Petition - Completion of Leagues at Non League Level

[Rhodes]

What a dreadful shambles, last week Club's were informed that the Government (the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport) had issued advice on the position at step 2 level however Club's have now been told that the DCMS have not issued any specific guidance afterall and it is a matter for the National League to decide, talk about sloping shoulders and a total disgrace. See today's letter issued by the National League to all their Club's Chairmen:

Edited June 15, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

At least there finally appears to be some movement now where the National League is concerned and this is the likely outcome of automatic promotion and the play off's however staging play off's behind closed doors is going to cost Club's a fortune unless, presumably, games will be televised and they can recoup most of their outlay:

https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/30819/national-league-clubs-receive-resolution-to-conclude-season/?utm_medium=onesignal&utm_source=push_notifications&utm_campaign=web_push

[Rhodes]

The FA still have to make a decision on allowing new Non League Club's for next season such as Bury AFC and Isle of Man FC are hoping to join the Pyramid, other Club's have applied for voluntary relegation due to their financial plight, the emergency rules below apparently allow the FA's Leagues Committee to fill vacancies at their discretion:

Edited June 17, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

National League Clubs have this afternoon overwhelmingly supported the ordinary resolution put to them, the League will now proceed with play offs at all Steps but they remain subject to Government guidance, National League CEO Michael Tattersall states 'we can now look towards the completion of end of season playoffs' and here is the Leagues statement:

[Rhodes]

Barrow, Kings Lynn and Wealdstone are set to receive automatic promotion, National League Club's have this afternoon voted to decide the three Leagues by way of points per game (ppg) (see below) however the decision still needs final ratification from the FA Council:

https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/30839/breaking-news-barrow-kings-lynn-town-and-wealdstone-crowned-champions/?utm_medium=onesignal&utm_source=push_notifications&utm_campaign=web_push

Edited June 17, 2020 by Rhodes

[Savagebee]

30 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

Barrow, Kings Lynn and Wealdstone are set to receive automatic promotion, National League Club's have this afternoon voted to decide the three Leagues by way of points per game (ppg) (see below) however the decision still needs final ratification from the FA Council:

https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/30839/breaking-news-barrow-kings-lynn-town-and-wealdstone-crowned-champions/?utm_medium=onesignal&utm_source=push_notifications&utm_campaign=web_push

Pleased for Wealdstone FC they work hard at that club.

[Savagebee]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/11885276/dowden-premier-league-fans-stadiums/

[Rhodes]

4 minutes ago, Savagebee said:

Pleased for Wealdstone FC they work hard at that club.

Savagebee - I have always been really unhappy at the way Wealdstone Football Club unscrupulously and deviously pulled the rug from under Ruislip Manor at Grosvenor Vale back in 2008 putting them out of business and being forced to fold after 70 years in existence before the Club were miraculously saved at the eleventh hour by Saint like Terry Springer when they became Tokyngton Manor. You will recall the story well as you posted on many of the threads at the time, it was absolutely 'criminal' what Wealdstone did and I made it clear to them in no uncertain terms which they naturally didn't like (see below). Now, as from this afternoon, they are a Step One Club so talk about treading on people on your way up: 

http://www.wealdstonefc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=688&p=4317&hilit=rhodes&sid=5eb4a28572aea7db0a43edfaa750bda4#p4317

[Savagebee]

52 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

Savagebee - I have always been really unhappy at the way Wealdstone Football Club unscrupulously and deviously pulled the rug from under Ruislip Manor at Grosvenor Vale back in 2008 putting them out of business and being forced to fold after 70 years in existence before the Club were miraculously saved at the eleventh hour by Saint like Terry Springer when they became Tokyngton Manor. You will recall the story well as you posted on many of the threads at the time, it was absolutely 'criminal' what Wealdstone did and I made it clear to them in no uncertain terms which they naturally didn't like (see below). Now, as from this afternoon, they are a Step One Club so talk about treading on people on your way up: 

http://www.wealdstonefc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=688&p=4317&hilit=rhodes&sid=5eb4a28572aea7db0a43edfaa750bda4#p4317

Yep at the time I had issues with it as I had soft spot for Ruslip Manor FC. But I don't know all the facts with what happend but it's 2020 now and life moves on. I've been to watch Wealdstone FC play every now and then over the years and I'm not a massive fan of there's but I'm happy to see a local'ish non league footy club go up and they do a great programme ?

[Rhodes]

1 hour ago, Savagebee said:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/11885276/dowden-premier-league-fans-stadiums/

Savagebee - Yes, let us hope that is the case or preferably sooner:

As the Premier League returns to TV screens tonight, he said there were "intensive discussions" on getting fans into stadiums by next season, which is expected to start in September.

Oliver Dowden told the daily press briefing: "By the return of the new season, we might be in a position whereby some fans could start to return to stadiums.

(We are doing) intensive engagement (and discussions) on how we could get that done safely.

Clearly we will look at positioning of fans, where they are relative to each other but there's all the issue about how you get in and out of stadiums in a safe way, and how you have access to conveniences and everything else."

Premier League will return tonight with Man City vs Arsenal and Aston Villa vs Sheffield.

But Mr Dowden warned that in the meantime fans needed to watch from home or else risk spreading coronavirus.

He said: "Please look after your fellow fans and communities by watching from home - to keep the home advantage, support from home.

There is nothing to be gained from congregating outside stadiums except to put at risk public heath."

Digital passports could be used help get fans back in stadiums under plans being worked on by ministers and the Premier League. 

Former sports minister Richard Caborn revealed the Government is in discussions to trial the proposals at training sessions for up to 5,000 spectators to test whether they will work. 

There is currently no date for when mass gatherings such as sports events or gigs will be able to return, with experts warning it is unlikely to happen before a coronavirus vaccine is found. 

But the boss of the firm testing Premier League players said a digital health passport could be a “game-changer”. 

Mr Caborn said the proposals being worked on by ministers, clubs and testing and tech companies could be ready to open the turnstiles for the next football season. 

The health passport would be a web-based platform that shows the individual’s Covid-19 testing status and history. 

It is understood that under the plans, fans would scan the passport using a QR code when they enter a stadium - along with their matchday ticket. 

Mr Caborn said tech firm VST Enterprises are involved in designing a platform for the digital health passport. 

He told the BBC Radio 4: “I do know that there is obviously some discussions taking place with Government and the Premier League I understand, to see whether they can start digital passports.  

There are some proposals they trial this at training sessions with up to 5,000 just to test that through to see if that will work.

As i understand it, there are some British companies which are working with the clubs, VST Enterprise for example have got this platform. 

Technology that is now being rushed into sport to see if the digital passport would be sufficient to allow fans to come back. 

In terms of next season there's a genuine attempt from the technology side of it to make that happen."

Testing and digital health company Prenetics, which has been conducting testing for Premier League players and staff, said digital health passports opened the door to fans returning to stadiums. 

Avi Lasarow told Reuters: “I think its going to be a big game-changer in terms of linking COVID-19 testing results to a digital access mechanism based on biometrics and other such factors.

With any innovation, you’re always thinking about what the end goal is in the world of sport it’s about getting fans back into the stadium.”

[Rhodes]

York City have launched a petition calling for new regulations to protect the original number of promotion places, ie two, the Club have written to the National League calling for a second promotion place if the play offs do not happen, here is the petition:

https://www.change.org/p/national-football-league-protect-football-promotion-places?recruiter=1120467032&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

[Rhodes]

It's interesting that Stevenage Chairman Phil Wallace now says that "we will be looking closely at that (the Macclesfield decision) with our legal advisors this coming week when we see the reasons and we will have to see where it goes from there. Is it over? no, it’s most definitely not". Macclesfield were only deducted two points for further breaches of EFL regulations which still leaves Stevenage bottom of League Two and, as things stand, will be relegated to the National League for next season, Mr Wallace would have happily kept quiet had Macclesfield been deducted more points and finished bottom:

Edited June 22, 2020 by Rhodes

[petethegreek]

4 hours ago, Rhodes said:

It's interesting that Stevenage Chairman Phil Wallace now says that "we will be looking closely at that (the Macclesfield decision) with our legal advisors this coming week when we see the reasons and we will have to see where it goes from there. Is it over? no, it’s most definitely not". Macclesfield were only deducted two points for further breaches of EFL regulations which still leaves Stevenage bottom of League Two and, as things stand, will be relegated to the National League for next season, Mr Wallace would have happily kept quiet had Macclesfield been deducted more points and finished bottom:

I cannot see how he can take legal action on the Macclesfield decision as his Club is third party.

[Rhodes]

I see that Prime Minister Boris Johnson, MP for Uxbridge & South Ruislip, has written to congratulate Wealdstone on being crowned National League South Champions:

[Rhodes]

On ‎09‎/‎06‎/‎2020 at 20:45, Rhodes said:

Sadly South Shields legal challenge against the Football Association's decision to overturn the null and void decision at Steps 3-7 level was today dismissed by a three man arbitration panel, their challenge to suspend promotion and relegation was also dismissed. It doesn't seem right does it and also a very large amount of Club's donated money has been used for the unsuccessful legal campaign:

https://southshieldsfc.co.uk/club-statement-legal-challenge/

https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/30748/independent-tribunal-dismiss-south-shields-promotion-challenge/?utm_medium=onesignal&utm_source=push_notifications&utm_campaign=web_push

I see that South Shields have been left with a staggering £230k legal bill after failing to overturn the FA's controversial null and void decision, the Club announced that it has been made to pay the full £62k cost of the arbitration panel and 65% of the FA's legal costs. Fans are crowdfunding to recoup the Club's losses so please dig deep to help them, thanks in advance:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/south-shields-fc-supporters-booster?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link-tip

[Rhodes]

This is a strange one isn't it relating to South Shields again, the beleaguered Club are demanding an apology from LBC Radio and 'are seriously considering their legal options' due to a caller who claimed to be representing the Club 'expressing reprehensible views' about the Black Lives Matter Movement:

https://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/other-sport/south-shields-fc-condemn-abhorrent-comments-and-say-radio-caller-no-way-connected-club-2894015

[Rhodes]

What a French farce, Brian Rix would turn 360 degrees in his grave wouldn't he. Back in April the FA controversially made tiers 3-7 of the Women's game null and void however due to a shortage of Club's for next season they have now allowed 17 teams to move divisions, the majority of which on promotion albeit not finishing the season in promotion places, you really couldn't make it up could you:

http://www.thefa.com/news/2020/jun/22/womens-leagues-and-competitions-steps-3-7-2020-21-season-announcement-220620

[Big J R]

'Legal Eagles' strike lucky yet again, Rhodsey.

[Rhodes]

On ‎25‎/‎06‎/‎2020 at 14:04, Rhodes said:

What a French farce, Brian Rix would turn 360 degrees in his grave wouldn't he. Back in April the FA controversially made tiers 3-7 of the Women's game null and void however due to a shortage of Club's for next season they have now allowed 17 teams to move divisions, the majority of which on promotion albeit not finishing the season in promotion places, you really couldn't make it up could you:

http://www.thefa.com/news/2020/jun/22/womens-leagues-and-competitions-steps-3-7-2020-21-season-announcement-220620

In the light of this development in the Women's game, there is a thread on another Forum entitled 'Could The Expunging Of Steps 3-7 Now Be Reversed' and it's a good question isn't it:

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/could-the-expunging-of-19-20-at-steps-3-7-now-be-reversed.1746/

It looks like this decision was reached, in part, due to a need to move clubs up to fill vacancies at those levels in the women's game. Although the FA recently said it won't be moving clubs up to fill vacancies in the NLS, you'd have thought they could at least now reinstate the playing records for 19/20 in the men's game.

[Rhodes]

On ‎18‎/‎06‎/‎2020 at 00:47, Savagebee said:

Yep at the time I had issues with it as I had soft spot for Ruslip Manor FC. But I don't know all the facts with what happend  ?

Savagebee - How long have you got, it was 'criminal' what Wealdstone did to Ruislip Manor and now they get a letter from Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulating them on getting promotion to Step 1, if only Boris knew what the Club did back in 2008 he would never have penned that letter, this is the programme from their last game at Grosvenor Vale: