Two clubs face points deductions and expulsion from the National League as concern continues over playing on with the 2020/21 season.
Majority of clubs at Level 1 of the non league pyramid voting in favour of resuming the campaign, whilst it’s North and South divisions was declared null and void.
Following on from this vote, a few teams have been charged for maintaining their stance in not playing anymore fixtures, whilst one chairman have voiced plans to sit the season out.

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There’s a question mark over what happens with Dover Athletic, who have said it “will be unable to fulfil further National League fixtures until appropriate funding is made available.”
Chairman Jim Parmenter said: “We are operating in unprecedented times. We have to make difficult decisions.
“We wanted to leave the decision that has been made as long as possible before making this final announcement in the hope a support package may appear.
“Unfortunately no support has been forthcoming, so it is with the deepest regret that the club must now furlough all staff and players and reduce operations to a bare minimum.
“All financial reserves have now been completely exhausted.
“For 15 years, I have run the club without debt and I do not intend to change that now.
“The club will be unable to fulfill further National League fixtures until appropriate funding is made available.”
King’s Lynn Town’s Stephen Cleeve says his side would need to take on a loan of £500,000 to finish the season.
He claims they need to “draw down the shutters” on their National League season at the end of the month due to a lack of government grants, with the Linnets one of seven clubs to vote on Thursday to stop the season.
“The position we’re being put in is very difficult,” he told BBC Norfolk.
“We just hope the right decisions can be made to give us a chance to actually do the right thing and sit out, as opposed to making the club borrow a huge amount of money which it can never possibly pay back.”
“We have two home games coming up and from a personal perspective I’d like to win those two games so we’re outside the bottom three – at least we could try to go out in a blaze of glory,” Cleeve added.
“And then whatever happens we need to draw down the shutters at that point and ensure the club is there for future seasons.”
The National League’s rules for ‘failure to fulfil a fixture’:
– Any club ‘without just cause’ for postponing will be sanctioned with: expulsion from the League, a 3 points deduction or a fine of £2,500-£10,000.
– The League says an Independent Panel will be used to hear each case.
8.39 – Where a match has been postponed for any reason, the two Clubs concerned must agree within seven (7) days of the postponement a new date (which shall, save in exceptional circumstances, be within 42 days of the original date) and in default the Board is empowered to order Clubs to play on a date it considers suitable. The Competition Secretary shall determine the new date.
Any Club without just cause failing to fulfil an engagement to play a Competition match on the appointed date shall for each offence be liable to expulsion from the Competition and/ or such other disciplinary action the Board may determine, including the deduction of up to a maximum of three points from the offending Club’s record, any expenses incurred by their opponents, and a fine.
In the event of a Club being in breach of the previous paragraph of this Rule then the Board may award points to the Club not at fault as if the match had been played and the League table shall reflect the position as if the match had been played with the result awarded by the Board.
8.39 – Failure to fulfil a fixture in The National League, £2,500 – £10,000 if a fine is levied as part or all of sanction
Fans reacted after finding out that two clubs face points deductions and expulsion from the National League…
@lee_saint: What a waste of time and resources pointless season is over never happened let it go national league
@stevegar01: What a total waste of money to get an independent panel in…. AGAIN! A previous independent panel found the NL Board distributed the initial grant incorrectly and they didn’t take a blind but of notice of the findings!
@LiamDHFC: Outrageous to push on with this. League suspended season to find funding then ordered resumption with no progress. None of this would have happened if they waited for the vote results.
@rootshall1992: While I have an interest to declare it seems unjust to punish clubs that are living hand to mouth at the best of times when there’s no money coming in via the turnstiles?
@Stevenorient: Will this awful situation lead to the end of the National league in its current format? Am surprised the board has managed to create such hostility and such division between the clubs & themselves and clubs-surely for it to continue in any form a major review/shake up is needed?
@stevedeltasix: So true – there will be hostility between certain clubs now after what has gone on on the last few weeks – ridiculous situation and it’s through lack of leadership from the National League and poor distribution of the original funds
@hedley_mark: Surely all clubs have “just cause” in the fact they are in the middle of a pandemic, can’t have crowds etc. The League are making themselves look rather silly. If the clubs who unsuccessfully voted null and void all refuse to play anyway the League is a farce
@davebyrne01: Clubs that have already declared they cannot fulfil league fixtures are clearly struggling, rules are in place but we are in the middle of a pandemic, clubs need support, not to be penalised and allowed to struggle even further, potentially putting their existence at risk.
@scfccol: No relegation but can be kicked out the league? What a farce
@FootiePrint: I’d say the biggest world health crisis in modern times is a pretty solid ‘just cause’. The fact the league is even sending out these charges displays how out of touch with their member clubs’ difficulties they really are… league rules or not.
@DonnyNo6: Do you know what,the @TheVanaramaNL have caused all of this by not being clear with the clubs from the start and misleading them, they know exactly what the @CommonsDCMS told them but chose to lie to get the season started. If they want to fine my club @sloughtownfc we’ll pay it!
@tonyhenderson73: Laughable!!
@OrigRami17: breaking clubs’ legs then laughing at them because they’re lame
@NEMariner7: The National League actually trying to kill there own clubs
@dickol1976: That will help the situation, clubs struggling for money and worried about the financial situation. Yep let’s expel from the league or deduct 3 points or fine them. In a pandemic when supporters can’t attend….ffs

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