Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson makes a plea to the National League

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson makes a plea to the National League with a number of managers also calling for change during the Covid crisis.

The Red Dragons are wanting to see an increase in the number of substitutes that can be used in games.

This comes after having to call off their home game against Solihull Moors on Boxing Day due to the rise in cases.

“There’s lots been said about the welfare of players,” Parkinson said.

“I really feel for the protection of players going forward that the National League has to seriously consider that [allowing extra substitutes].”

Parkinson says the issue is not just about players being ruled out by Covid, it is also about how they recover from the infection and their conditioning after having to isolate away from the training ground.

“It’s not just about players being off and coming back after 10 days, it’s easing them back into training and protecting them as well,” he said.

“The subs should be increased from three to five in the National League and I don’t think that should be a vote, I think the league – the people in charge of the health aspect advising the league – should take that decision away from the clubs and make that decision on their own.”

Parkinson said Wrexham are hopeful of the league game away to Altrincham on 28 December going ahead, but he said player availability difficulties have been compounded by different rules between Wales and England.

The UK government has said people in England can end quarantine after seven days instead of 10 after negative lateral flow results on days six and seven.

But the Welsh government has said the 10-day rule would remain.

“At the moment yeah [the game at Altrincham will go ahead] but I think everybody is just operating on a day-to-day basis,” Parkinson said.

“We got through the game last week [a 5-0 FA Trophy win over Gloucester City on 18 December] and all the players did a PCR test on Sunday, because we felt that was the right thing to know where we stood going into the Christmas period – hence there was some positive cases.

“Players can come back in to start training next week. Obviously in Wales we have the problem there is the 10-day rule, in England it’s the seven-day rule.

“It is an advantage for other clubs because getting those players back in early and assessing them is key.”

Another disparity in rules is that sporting events held in Wales have been limited to 50 supporters attending – effectively making professional teams’ games behind closed doors – while there are no such restrictions in England.

“Hopefully when the Solihull game gets rearranged the supporters will be allowed back in, everybody has had enough of playing in empty stadiums,” Parkinson added.

Meanwhile, the club issued a statement: “We can confirm our Vanarama National League match against Solihull Moors, originally scheduled for Boxing Day but postponed due to COVID-19 cases, has been re-arranged for Good Friday, April 15 2022, kick-off 3pm.

“The date was free for both teams, as it was originally scheduled to be the day we travelled to face The Moors, until that game was moved to the opening day of the season.

“All tickets purchased for the postponed match on Boxing Day will be valid on Good Friday.

“In other related news, the Solihull Moors game would have been played behind closed doors due to the new rules issued by the Welsh Government. However, we are pleased to confirm that had the game gone ahead we had secured permission from the National League to stream the fixture and this consent will also apply to any other league games played behind closed doors at the Racecourse Ground. Details will be confirmed as relevant.”

While Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson makes a plea to the National League over subs, this isn’t the first time it’s been asked by a manager of the same division.

Chesterfield manager James Rowe wrote to the National League urging for the new rule to be implemented ahead of the 2021/22 season.

In the previous campaign, teams could only name five substitutes in a matchday squad and bring on three during a game.

This was despite EFL clubs being allowed to use five and name seven and those in the Championship were allowed as many as nine on the bench during the pandemic.

The Spireites boss has spoken about the issue numerous times during the 2020/21 season, making the point that seven subs should be allowed just as other ‘elite’ leagues do.

With teams only allowed to name five players on the bench, many managers, including Rowe, chose not to name a goalkeeper among the subs so as not to limit their outfield options.

Goalkeeper James Montgomery had to play the last half an hour of Chesterfield’s playoff quarter-final defeat against Notts County injured because the Spireites had no other keeper to call upon.

They were leading 2-1 before the shot-stopper got injured, and that game changer played a huge part in how the game ended up.

The Magpies are another club who want the rule changing and boss Ian Burchnall called for change.

“I think it’s absolutely Mickey Mouse that the league doesn’t allow seven substitutes,” he told Nottinghamshire Live.

“It’s a difficult decision then for a coach to make and I actually understand why James Rowe was frustrated by not having seven subs and so was I before the game.

“In the end, it worked against them and worked for us, but I still don’t like that as a decision.

“If you look at any of the other leagues, the EFL has had seven subs and increased that to nine during Covid and five of those can play.”

Notts County had continually pushed for the league to relax the rule in order for teams to have seven subs on the bench to avoid scenarios that impacted Chesterfield, Burchnall said despite protestations, he claimed other clubs actually wanted the number reducing.

“I think we’ve pushed to change it at every meeting and some teams have requested that only three subs are allowed,” he said.

“How crazy is that? Seven is just common sense, but I don’t know why it’s only five.

“It’s a difficult decision then for a coach to make and I actually understand why James Rowe (Chesterfield manager) was frustrated by not having seven subs and so was I before the game.

“In the end, it worked against them and worked for us, but I still don’t like that as a decision.

“But, nonetheless, I will go with what I think is going to suit the team the best not just over 90 minutes but potentially 120.”

Notts County chief executive Jason Turner confirmed that the club have submitted a proposal for an increase in the number of substitutes permitted to be named in a National League matchday squad.

Speaking as part of an update to supporters back then, Turner explained: “One change we would like to see is an increase in the permitted number of named substitutes in the National League.

“Supported by several other clubs, we have submitted a proposal which states that, as an elite league, we believe the National League should fall in line with the EFL and Premier League by permitting clubs to name more than five.

“We feel we have a strong case and look forward to discussing this further at the league’s forthcoming AGM.”

NATIONAL LEAGUE RULES

6.8 SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS – A Club at its discretion may use three substitute Players at any time in a match. Substitution can only be made when play is stopped for any reason and the Referee has given permission. When a Club is making a substitution it shall use a Board to show the number of the Player to be substituted and the number of the substitute Player. The substitution board used shall be branded as determined by the Competition.

A maximum of five substitutes may be nominated and they must be included on the official Team Sheet handed to the Referee before the match in accordance with Rule 8.20. A substitute may not be used to replace a Player who has been suspended from the match by the Match Officials.
If a Player does not take part in the match for which he is a nominated substitute he shall be deemed as not having played for the Club in that match.