Northern Premier League

Decided to null and void the season. Won’t be the last I suspect.

So it starts...

Isthmian and Southern League will follow suit shortly.  Removes the threat of relegation from the Conference North/South who, along with the Conference, are going to have an almighty battle on to finish games.

Can't see anything other than the Premier League and the Championship finishing the season out.

id take it now.....8 months to prepare for next season, might give us time to arrange more than one  pre-season friendly

Quoted from Boris Johnson

id take it now.....8 months to prepare for next season, might give us time to arrange more than one  pre-season friendly

Alas, it was 7 months yesterday to the start of next season (Saturday 7th August).

Quoted from diehardmariner

So it starts...

Isthmian and Southern League will follow suit shortly.  Removes the threat of relegation from the Conference North/South who, along with the Conference, are going to have an almighty battle on to finish games.

Can't see anything other than the Premier League and the Championship finishing the season out.

Why couldn't L1 & L2 finish?

So far we are 22 games into the season. Accrington have 6 matches to catch up on & several clubs are 4 matches behind in League 1 & Exeter City are 3 matches behind in League 2.

There are 18 "Saturday" fixture dates left including Good Friday remaining. And there are 6 "midweek" fixture dates left including Easter Monday. That means there are 11 blank midweek fixture slots to catch up already postponed games and future postponements. There is also the option of extending the regular season by 2 or 3 weeks which will create a further 4 or 6 possible fixture dates.

So that's potentially 15-17 blank fixture dates to catch up. We're far from the point where we should be talking about abandoning the league season.

Personally I don't think there is much prospect of League 2 not being able to finish in full even if it's with a short 14 day extension.

More so from the perspective of is it worth the risk?

Premier League financially can't afford to cut the season short due to the TV obligations, guessing they need the Championship to complete too to ensure relegation and promotion can take place too.

Quoted from diehardmariner

So it starts...

Isthmian and Southern League will follow suit shortly.  Removes the threat of relegation from the Conference North/South who, along with the Conference, are going to have an almighty battle on to finish games.

Can't see anything other than the Premier League and the Championship finishing the season out.

the 3 of them (northern, southern and isthmian) are, and have been,  working together, so it's a joint proposal at the minute.It's being recommended but clubs will be consulted and asked to ratify, although it's a foregone conclusion becuase with no bar sales and no spectators no team can afford to play

I was looking at the National League table the other night and Dover have only played 10 games.

They have another 34 to fit in.

Some clubs have played 14, others have played 18. What if some of those clubs (who are already behind) have to self-isolate? What if the weather causes postponements?

I probably agree that it's too early to make any decisions — maybe, when it all goes to pot in a month's time and the whole thing is a shambles, we'll say with hindsight that football should've been cancelled now — but it's not going to be straightforward to complete all leagues in a way that's fair for all teams.

It does raise questions about the integrity of the leagues. You'd be annoyed if you support Torquay and maybe relieved if you support Dover but there has to be a hell of a lot more games yet before you can draw any conclusions about each club's season.

How many points were Newcastle ahead of Manu at this stage of the season when they lost the title?

Quoted from RichMariner

I was looking at the National League table the other night and Dover have only played 10 games.

They have another 34 to fit in.

Some clubs have played 14, others have played 18. What if some of those clubs (who are already behind) have to self-isolate? What if the weather causes postponements?

I probably agree that it's too early to make any decisions — maybe, when it all goes to pot in a month's time and the whole thing is a shambles, we'll say with hindsight that football should've been cancelled now — but it's not going to be straightforward to complete all leagues in a way that's fair for all teams.

It does raise questions about the integrity of the leagues. You'd be annoyed if you support Torquay and maybe relieved if you support Dover but there has to be a hell of a lot more games yet before you can draw any conclusions about each club's season.

How many points were Newcastle ahead of Manu at this stage of the season when they lost the title?

In the National League North, Darlington are in 19th place (out of 22) and 1 point above (what was) the relegation zone and have enough games in hand to go top.

If the euros are cancelled it would allow everyone more time to fit fixtures in.

I’d write it off now just to urine the Lincoln fans off if nothing else.

I can’t see it being written off at ‘elite level’ at all. They may suspend it for a couple of weeks or so but I can’t see it being curtailed.

Would be pointless at this stage, aside from the complications of working out outcomes, nothing is shut other than gigs, pubs/restaurants and anything else that kind of fits in the hospitality industry. Would be harsh to impose a suspension or ban when other things are continuing to operate.

I know there’s been some outbreaks at some clubs but doesn’t seem enough to curtail a season and let’s face it, financially the top two divisions will definitely not want to stop.

Quoted from GrimRob

If the euros are cancelled it would allow everyone more time to fit fixtures in.

Zero chance of the Euros being cancelled to allow the season to be extended yet again. We’ll walk right back into a fixture pile up for 21/22 instead.

Besides, imagine telling UEFA that we’re canceling the Euros so Dover can finish their season.

Can see all part time teams stopping as it must be near impossible to keep the players away from covid with having other jobs.  Full timers should have that same problem as it’s easier to stay away from us peasants that carry it.

Quoted from monkeyboy

Can see all part time teams stopping as it must be near impossible to keep the players away from covid with having other jobs.  Full timers should have that same problem as it’s easier to stay away from us peasants that carry it.

Full fixture list in the NL, NLN and NLS today. Only 10 games on as the rest have fallen victim to covid.

Like you say, it must be hard for a part-time team in the NLN as players are in contact with a squad of say 20 and the opposition which is no different to other clubs but then coming into contact with people as part of their 9-5!

In last weeks testing of 66 clubs and 3500 players and staff, there were 112 cases, which is about 3 per cent. The percentage in the population as a whole is 2 per cent. There were also 40 cases in the Premier league. I don't see how they can justify keeping going with those numbers.

only 3 games now being played in the conference today

Quoted from pontoonlew

Zero chance of the Euros being cancelled to allow the season to be extended yet again. We’ll walk right back into a fixture pile up for 21/22 instead.

Besides, imagine telling UEFA that we’re canceling the Euros so Dover can finish their season.

There’s no reason (in theory) why L1 and below couldn’t overlap the Euros. But the issue is leagues remaining in sync. The PL & FLC will finish on time. In reality all other leagues L1 & below could probably extend to maybe Sun June 13th. Anything beyond that is probably impossible.

A sensible global approach might be to just shuffle the international sport calendar back 2 years. So the Euros become Euro 2022, Tokyo 2020 Olympic become Tokyo 2022, Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics become Beijing 2024 and the next FIFA World Cup is moved to 2024 and all following competitions take place 4 years after that.

It’s all well and good that the richest dozen or so countries might well be back to some form of normality within 6 months but the majority of the world will be far behind that schedule.

A cross continent Euros is a logistics nightmare. I don’t see how it can work.

Quoted from forza ivano

only 3 games now being played in the conference today

There are now 20 Saturdays and 20 midweeks left until the regular National League season is scheduled to end on Sat 29th May. So that’s 40 match days and teams in the NL have between 26 and 34 matches left and that’s before the complication of 23 teams and teams getting bye weeks when they should have played Macclesfield.

There have only been 63 NL fixtures played since the start of December. That’s less than 6 rounds of fixtures in 6 weeks.

And things are getting worse.

There is realistically no chance that the NL will complete their season.

It’s very much the elephant in the room and needs addressing by the relevant football authorities.

If the EFL will only accept a fully complete NL season for promotion and relegation to take place they should tell the NL that ASAP so that the NL have the option of voiding their season and not wasting their time and money continuing the season.

i stand corrected but i think Clee Town have only played 8 games this season it has to stop.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

There are now 20 Saturdays and 20 midweeks left until the regular National League season is scheduled to end on Sat 29th May. So that’s 40 match days and teams in the NL have between 26 and 34 matches left and that’s before the complication of 23 teams and teams getting bye weeks when they should have played Macclesfield.

There have only been 63 NL fixtures played since the start of December. That’s less than 6 rounds of fixtures in 6 weeks.

And things are getting worse.

There is realistically no chance that the NL will complete their season.

It’s very much the elephant in the room and needs addressing by the relevant football authorities.

If the EFL will only accept a fully complete NL season for promotion and relegation to take place they should tell the NL that ASAP so that the NL have the option of voiding their season and not wasting their time and money continuing the season.

Surely if the EFL can accept points per game for their own league they have to accept it for others. The real question is what is the minimum proportion of a season that has to be played for it to count. The prem suggested 67% or 75% as alternatives didn't they but didn't make a decision.

Presumably the NL has to get to the 67% stage at least to have a chance of being accepted you'd have thought. How far are they off that? Is it achievable before the euros? I know they could go on during the euros but I don't think uefa will allow that.

Quoted from Yoda

i stand corrected but i think Clee Town have only played 8 games this season it has to stop.

They have indeed played 8 out of 38. The play-offs take about 3 weeks as well.

https://www.thefishy.co.uk/leaguetable.php?table=276&season=18

Quoted from GrimRob

They have indeed played 8 out of 38. The play-offs take about 3 weeks as well.

https://www.thefishy.co.uk/leaguetable.php?table=276&season=18

They don’t take 3 weeks. The season finishes on a Saturday. The one off Semi-Finals take place the following Tuesday and the Final is on the Saturday. They are done and dusted in 7 days.

I can’t believe we’re clutching at these straws. But I hope you’re right.

I don’t think we’ll finish bottom 2 anyhow.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I don’t think we’ll finish bottom 2 anyhow.

Did you miss the game today mate?

It's looking bleak on all fronts.

I'd rather the season continue and we stay up on merit. But can't deny that the season being declared null and void would also be welcome at this stage.

Sadly it's the Fenty regime that has put us in a position whereby we're hoping it's the latter option, because the first, for now at least, doesn't look good based on the decisions they made in the summer i.e. no pre-season, covid-clauses, shambolic recruitment strategy on the flimsy idea that other clubs may go bust and/or the season may not complete.

We've been sold down the river by one bloke who stands to walk away from this with a profit after nearly two decades of chronic underachievement (and that's putting it politely) and a gang of his mates who have put less into the club than the average fan on minimum wage.

Quoted from pontoonlew

Zero chance of the Euros being cancelled to allow the season to be extended yet again. We’ll walk right back into a fixture pile up for 21/22 instead.

Besides, imagine telling UEFA that we’re canceling the Euros so Dover can finish their season.

Has a sort of poetic Brexit ring to it 😉

Quoted from ginnywings

In last weeks testing of 66 clubs and 3500 players and staff, there were 112 cases, which is about 3 per cent. The percentage in the population as a whole is 2 per cent. There were also 40 cases in the Premier league. I don't see how they can justify keeping going with those numbers.

I fear the real numbers are much higher. I heard today that the positive results at a lateral flow test centre averaged 5% this week.

Bear in mind this is for people who are asymptomatic and have not been referred by track and trace.

Quoted from thefish

Did you miss the game today mate?

No, I just think Hurst will recruit well and get the best out of the players he chooses to keep and we will improve enough.

Quoted from toontown

Surely if the EFL can accept points per game for their own league they have to accept it for others. The real question is what is the minimum proportion of a season that has to be played for it to count. The prem suggested 67% or 75% as alternatives didn't they but didn't make a decision.

Presumably the NL has to get to the 67% stage at least to have a chance of being accepted you'd have thought. How far are they off that? Is it achievable before the euros? I know they could go on during the euros but I don't think uefa will allow that.

I think they should be expected to complete the season. Last season was an exception as all football stopped completely for 3 months or so. Football has carried on this time. The NL should be expected to complete their season as the EFL will fully complete our season.

Whatever, the EFL should be telling the NL what the score is in regards of what needs to happen for promotion & relegation to take place between L2 & the NL.

From what I've seen the majority of NL clubs are now coming over to the idea of abandoning the season as there is no realistic prospect of any fans for the next 3 or 4 months at least.

you've also got to throw the FA  Trophy into the mix, as that is still continuing (next round is next Saturday) so another couple of write off weekends for the conference

Quoted from forza ivano

you've also got to throw the FA  Trophy into the mix, as that is still continuing (next round is next Saturday) so another couple of write off weekends for the conference

They still haven't played last season's final?

The season has to be ended immediately, ( well before Southend hammer us). Seriously think ending is a possibility but at this point I look for any excuse to get rid of Hollowhead's squad ASAP. When I saw the title I though the subject was , would this team be competitive in the Northern Premier league..............of course not utm

Quoted from ginnywings

In last weeks testing of 66 clubs and 3500 players and staff, there were 112 cases, which is about 3 per cent. The percentage in the population as a whole is 2 per cent. There were also 40 cases in the Premier league. I don't see how they can justify keeping going with those numbers.

They could all stop hugging each other every five minutes. That would be a start.

Quoted from Cambridgefish

They could all stop hugging each other every five minutes. That would be a start.

This!!!

Ban avoidable touching. No touching during a goal celebrations. No handshakes before or after the match.

And don't get me started on the video of Chorley celebrating in their changing room yesterday!

Quoted from Cambridgefish

They could all stop hugging each other every five minutes. That would be a start.

Maybe our strategy is to let so many goals so many opposition teams get outbreaks that the season has to be abandoned.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Maybe our strategy is to let so many goals so many opposition teams get outbreaks that the season has to be abandoned.

Aah yes - we're playing the long game, very sneaky!

Quoted from GollyGTFC

This!!!

Ban avoidable touching. No touching during a goal celebrations. No handshakes before or after the match.

And don't get me started on the video of Chorley celebrating in their changing room yesterday!

Then you've got the people of Marine turning out to watch a Spurs coach with tinted windows arrive at the ground.

If we're talking banning avoidable touching then you have to stop the game full stop.  It's pissing in the wind having sides coming out of separate tunnels if they're then huffing, puffing and sweating next to each other for 90 minutes.

We're supposed to be in bloody lockdown.  Yet we've got 'elite' sports teams travelling the length and breadth of the country, putting more and more people at risk.  Sadly I understand the need for the Premier League to finish simply because of the financial implications on it.  I think it stinks that money is talking so loud and dictating.  There's the potential to argue that keeping it going is a distraction for many, especially if they actually came through with this and put it on Free To Air TV on a more regular basis.  But our level and below, who would honestly miss it?  Is anyone really enjoying watching a one camera feed of bang average football in a sterile stadium every Saturday?  Does any slight enjoyment outweigh the risks?

Quoted from diehardmariner

Then you've got the people of Marine turning out to watch a Spurs coach with tinted windows arrive at the ground.

If we're talking banning avoidable touching then you have to stop the game full stop.  It's pissing in the wind having sides coming out of separate tunnels if they're then huffing, puffing and sweating next to each other for 90 minutes.

We're supposed to be in bloody lockdown.  Yet we've got 'elite' sports teams travelling the length and breadth of the country, putting more and more people at risk.  Sadly I understand the need for the Premier League to finish simply because of the financial implications on it.  I think it stinks that money is talking so loud and dictating.  There's the potential to argue that keeping it going is a distraction for many, especially if they actually came through with this and put it on Free To Air TV on a more regular basis.  But our level and below, who would honestly miss it?  Is anyone really enjoying watching a one camera feed of bang average football in a sterile stadium every Saturday?  Does any slight enjoyment outweigh the risks?

I cheerfully disagree. Football should continue. But with tightened up rules and punishments for disobeying rules.

Face masks compulsory at all times for everyone apart from the 22 players on the pitch and 3 on pitch officials.

No hand shaking or hugging after the game.

And plenty of people would miss football terribly if their team wasn’t playing.

It pains me that I can’t attend matches. I haven’t been to BP since 29th February 2020 and not seen Town play in person since 7th March 2020 at Scunny.

Those 6 months of nothingness from the Scunthorpe game to the Morecambe League Cup game were painful to me and lots of Town fans. If we give up now then it’s another 7 GTFC-less months. No thanks.

It isn’t just the hand shaking, hugs etc - it’s the need for an ambulance and staff too attend when they’re needed elsewhere. I like to watch football, any sport for that matter - but in all honesty - should it be going ahead at the moment - when it wasn’t from last March?? Yes, I also understand the mental health aspect etc.

What does annoy me is peoples seemingly delight in the season curtailed possibility at some point purely to save GTFC.

Bigger picture surely?? Whether Town are in League or not - this ‘way of life’ is going to be around for a fair while long after

it would obviously suit us being null and void for certain reasons...

I love watching football, and when it first came back, i would watch all sorts of random games.

But when kids can't go to school, you can only leave the house for essential reason etc etc, it makes you wonder if football should still be being played

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I cheerfully disagree. Football should continue. But with tightened up rules and punishments for disobeying rules.

Face masks compulsory at all times for everyone apart from the 22 players on the pitch and 3 on pitch officials.

No hand shaking or hugging after the game.

And plenty of people would miss football terribly if their team wasn’t playing.

It pains me that I can’t attend matches. I haven’t been to BP since 29th February 2020 and not seen Town play in person since 7th March 2020 at Scunny.

Those 6 months of nothingness from the Scunthorpe game to the Morecambe League Cup game were painful to me and lots of Town fans. If we give up now then it’s another 7 GTFC-less months. No thanks.

I genuinely sympathise to anyone who's using football as some sort of escapism at the minute, because quite frankly it's needed!  

But even with all the social distancing and masking up outside of the 90 minutes, the game itself is the absolute perfect breeding ground for the virus to spread.  Even if we don't use subs, there's 22 people (plus officials) who are producing and emitting all those spores in very close proximity to each other.  Those people are then going back to their homes and potentially spreading the virus even further.

Jase rightly points out the drain on other resources too.  Do we really need to run the risk of admitting players with injuries to local A&E's?

Agree.  But at least our groundsman has virtually no risk of getting a positive test result from being in contact with players and officials.  

Any match involves two squads of players, plus managers, coaches, doctors, officials, security staff, admin staff, journalists and others. i would be surprised if a game involves less that hundred people.  If we need to tighten anti covid measures  further then banning football matches must surely be a possibility.

Given how quickly and how often the government changes it's mind (opening schools for ONE day for christ sakes!) then I would not be at all surprised if this season is suspended or even cancelled.

Also the cost of all the tests (I hear the EFL approved test is £150 per person twice weekly for several dozen people at each club) runs into thousands.

Hope fully things will be much better in the autumn and we might get back to something resembling a normal season.