90min

FA Council Ratify Decision to Declare Non-League and Some Women's Seasons Null and Void

By Matt O'Connor-Simpson

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​The FA Council has ratified the decision to declare the non-league season null and void for Steps 3-7. The women's game - excluding the WSL and Championship - has also been affected.

The FA initially announced plans to expunge the non-league season - except the National League and National League South/North - last month. That proposal has now been confirmed in a Council vote.

"The FA Council has today ratified the decision to conclude the 2019/20 season across Steps 3-7 of the National League System, Tiers 3 to 7 of the women’s football pyramid and the wider grassroots game," a statement read (via ​Non-League Paper)

"Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, The FA has been working collaboratively with the leagues within the National League System, the Women’s Football Board, the Women’s Football Conference, and the wider grassroots game to identify the most appropriate way to conclude the 2019/20 season at each level.

"The request to end the 2019/20 season was taken to The FA Council by the representatives of the relevant committees having been fully supported by The FA Board. The FA Council’s vote today was overwhelmingly in favour of ratifying the decision."

The statement also included a lengthy explanation from the FA's Head of National League System Laurence Jones that attempted to justified the unprecedented action. 

"We know that it is impossible to reach decisions that will please everybody," Jones began. "We entirely sympathise with the teams that oppose the decision affecting their leagues, some of which have perfectly understandable reasons for wanting to see the 2019/20 league season continue. 

"But it is important to emphasise that the decisions they took were made in the best interests of all the Leagues, as a collective, and in consultation with key stakeholders across English football."

The decision is likely to be subject to a legal challenge from those who stand to lose out. A letter in protest of the season being declared null and void has already been signed by over 150 disgruntled clubs, including Peterborough and Lincoln City.

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