Decision made on whether to continue Steps 3 and 6 of Non League football

Decision made on whether to continue Steps 3 and 6 of Non League football after a statement from the FA was released on Thursday.

The Step 3 and 6 seasons will be ended with immediate effect and all results will be expunged, meaning it’s a huge blow for many clubs.

This will mean that there will be no promotion or relegation of Clubs between Steps 3 to 6, or relegation from Step 2.

These decisions will also apply to the leagues and clubs at Step 7 of the National League System.

Here was how the non league pyramid looked for the 2019/20 season…

The FA will continue to assist and support the National League to determine the outcome of the 2019/20 season.

The planned implementation of the restructure of the NLS will also now be deferred until the start of the 2021-22 season.

The FA Cup, FA Trophy and FA Vase have NOT been cancelled with the FA reviewing “all options to complete these competitions”.

The FA Cup, FA Trophy & FA Vase have NOT been cancelled.

The FA are reviewing "all options to complete these competitions". pic.twitter.com/3daXcsr64r

— Ollie Bayliss (@Ollie_Bayliss) March 26, 2020

Fans reacted as a decision is made on whether to continue Steps 3 and 6 of Non League football…

@Westfieldsfc1 13 points clear unbeaten … fought off the pitch and clubhouse being flooded …. will u be reimbursing all the players fine money uve taken over the season ????

— Scott Jackson (@scottyjacko) March 26, 2020

Ohhh and I’ll expect a full refund of all expenses incurred for a season following a team, which now turns out to be pointless

— Mark Wheater (@markwheater) March 26, 2020

This ??

Also feel sorry for the teams who have already mathematically won their divisions.

— UP THE MARINERS! (@UTM_Mariners) March 26, 2020

With results being expunged I'd like to see compensation packages to the clubs for lost revenues otherwise you'll see more clubs going out of business.. what a stupid decision that is by @FA

— Dan Masters (@Dmasters1) March 26, 2020

Utterly abysmal decision. 80% of the season played but apparently voiding the whole thing is the most fair way to do it?! Insane.

— Benny Hayes (@_benhayes12) March 26, 2020

Shambolic decision

— Jace De Souza (@desouza1994) March 26, 2020

What a joke.

— Jonny Alves (@JonnyLFC93) March 26, 2020

Complete joke; they should void all football then? Just shows it’s all about the top clubs.

— Curtisangell (@curtisangell) March 26, 2020

Wow. Absolutely gutted @SouthShieldsFC won't be promoted and we're stuck in this division for another season. Sick as a chip ?

— Aiden (@Bobafett2k6) March 26, 2020

If your winning the league and looking likely to get promoted it's a bad decision! If your at the bottom and look like getting relegated, it's a good decision (because some clubs mathematically can survive) and if you mid table you'll also think it's a good decision!??‍♂️

— Adam Marusiak (@AdamMarusiak1) March 26, 2020

Absolute farce of a decision.

— Daniel Tortoise (@daniel_tortoise) March 26, 2020

So players have spent a lot of time travelling too and from games midweek and weekends and you think this is the best solution? I get it’s hard but wrong decision for me.

— Matt Clifford (@MattClifford424) March 26, 2020

How is that even fair. What a ridiculous decision that is.

— Phil Anderson (@andersonphil) March 26, 2020

Mediocrity rewarded by this pathetic decision, and an absolute middle finger to the likes of Jersey Bulls and Vauxhall Motors who were already promoted.

Really poor decision, this.

— Daniel Tortoise (@daniel_tortoise) March 26, 2020

So wrong on so many levels disgusting
Will the Fa refund is for all the referees pitches we have paid for expenses waste of 9 months of hard work with only 8 games left to play

— ANT1GK (@Ant1GK) March 26, 2020

Why below National League level? Why not expunge all of it?

— David G. (@DavidGoodall12) March 26, 2020

On behalf of all @stockton_townfc fans – a club which was on the cusp of promotion to the 8th tier of English football with just a few wins needed – I would just like to say: "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

— Ian Wolf (@ianwolf) March 26, 2020

Surely got to be the same for every other level of football then? ?

— G C (@GuyCragg5) March 26, 2020

Bunch of bloody simpletons. What a rash decision to make right now, easy for you, was it? I bet it was and that's what drove the decision! @SouthShieldsFC should be headed for National League North! Will they be compensated by you lot for the lost revenue as a result?

— Aiden (@Bobafett2k6) March 26, 2020

Ridiculous decision. The old boys at the FA don’t know what PPG even stands for

— James Parkins (@JParkins_One) March 26, 2020

No care for the non league game at all. Peoples time and money have gone into this season. FA simply can’t be bothered to devise a plan where justice for sides across all the divisions would be done. Taken the easy option again. Embarrassing.

— AW (@alfiejwarman) March 26, 2020

But let me guess, its not possible in the Premier League because a few Liverpool fans will get upset even though they got all English clubs banned from Europe for years?

— Andrew ?? (@AndrewArcheou) March 26, 2020

Poor decision that, gutted for those clubs that were looking at promotion, plays offs…

— Beth (@BethanyyyLee) March 26, 2020

Hard to take when your team is 12 points clear, having just beaten their nearest competitors in front of 3K people and are geared at every level to play at step 2. Thanks for that.

— Chris Duke (@Dukeyce) March 26, 2020

At a time when after this all settles down a lot of people will reevaluating things and they have frankly made things very difficult for themselves going forward – or do they just not care about grass roots – it appears so

— Fatbury (@fatbury) March 26, 2020

completely wrong decision for me – as someone who volunteers in non league football I just lost faith in the whole game going forward – decision made too hastily

— Fatbury (@fatbury) March 26, 2020

Absolute disgrace @FA
Bet you won’t do that with the pro clubs? Too scared of the powerful lawyers they can pay I would think.
All entry fees gonna be returned or put towards another year? I bet not as most clubs would have already had to pay for next season!

— CHFCupdates (@CHFCupdates) March 26, 2020