2020/21 National League North

[#Beebot]

Pretty sure our dumb govt said that the NL money was in the form of grants. If they had made it clear that it was via loans, can`t believe the season would ever have restarted. Crazy, duplicitous, but sadly exactly in line with how BoJo and his incompetents have handled every issue they have had to deal with. One moron leaves office today, pity the one in Westminster isn`t following suit. Political rant over, no idea how the NL clubs will fix this. Brackley Chairman one of the twelve who co-signed the note to reinstate the loan principle. Let`s wait and see.....

I'm unconvinced that the NL interpreted whatever the DCMS told them accurately, though. And I'm really not a fan of this government, but the NL don't inspire confidence either.

 

[Minstermen central]

He'll be outvoted, but his counterparts in the National League might not be.

You will be correct that’s what you get for being in dog and duck league.1 up from putting jumpers down for goalposts.but deserve to be in this league.

 

[Railway Blue]

I'm unconvinced that the NL interpreted whatever the DCMS told them accurately, though. And I'm really not a fan of this government, but the NL don't inspire confidence either.

Me neither, but it could have been worse.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Absolutely farcical this the whole thing.

Just promote us and torquay, relegate Stevenage and another traditional tinpotter and void the rest.

 

[Minstermen central]

This league is an absolute joke,my sons junior league is run more professional.
How come the teams with a few hundred fans are refusing to play they hardly get a lot of gate receipts.

 

[Minstermen central]

Wonder if Southport and Darlington are going to withdraw from FA trophy seen has they are 2 from group of 12 not wanting play.

 

[Harrier94]

There was definitely a clear split in league positions in that group of 12

 

[Darlofan97]

There was definitely a clear split in league positions in that group of 12

We have asked for promotion & relegation to be guaranteed.

I’d also argue that 5/12 of the clubs who signed the letter have a good shot at the play-offs.

I believe Chester also called for a suspension?

It isn’t down to league positioning.

 

[Darlofan97]

Wonder if Southport and Darlington are going to withdraw from FA trophy seen has they are 2 from group of 12 not wanting play.

The 12 clubs want a suspension in order to enable the powers that be to sort out the funding issue & until regular testing is facilitated at this level.

We aren’t refusing to play full stop. It may be sorted by the 6th February.

 

[Railway Blue]

We have asked for promotion & relegation to be guaranteed.

I’d also argue that 5/12 of the clubs who signed the letter have a good shot at the play-offs.

I believe Chester also called for a suspension?

It isn’t down to league positioning.

We called for suspension because as a fan-owned club our constitution doesn't allow us to take on debt. That plus getting shafted over the split of the £10m. We only survived so far because the players took a pay cut and 6 of them are playing for the love of it.

 

[Minstermen central]

The 12 clubs want a suspension in order to enable the powers that be to sort out the funding issue & until regular testing is facilitated at this level.

We aren’t refusing to play full stop. It may be sorted by the 6th February.

So for the next 2 weeks nobody plays and no clubs earn any money.
3 games cancelled and league extended meaning more wages.
Only 2 of 12 get more than a thousand at home,look at Slough in south they wanted play offs because it suited them,this season near bottom and surprise surprise they are refusing to play.
It just sums this tin pot league and clubs.
Will be looking out to see if trophy games get played next week.

 

[Bluandwite]

We called for suspension because as a fan-owned club our constitution doesn't allow us to take on debt. That plus getting shafted over the split of the £10m. We only survived so far because the players took a pay cut and 6 of them are playing for the love of it.

We haven't called for one, Andy Morris has said so tonight on the radio. The Covid risk hasn't changed and the cost risk is no different during this 'pause' either. It's why we didn't sign the letter.

We support one if Option 2 isn't viable following more information which is needed. If they didn't provide more info by Wednesday then we'd call for one.

 

[Swedes]

Wonder if Southport and Darlington are going to withdraw from FA trophy seen has they are 2 from group of 12 not wanting play.

If you can be bothered to look into what our chairman and manager have said over the past week, you will find our answer to that question. Football is of no importance when people are losing their lives and semi-professional players and club staff and volunteers are being put at unnecessary risk.

 

[Minstermen central]

If you can be bothered to look into what our chairman and manager have said over the past week, you will find our answer to that question. Football is of no importance when people are losing their lives and semi-professional players and club staff and volunteers are being put at unnecessary risk.

National league has semi pro clubs also.
Don’t get the difference to start of season still a risk then.
Agree testing should be done,my wife is a nurse and works on covid ward she has to do a flow test twice a week,why can’t this be a option and presume a lot cheaper.

 

[Jerry]

If you can be bothered to look into what our chairman and manager have said over the past week, you will find our answer to that question. Football is of no importance when people are losing their lives and semi-professional players and club staff and volunteers are being put at unnecessary risk.

What's changed? This has been the case for months and there were no calls for a suspension until it emerged there would be no more grants. I can perfectly understand the financial reasons for the smaller clubs not wanting to carry on without these grants so why not just say that instead of suddenly developing a conscience about putting players at risk?

 

[Swedes]

National league has semi pro clubs also.
Don’t get the difference to start of season still a risk then.
Agree testing should be done,my wife is a nurse and works on covid ward she has to do a flow test twice a week,why can’t this be a option and presume a lot cheaper.

The infection rate and numbers in hospital or dying was far lower in October when the season started than it is now. Twice weekly testing could work (I work in a frontline clinical NHS position too, and am on the same twice weekly lateral flow test regime as well as being part of the SIREN study), but isn't the holy grail when it comes to keeping everyone safe. Getting groups of people who work in different jobs to travel across the country together, to then have close contact with another group of people who will split off to their own jobs and families, and replicating this across the country, all in the midst of a global pandemic of a highly infectious and deadly virus is just stupid. The football fan in me wants the season to continue, the clinician knows what is right.

What's changed? This has been the case for months and there were no calls for a suspension until it emerged there would be no more grants. I can perfectly understand the financial reasons for the smaller clubs not wanting to carry on without these grants so why not just say that instead of suddenly developing a conscience about putting players at risk?

There is no sudden change from us, there has been an unease with fulfilling fixtures for the past month. The National League apparently tried to coerce us into playing against Fylde despite us having players with COVID symptoms in the squad. The financial aspect of it certainly doesn't help matters (trading on loans whilst not having an income to cover them is a recipe for insolvency), but there is far more to it than that.

 

[Darlofan97]

What's changed? This has been the case for months and there were no calls for a suspension until it emerged there would be no more grants. I can perfectly understand the financial reasons for the smaller clubs not wanting to carry on without these grants so why not just say that instead of suddenly developing a conscience about putting players at risk?

What has changed? Did I imagine the country going in to full national lockdown 18 days ago, or did I dream it?

 

[LongEatonPie]

I thought us Northerners where made of stronger metal!
Its only been the last 3 months that I have realised that Notts County are tinpot! FFS!

 

[Jerry]

What has changed? Did I imagine the country going in to full national lockdown 18 days ago, or did I dream it?

Yep and no calls for a suspension of the league 18 days ago were there?

 

[Darlofan97]

Yep and no calls for a suspension of the league 18 days ago were there?

Unsure, but there were certainly calls for mass-testing.

On the eve of the new season there was no national lockdown, and cases were almost 6 times less prevalent than what they are now.

The lack of funding & testing are too separate issues. It is a coincidence that both have came to a head at the same time when 1) there is no funding in place for January & 2) the peak of Covid-19 appears to be in January.

The current risk is - obviously - more than in October.

 

[Railway Blue]

We haven't called for one, Andy Morris has said so tonight on the radio. The Covid risk hasn't changed and the cost risk is no different during this 'pause' either. It's why we didn't sign the letter.

We support one if Option 2 isn't viable following more information which is needed. If they didn't provide more info by Wednesday then we'd call for one.

Opted for ~~ you know what I meant!

 

[Railway Blue]

We just sold young striker Will Goodwin to Stoke City for a nominal fee. I hope there is decent sell on arrangement.

 

[Kenneth Dodd]

We just sold young striker Will Goodwin to Stoke City for a nominal fee. I hope there is decent sell on arrangement.

A Stoke fan on their forum said there’s loads of sell on clauses

 

[Railway Blue]

A Stoke fan on their forum said there’s loads of sell on clauses

We always seem to miss out on sell-on clauses. Most notably Jon Walters!

 

[Harrier94]

Looks like Hereford could be in trouble. After a forgery case has been opened against them.

FA launches investigation into John-Lewis' Hereford contract

The striker completed his return to Grimsby Town on deadline day after trying to trigger the clause to allow him to move

www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

 

[Lucky Bobble]

BBC website says only 2 games going ahead... is it worth carrying on now it has become such a shambles?

 

[Harrier94]

BBC website says only 2 games going ahead... is it worth carrying on now it has become such a shambles?

A few games off because of the trophy (ours being one of them) some teams refusing to play as far as I'm aware. I'm surprised Alfreton are playing honestly.

 

[DarkSithLord]

A few games off because of the trophy (ours being one of them) some teams refusing to play as far as I'm aware. I'm surprised Alfreton are playing honestly.

A waterlogged pitch has done for us

 

[B2TF]

Absolutely farcical this the whole thing.

Just promote us and torquay, relegate Stevenage and another traditional tinpotter and void the rest.

You've a LONG way to go yet, you've only just got here. Clubs like ours don't just bounce back up, we have to suffer for it.

 

[Harrier94]

A waterlogged pitch has done for us

This should play out quite interestingly considering according to weather reports that hasn't been much rain up your way in the last day or so.