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EFL respond to Macclesfield’s push for a reprieve from relegation

The EFL have chosen to respond to Macclesfield’s push for a reprieve from relegation to the National League which was recently confirmed.

It was last week that the EFL revealed the fate of this season’s League Two relegation between Stevenage and Macclesfield Town, and there was a further points deduction for the Silkmen.

The English Football League won an appeal to inflict a harsher punishment on the Cheshire outfit, and now the decision could potentially see closure at the club, with fans worried with it’s future in the English game.

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MACCLESFIELD’S STATEMENT:

As part of the Club’s ongoing fight to retain our EFL status, we advised yesterday that one element of concern to us is the fact that there appears to be no guarantee of when the 2020/21 National League season will commence.

In particular and having taken advice, it is the Club’s strong view that the following Regulation should be invoked by the EFL –

7 . Application for and Relegation from Membership

7.7 At the end of each Season the Clubs occupying the bottom two places of League Two shall, in accordance with the Articles of Association and these Regulations, cease to be members of The League and join the National League, save as otherwise provided in Regulations, 7.7A to 7.7C, 10 and 11.

7.7A The Board shall have the power, exercisable at any time, to reprieve the one Club that would otherwise cease to be a member of the League and join the National League at the end of Season 2019/20 where the National League is unable to guarantee to the Board’s satisfaction that competitive fixtures in the National League National Division will commence within a reasonable period of time. In determining whether to exercise that power, the Board will take into account the decisions the League has taken to that date in relation to commencement of League Two fixtures in Season 2020/21.

7.7B Where the exercise of the power set out in Regulation 7.7A would, taking into account any other movement of Clubs (or clubs) as might otherwise be provided for by these Regulations, will result in the EFL having more than 72 Member Clubs, the power shall not be capable of being exercised without the approval of Clubs to the allotment of any additional share in accordance with Article 3.3.

7.7C Where the Board exercises the power to reprieve as set out in Regulation 7.7A, at the end of Season 2020/21 only, the number of Clubs that shall cease to be members of The League and join the National League shall be such number as is required to restore the number of Clubs in League Two to 24, and Regulation 7.7 shall be modified accordingly.

The Club has therefore asked the EFL to confirm that it has a ‘guarantee’ from the National League as to the date upon which competitive League fixtures will commence and noting that the National League usually commences either before the EFL season or on a corresponding date, why they consider any start date other than this to be ‘reasonable’.

In our view, this is not within a reasonable timeframe as the absolute best-case situation ahead of the 2020/21 campaign is that the National League will start four weeks after the EFL.

We therefore believe that there is sufficient evidence for Regulation 7.7 to be invoked and the Club reprieved from relegation in line with the rationale for this Regulation amendment back in June 2019.

The Club understands that the EFL Board will be meeting tomorrow to make a decision on our request and we will provide a further update as soon as we are able.

In addition to this, we hope that the EFL Board will be making a statement regarding the news that has emerged today which suggests a fellow League Two member has been late or has not paid player wages for a substantial part of the 2019/20 season.

It was alleged that the relevant Club has not been sanctioned for this – despite the EFL having knowledge of these Regulatory breaches.

The EFL respond to Macclesfield’s push for a reprieve from relegation.

EFL STATEMENT:

At a meeting earlier today, the EFL Board rejected a request from Macclesfield Town, made in line with Regulations 7.7A – 7.7C, to allow them to retain their status as an EFL Club.

In June 2020 Clubs approved Regulations in the event Season 2019/20 was curtailed, which was the position subsequently agreed in Leagues One and Two. These Regulations also contained a provision which gives the Board the power to save the 24th placed Club in League Two from relegation in circumstances where the Board could not be satisfied that there is a competition starting for it to participate in at National League level.

The power to reprieve brings with it an additional requirement. Where reprieving the 24th placed Club in League Two would result in the EFL having more than 72 Member Clubs, approval of 90% of all EFL Clubs would be required.

The National League informed its Clubs on 27 July 2020 of its intention to commence Season 2020/21 on 3 October 2020 and has provided the EFL with further information alongside confirming the details relating to how it intends to do so in compliance with all relevant government guidance.

Having considered written submissions from the Club, the communication received from the National League, the fact that fixtures in League One and League Two are scheduled to commence on 12 September 2020 and all other relevant matters, the Board is satisfied that competitive fixtures in the National League will commence within a reasonable period of time and that it should not utilise its power to reprieve.

As a result, Macclesfield Town, the 24th placed team in League Two are relegated from the EFL and will play in the National League in Season 2020/21.

Fans gave their reaction as the EFL respond to Macclesfield’s push for a reprieve from relegation…

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