AFC Fylde expect to play this weekend although season may be scrapped

National League North is due to resume this weekend after a two-week suspension and Fylde’s clash with the West Yorkshire club would be their first for four weeks.

However, the National League has this week called a vote on abandoning the season and it has been reported that more than half of the clubs in NL North are reluctant to play before the outcome is known.

Coasters chairman Haythornthwaite believes votes will be cast quickly but does not expect a result before Monday.

Even so, he has no doubt that this weekend’s matches across all three divisions of the National League should be played.

Haythornthwaite told The Gazette: “The league have instructed us to restart this Saturday, when we have a home game.

“Some clubs are foolishly suggesting they won’t play but the league will take a hard line. I expect our game to go ahead. There is a lot of bluster and use of threat, but it’s a great danger to their status as ‘elite’ clubs if they don’t play.”

Should Saturday’s game go ahead, it will be Fylde’s first at Mill Farm since defeating derby rivals Chorley on January 2.

Haythornthwaite has also praised the National League executive on its handling of the crisis.

A frequent critic of the hierarchy, the Fylde chief has been impressed by the leadership of Mark Ives, who became the National League’s interim general manager last month.

Haythornthwaite added: “One of the beefs we’ve had in my time is that the National League have tended to make a lot of decisions behind closed doors without consulting, and to be fair to Mark he has taken a totally opposite approach.

“The league has been transparent and decisive, and we now have a chance to vote democratically on whether we continue the season.”