Footballers and CoronaVirus

[Ray de Galles]

I suspect we may be heading for an April similar to August last year where crowds informally attended games at clubs/grounds from Step 7 and below, primarily but not always because they were on unenclosed pitches.

After about three weeks of this the FA/DCMS "clarified" that limited crowds had actually been allowed all along at non-elite level. The difference being that if that happens again it will be too late for anything to be started and the current information is already causing leagues to cancel or go no further with planned spring competitions.

[Third rate Leszno]

Prestwich Heys of the NWCFL have organised a competition and claim to have a plan in place for if fans aren't allowed. They've not said what it is though.

They're polling clubs who were to be involved to ask them if they want to go ahead BCD with live streaming or postpone until May when fans can attend.

[Artificial Hipster]

Ah ok, the tweet that referred to a plan made it sound to me like they had something much more intriguing up their sleeves.

[mirko bolesan]

This on NonLeagueMatters explains it in a good way, I think.
https://nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum...828/post-79344

It appears the South West Peninsula League have cancelled their cup competition, perhaps prematurely. It's no surprise there's confusion around this. The government understands "elite football" and maybe "grassroots", the football in the middle between Steps 3 and 6 is a bit more of a nebulous concept to them.

[Capybara]

It's a couple of days old so sorry if it's been posted elsewhere but dates for the resumption of the FA Vase have been announced, plus arrangements for the finals of last season's Vase and Trophy.

https://www.thefa.com/news/2021/mar/...mbley-20210311

[Ray de Galles]

Thought this should go here rather than the Conference thread :

https://twitter.com/ollie_bayliss/status/1375492764058673155?s=21

[Gangster Octopus]

This seems somewhat unfair.

[DCI Harry Batt]

It's bloody ridiculous.

[Fussbudget]

The National League doesn’t half give the impression that it hates its own clubs sometimes

[Paul S]

That statement in full:

An Independent Panel, commissioned by The National League, has met to hear the cases of 18 Member Clubs charged with alleged breaches of League Rules.


16 Member Clubs were charged with a breach of League Rule 8.39, 1 Member Club was charged with a breach of League Rule 4.2 and 1 Member Club was charged with a breach of both League Rule 4.2 and 8.39.

Rule 8.39 relates to any Club without just cause failing to fulfil an engagement to play a Competition match on an appointed date. Rule 4.2 provides The National League Board with the ability to issue an instruction, by way of Board Directive, in the best interests of any matter outside of the Rules. On this occasion, Rule 4.2 has been utilised to ensure The National League’s Covid-19 protocols are followed correctly by each Member Club.

The findings of the hearings, divided into three categories, can be found below:

Dover Athletic

An Independent Panel has ruled that Dover Athletic are deemed guilty of four breaches of Rule 8.39 for failing to meet fixture obligations between February 16th and February 27th.

The Club will play no further part in the 2020/21 Playing Season, with the Club’s existing National League (Step One) results expunged. A 12-point deduction for the 2021/22 Playing Season and fine of ?40,000 have additionally been issued.

The Panel had regard to financial information provided by Dover Athletic and fully respected the responsibility of the Club’s Directors under Company Law.

However, the Panel also had to consider the integrity of the Competition and the actions of Dover Athletic in relation to the other 22 Clubs that continue to incur much costs as they fulfill their fixtures. Dover Athletic had avoided costs by not completing their Season alongside the other 22 Clubs. In addition, The National League basic award meant they were significantly benefiting from not completing the Season compared to the 22 Clubs that continued.

The Panel concluded that three points per breach should be deducted from the Club’s record in Playing Season 2021/22. In view of the current financial situation and in order to reflect the approach taken in other cases of breaches of Rule 8.39, the Independent Panel reduced the initial fine by 20% to ?40,000.

Non-Fulfilment of Fixtures at Step Two

An Independent Panel has ruled that 16 Member Clubs participating in National League North and South (Step Two) are guilty of breaching Rule 8.39 for failing to meet fixture obligations.

Fines ranging from ?1,400 to ?8,000 in addition to a suspended points deduction for the 2021/22 Playing Season has been issued to each Member Club found guilty.

Given the extremely unusual circumstances that have affected football at all levels and the financial pressures the absence of spectators has brought to bear on clubs, the Panel expressed its sympathy with the Clubs’ predicament. However, the Panel believes it must also take regard of the fact that the majority of Clubs continued to fulfil fixtures and incur much costs until the League ended on February 19th.

Per breach, each Club received a ?2,000 fine and suspended two-point deduction for the 2021/22 Playing Season. A 30% reduction was made to the fine for those accepting the charge ahead of the hearing.

Covid-19 Related Breaches

King’s Lynn Town and Southport have been found guilty by an Independent Panel of a breach of The National League’s Covid-19 protocols.

Season 2020/21 had started under restrictions imposed to help control the spread of Covid-19 virus. In order to ensure the Season could continue safely, The National League had developed a number of protocols with Club Process Flow Charts which were to be followed by Clubs.

The Panel imposed a 12-month suspended fine of ?2,000 on King’s Lynn Town for an unintentional error, considered to be in the best efforts to ensure a fixture was played. The Club were warned for their future conduct in relation to Covid-19 protocols, with the suspended fine only to be issued if the Club is found guilty of a further breach of Covid-19 protocols.

The Panel issued a ?2,000 fine to Southport for, based on the evidence received, misinformation of the status of a player’s Covid-19 test to avoid playing a fixture on dates set by the League. The Club were also warned their future conduct in relation to Covid-19 protocols.

*There is a right of appeal to the Football Association.

[Grimmer]

I simply assumed that this decision was aimed at stopping other clubs in the bottom half of the division from doing the same thing.

Not sure that would make it the right decision mind.

[Gangster Octopus]

I thought that there's no relegation this season from the National.

[Third rate Leszno]

Southport understandably not happy with their sanction.

We would like to express our shock and disgust at this decision to punish Southport FC, and other National League North and South clubs, for trying to keep our players, staff and volunteers alive and healthy during this pandemic that has claimed the lives of so many people. We made our concerns known as regards continuing to play without testing. The National League seemingly agreed with this concern in that finally testing was made available, although this came after the season was, for us, curtailed. We were not provided with any tests for this game against Curzon. We took the decision that the lives of everybody involved with the club were more important than this individual game.

The league have stated in their decision letter:

“ However, the Panel also noted that by failing to fulfil the fixture, the club will have saved a substantial part of the match costs”

Adversely they have overlooked the financial implications suffered by clubs for playing matches in January when funding that was secured in “good faith” by the league failed to materialise.

It is hugely disappointing that at a time when the clubs have had no income of their own whatsoever for over 12 months, and a number of clubs are clearly struggling to survive, the National League have seen fit to effectively “put the boot in” by imposing financial sanctions for games that are of no relevance at all as they have been deemed “null and void”.

We will be appealing to the FA in respect of their finding in relation to the Fylde game. The game was due to take place on the Monday. It was postponed due to notification, in line with guidelines, of two players exhibiting COVID symptoms. We then received the unprecedented demand that the game should be played 48 hours later, despite our request for a 7 day postponement. We had not received the test results 48 hours later, and were not prepared to put our squad at risk until the results of those tests were known. No explanation has been offered by the National League as to why we received a demand to play the postponed game 48 hours later. No explanation has been given as to why the game could not be played 7 days later. It is to be borne in mind that the usual rules indicate that postponed games are to be rearranged and replayed within 42 days of the postponement

We provided evidence of the players two test receipts. Unfortunately only one test result was returned by the NHS after the forced rearranged date.

The alternative would have been to play the match with the results of players test unknown.

This decision will be appealed.

[Satchmo Distel]

I thought that there's no relegation this season from the National.

Is it more the case that those Step One clubs who have no hope of making the play-offs would shut up shop to save money if there wasn't a deterrent?

[Jobi1]

Is it more the case that those Step One clubs who have no hope of making the play-offs would shut up shop to save money if there wasn't a deterrent?

Yes, you'd imagine so (which I think is what Grimmer was getting at).

All just serves to illustrate the absolute farce of continuing a league where the vast majority of participants are likely losing money by playing (even just in the sense of taking the notorious loans that they'll eventually have to pay back) when, without the threat of relegation or prospect of promotion, they have nothing to play for.

[Grimmer]

It was!

Woking lost their FA Trophy semi today. I believe they’ve made noises about furloughing everyone once they were out of that competition.

[My Name Is Ian]

It's almost as though you can't have this much vaunted 'integrity of the league' under these circumstances without grants having been made available beyond the first three months of the season.

[RobW]

Lincoln's game on Friday afternoon against Franchise has been postponed due to a number of players and staff members testing positive. Suspect that next Tuesday's game at Charlton might be postponed too (i'd hope so anyway).

[Satchmo Distel]

They have two free dates for the games - April 13 and May 4.

[Patrick Thistle]

https://twitter.com/YClwbPelDroed/status/1377235576584347648?s=19

[Southport Zeb]

The Highland League season has been declared finished, with no games having been played since the start of January. With the first games having been at the end of November, no side played more than three games. Despite this it has been decided that, rather than just declare the season null and void, the league will be decided on PPG (I presume the logic around this is so that a team can be made available for a playoff). Five teams ended with a perfect 3.00, so it went to goal difference with Brora "retaining" the title ahead of Fraserburgh.

[Ray de Galles]

The League Cup final between Tottenham and Manchester City will have 8,000 fans in attendance after it was confirmed as a pilot event to test the return of big crowds.

A proportion of tickets will be made available to both clubs for the game at Wembley Stadium on 25 April.

The rest will be given to local residents in Brent and NHS staff.

Rick Parry, chair of the English Football League (EFL), said it was an "important milestone".

On 18 April, the FA Cup semi-final between Leicester City and Southampton will have 4,000 fans while the final on 15 May will welcome 21,000 spectators.

[Antepli Ejderha]

?ağlar Soyuncu tested positive after the recent Turkey Latvia match and is isolating in Turkey.

[Satchmo Distel]

Are other Turkish players also isolating?

[Antepli Ejderha]

No idea, read it on the BBC website, but judging from games being played today I'd say not.