What does this mean for the SSML? and non league ⚽?

[Savagebee]

7 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

The taking on of loans to just function now will inevitably lead to the ruin of some clubs in the future. 

100%!

[Rhodes]

25 minutes ago, Savagebee said:

100%!

Savagebee - Well it's either take on a very low interest loan re-payable over a very long period of time or be expelled from the National League and end up at Step 5 as is being suggested by the doom and gloom merchants on another Forum: 

Time To Stop National League Games? | Page 16 | NonLeagueMatters Forums

If Dover Athletic maintain their stance of not playing until funding is provided, that will surely lead to a raft of charges from the League; we already know that the ultimate sanction under the relevant rule is expulsion from the competition. In that scenario, it's entirely possible that Dover would find themselves at Step 5, as there aren't currently any vacancies at Step 3 and the decision of the North & South Divisions to be declared null and void surely means that the divisions below will follow suit.

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Savagebee - Well it's either take on a very low interest loan re-payable over a very long period of time or be expelled from the National League and end up at Step 5 as is being suggested by the doom and gloom merchants on another Forum: 

Time To Stop National League Games? | Page 16 | NonLeagueMatters Forums

If Dover Athletic maintain their stance of not playing until funding is provided, that will surely lead to a raft of charges from the League; we already know that the ultimate sanction under the relevant rule is expulsion from the competition. In that scenario, it's entirely possible that Dover would find themselves at Step 5, as there aren't currently any vacancies at Step 3 and the decision of the North & South Divisions to be declared null and void surely means that the divisions below will follow suit.

Call their bluff, they going to expel everyone?!

[Rhodes]

So it is Monday 29 March then for a return of outside sport:

The route out of lockdown - what happens when? | Daily Mail Online

Covid-19: Boris Johnson to unveil 'cautious' plan to lift England's lockdown - BBC News

Boris Johnson to let outdoor sports back from March 29 as Brits finally get more freedom (thesun.co.uk)

From 29 March - Outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed. It is understood this will include gatherings in private gardens. Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis or basketball courts will reopen and organised adult and children's sport, such as grassroots football, will also return

[GRS67]

1 hour ago, Rhodes said:

So it is Monday 29 March then for a return of outside sport:

The route out of lockdown - what happens when? | Daily Mail Online

Covid-19: Boris Johnson to unveil 'cautious' plan to lift England's lockdown - BBC News

Boris Johnson to let outdoor sports back from March 29 as Brits finally get more freedom (thesun.co.uk)

From 29 March - Outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed. It is understood this will include gatherings in private gardens. Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis or basketball courts will reopen and organised adult and children's sport, such as grassroots football, will also return

Let's see how the leagues react to this news, I think we'll get some long due clarification this week. 

The stumbling blocks are that unless clubs can re open their clubhouses games won't resume, plus how does Step 2 being null and void effect the rest of the Pyramid with regards to promotion and relegation throughout the leagues? 

IF we do resume it'll be early April meaning we'll have to play through to late June /July, that would be ideal with better pitches, nicer weather. 

Personality I would love for the season to resume, its telling that the FA have kept the door open to a return as I believe they don't want to Null and Void this season but let's wait and see what happens. 

Edited February 22, 2021 by GRS67

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, GRS67 said:

Let's see how the leagues react to this news, I think we'll get some long due clarification this week. 

The stumbling blocks are that unless clubs can re open their clubhouses games won't resume, plus how does Step 2 being null and void effect the rest of the Pyramid with regards to promotion and relegation throughout the leagues? 

IF we do resume it'll be early April meaning we'll have to play through to late June /July, that would be ideal with better pitches, nicer weather. 

Personality I would love for the season to resume, its telling that the FA have kept the door open to a return as I believe they don't want to Null and Void this season but let's wait and see what happens. 

No chance even starting in April if that was possible along with an extension will we finish the season. 

[Rhodes]

6 hours ago, GRS67 said:

Let's see how the leagues react to this news, I think we'll get some long due clarification this week

GRS67 - Karen could have done a lot more to keep us all updated couldn't she, she's part of the SSML 'establishment' for want of a better word and must know what their feelings and intentions are. Have Edgware Town received any communication from the League out of interest in any way, shape or form or have Club's just been left totally in limbo.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Rhodes

[GRS67]

1 hour ago, Rhodes said:

GRS67 - Karen could have done a lot more to keep us all updated couldn't she, she's part of the SSML 'establishment' for want of a better word and must know what their feelings and intentions are. Have Edgware Town received any communication from the League out of interest in any way, shape or form or have Club's just been left totally in limbo.

Clubs have been left in the dark, I think they may have received a voting form on how clubs would like to see the season finished. 

[GRS67]

5 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

No chance even starting in April if that was possible along with an extension will we finish the season. 

If the season can't resume in full then why not play a mini league, or inter league competition? 

 

There's no way club's will remain closed from March 29th if the opportunity to play is available, be that friendlies or arranging their own inter league competitions. 

 

If the opportunity to play football in April is avaliable clubs will take it as the alternative is waiting till July which frankly at the moment seems far to long. 

[Rhodes]

GRS67 - It wouldn't surprise me if Rak Hudson will want to arrange a friendly or training session for Edgware Town on Monday 29 March, I see there is already a long range weather forecast for that day if you want to pass the information on to him, I assume you have been in regular contact during the lockdown period:

London weather: Very early forecast for March 29 when we can finally see family and friends again - MyLondon

For the day of Monday, March 29, Accuweather estimates highs of 11 degrees Celcius in London, with sunny spells and an insignificant one per cent chance of rain - perfect park picnic weather. Daylight Savings Time will begin the day before, on March 28, so sunset on March 29 won't be until 7.39pm.

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, GRS67 said:

If the season can't resume in full then why not play a mini league, or inter league competition? 

 

There's no way club's will remain closed from March 29th if the opportunity to play is available, be that friendlies or arranging their own inter league competitions. 

 

If the opportunity to play football in April is avaliable clubs will take it as the alternative is waiting till July which frankly at the moment seems far to long. 

I agree, I posted earlier somewhere that perhaps dividing the divisions into smaller local groups 4-6 and playing a friendly league trophy just to do something. We aren’t going to fit the majority of a season into 12 weeks. 

[GRS67]

10 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

I agree, I posted earlier somewhere that perhaps dividing the divisions into smaller local groups 4-6 and playing a friendly league trophy just to do something. We aren’t going to fit the majority of a season into 12 weeks. 

Competitive competition of any sort would be a good, a small round robin tournament or inter league Cup would be good 

 

[Winslow Boy]

Yes, could still be difficult without fans and bars, I spoke to a friend involved in the running of Faversham Town and he seemed to think they would have to pay players, you would hope players would play just for enjoyment under these circumstances. 

[Rhodes]

9 hours ago, GRS67 said:

a small round robin tournament or inter league Cup would be good 

There's a lot of interesting debate, speculation and conjecture on another Forum at the moment, a divisional group cup competition was suggested but would there be any interest in that amongst fans, they will probably just prefer friendlies like we had throughout August and early September: 

Provisional resumption dates | Page 30 | NonLeagueMatters Forums

Who's going to be the first club to announce a friendly for March 29th?
The only way this season could be completed is to restart with two weeks or less preparation and then a three game per week schedule through April, May and June, which would end up with players getting injured and no time for players or groundstaff to prepare for next season.
By all means try to complete the Trophy and Vase, but for all other clubs, some kind of divisional group cup which would guarantee each club that wants it at least three or four games through May to get back into the swing of things would be a better idea. Then a break in June, and restart preparation in July for a clean start to 21/22 in August.

Worth noting that clocks go forward on the weekend of 27th/28th March, so in theory non floodlit games might be able to take place that week. Very unlikely but a possibility.

[Rhodes]

This is crazy isn't it, in the light of yesterday's announcement the FA have extended the grassroots season until the end of June "in order to provide additional flexibility and time for Leagues to complete their fixtures this season if they wish" however, wait for it, that does not apply to grassroots Steps 3-6, Regional Feeder Leagues or Women's Tiers 3-7:

[Rhodes]

On 19/02/2021 at 22:45, Rhodes said:

This is disgusting isn't it, you may recall that Ollie Bayliss submitted a Freedon of Information (FoI) request to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on 24 January in relation to the National League grants v loans debacle, here is their response to him

Ollie Bayliss has today submitted a new Freedom of Information (FoI) request to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) following the rejection of his earlier one:

Edited February 23, 2021 by Rhodes

[GRS67]

7 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Yes, could still be difficult without fans and bars, I spoke to a friend involved in the running of Faversham Town and he seemed to think they would have to pay players, you would hope players would play just for enjoyment under these circumstances. 

Though we're still awaiting news re fans being admitted to games from March 29th, I think it's very possible that we could see a return to 300 capped capacity for Step 5, outside hospitality can begin from April 12th so there's no reason why clubs can't use a take out service to sell food and drink. 

I think we'll get some kind of competitive games be it a mini inter league tournament or something along those lines, playing friendlies isn't going to really benefit anyone, I know we're not in favour of just playing out friendlies for a few weeks before we have to have yet another break for the summer. 

Back in the day Edgware used to host the 'Harrow Cup' a two day invitational tournament, it was usually, Edgware, Wealdstone, Harrow Borough and Northwood, this was played for several years in the 90s, they were pre season friendlies but with a degree of competition 

[Rhodes]

A reply to a letter that a Mr Jacob Welch sent to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on 25 January, Mr Welch is a Social Media & Marketing Assistant involved with Combined Counties League Premier Division Raynes Park Vale Football Club. It's an interesting reply where the DCMS say the allocation of the £10 million in funding to the National League's 66 Club's was 'for the National League itself to decide' however they somehow managed to make a total pigs ear of it didn't they just as they also did recently with null and voiding the National League North and South campaigns rendering a large part of that £10 million of tax payers money totally wasted.

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by Rhodes

[GRS67]

The FA will issue an update on the future of the 2020/21 season at around 6.30PM this evening. 

[petethegreek]

47 minutes ago, GRS67 said:

The FA will issue an update on the future of the 2020/21 season at around 6.30PM this evening.