Here are the questions non-League football clubs are being asked as season hangs in the balance
Clubs at Steps 3-6 of the non-League pyramid have until this coming Friday to tell the FA how they want to bring the pandemic-scarred 2020/21 campaign to a close.
Unlike last season, when the governing body controversially declared the season null and void without any consultation, the FA are at least seeking clubs’ views this time.
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Hide AdAll clubs have to fill in a questionnaire explaining how they would like to see the season finished.
Options include null and voiding, points-per-game ratios being implemented, or pausing the campaigns now and restarting in August with a view to finishing 2020/21 at some point in what would have been 2021/22.
The FA survey is as follows:
Does your club hold an immediate view as to what should happen to the 2020/21 season?
1: Yes, we believe that the season should be terminated immediately, and the season declared null and void. No promotion or relegation.
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Hide Ad2: Yes, fixtures should cease immediately, with restart planned for August 2021. The aim would then be to complete the 2020/21 season between August 2021 – May 2022.
If all Step clubs are able to resume competitive fixtures by March 1, 2021, would your club wish to…
1: Complete the season as normal, extending to May 31, 2021; ending with play-offs, promotion and relegation. This would require 100 per cent of games to be completed. If that is not the case, the season would be null and voided.
2: Complete the season as normal, extending to May 31, 2021; ending with promotion and relegation but promoting the top two clubs instead of champion club and play-off winner. This would also require 100 per cent of games to be completed and, if not, the season would be null and void.
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Hide Ad3: Complete as much of the season as possible, with season to end by no later than May 31, 2021; ending with play-offs, promotion and relegation if PPG threshold is met.
4: Complete as much of the season as possible, with season to end by no later than May 31, 2021; ending with promotion and relegation if PPG threshold is met; but promoting the top two clubs instead of champion club and play-off winner.
5: Adopt alternate competition format & achieve promotion/relegation.
If all clubs are able to resume competitive fixtures between March 2 and April 1, 2021, would your club wish to…
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Hide Ad1: Terminate the season when it becomes clear that clubs will not be able to resume competitive fixtures before 2nd March 2021. The season would be declared null and void.
2: Complete as much of the season as possible, with season to end by no later than May 31, 2021; ending with play-offs, promotion and relegation if PPG threshold is met.
3: Complete as much of the season as possible, with season to end by no later than May 31, 2021; ending with promotion and relegation if PPG threshold is met; but promoting the top two clubs instead of champion club and play-off winner.
4: Complete the season, however long it takes, delaying the start of the 2021/22 season. If that latter option was chosen, there would potentially be no promotion to step 2 - the National League South - as their 2021/22 season is currently intended to start in August.
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Hide AdIf all clubs are able to resume competitive fixtures after April 1, 2021, would your club wish to…
1: Terminate the season when it becomes clear that clubs will not be able to resume competitive fixtures before April 1, 2021. The season would be null and void.
2: Complete the season, however long it takes, delaying the start of the 2021/22 season. Again, there might be no promotion to Step 2.
If the season is to continue to May 31, 2021 and all fixtures cannot be completed by that date, but the preference is nevertheless to determine final league standings using a PPG formula and retain promotion/relegation, what minimum threshold of completed fixtures would need to be reached to trigger the application of the PPG formula?
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Hide AdThis percentage would be the average percentage across a given step level, and both steps would need to achieve this threshold for promotion and relegation to take place.
1: 66 per cent.
2: 75 per cent.