National League clubs – including Farsley Celtic – are set to vote on whether to scrap the current season amid fears of coronavirus and the financial of clubs.
All 66 clubs in the three divisions have the chance to decide what happens to the rest of the 2020-21 campaign.
The Celts must decide whether to resume their campaign, or declare it null and void. They have up to 28 days to return their vote, although the outcome is expected to be known much earlier.
Clubs must first vote on whether or not they should group the higher-tier National League Premier with non-league’s second tier, National League North and South, in a single vote or decide each tier’s fate separately.
They are then asked whether or not to continue playing, or call the season off and suspend promotion and relegation. If the vote is decided on a tier-by-tier basis, at least 22 of the 43 clubs in National League North and South would need to agree for the season to be brought to a premature conclusion.
The vote comes after a National League board meeting and a letter sent to all clubs by Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston inviting them to one of two meetings, last Friday or today, to ask questions about the current funding situation.
Clubs have been told the £11m due to cover the cost of matches from January to March will be in the form of loans, which has already been deemed unacceptable by a majority of clubs in National League North and South.
There has been no indication of how costs would be covered after this period and the season is not due to end until May.
The full statement from the league is below. It reads:
“The National League has distributed resolutions this evening for member clubs to consider the outcome of the 2020/21 season.
“The resolutions are formed of four parts: one ‘special resolution’ and three ‘ordinary resolutions’ based on the outcome of the first. A special resolution requires a 75 per cent majority to be passed, whereas an ordinary resolution requires a more-than 50 per cent majority. Resolution One and Four votes will be counted under prescribed voting conditions. Resolution Two and Three will be counted with one vote per member club.
“Should Resolution One pass, Resolution Two and Three will be counted, with Resolution Four disregarded. Should Resolution One be voted against, Resolution Four will be counted, with Resolution Two and Three votes disregarded.
“Under the National League’s articles of association, member clubs have 28 days to return voting submissions.
“The resolutions are as follows:
“Resolution One (all clubs)
“That Resolution Two about whether to end the 2020/21 playing season of the National League (Step 1) be taken only by clubs in the National League and that Resolution Three about whether to end the 2020/21 playing season of the National League North and the National League South (Step 2) be taken only by clubs that play in the National League North or the National League South with votes cast for Resolution Three being counted on a one member, one vote basis for National League North and National League South clubs.
“Resolution Two (National League only)
“That, conditional upon Resolution One being passed, the 2020/21 playing season of the National League (Step 1) shall immediately end on the date this Resolution Two is passed and be declared null and void and, subject to the approval of the Football Association, those regulations that provide for promotion and relegation to and from Step 1 be suspended for the 2020/21 playing season.
“Resolution Three (National League North and South only)
“That, conditional upon Resolution One being passed, the 2020/21 playing season of the National League North and the National League South (Step 2) shall immediately end on the date this Resolution Three is passed and be declared null and void and, subject to the approval of the Football Association, those regulations that provide for promotion and relegation to and from Step 2 be suspended for the 2020/21 playing season.
“Resolution Four (all clubs)
“That conditional upon Resolution One not being passed, the 2020/21 playing seasons of the National League (Step 1) and the National League North and the National League South (Step 2) shall immediately end on the date this Resolution Four is passed and be declared null and void and, subject to the approval of the Football Association, those regulations that provide for promotion to and relegation from Step 1 and Step 2 be suspended for the 2020/21 playing season.”
