-

Premier League = 22 teams
Championship = 24 teams
League One = 24 teams
League Two = 22 teams

or

Premier League = 22 teams
Championship = 24 teams
League One = 24 teams
League Two = 24 teams

The EFL is an organisation with nominally 72 clubs - which the 2nd option still gives them - and would mean 3 NL teams including Notts getting promoted (although as several EFL clubs are likely to go bust that might end up either back to 22 clubs in L2 or Yeovil and others end up in the EFL too....)