AFC Fylde voted against play-offs in National League reveals chairman David Haythornthwaite

Clubs were asked to give a straight ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the idea of staging promotion play-offs and Fylde owner David Haythornthwaite said: “We have taken a very simple view that we don’t think there should be play-offs in the situation we are in.”

The question applied to all three divisions, meaning second-bottom Fylde’s National League place would be in jeopardy if play-offs were staged in NL North and NL South.

Coasters chairman Haythornthwaite had told The Gazette a fortnight ago that he was in favour of one play-off match only: between the top two clubs Barrow and Harrogate for a place in the EFL’s League Two.

But speaking about a conventional play-off competition in his latest video interview for the AFC Fylde website, Haythornthwaite said: “There are a lot of things to consider. First, when would the play-offs take place? We haven’t got a date to start football.

“We have to be always conscious about the health of the nation. Bringing back football in a play-off form at this stage I think would be crazy.

“We are talking about the Premier League playing behind closed doors and the astronomical costs involved. The Premier League has the money to pay for all that but there’s no money at our level.

“(Consider) all the testing, arrangements and teams travelling when we are not supposed to except for work and emergency situations.”

He added that any attempt to schedule play-offs beyond June would create further issues. “A lot of teams would be forced to let players go if they are out of contract.

“It would be very difficult to sort out even if everything was known but there are so many unknowns.”

It is understood the majority of National League clubs share the Fylde view on play-offs, though no decisions were taken at Tuesday’s board meeting because the EFL’s position on relegation remains unclear.

The expulsion of Bury from the EFL last year has created a space for a National League club in the fourth tier.

However, it is understood the National League is keen to keep its two promotion places to the EFL but it is unclear whether Stevenage, who are currently 10 points adrift in League Two, will be relegated.

Haythornthwaite believes that declaring this National League season null and void is the simplest solution.

He added: “I believe that when you have a mess you draw a line under it and move on. Let’s accept it’s a mess – it’s nobody’s fault – and let’s make sure all of us are prepared to start the next season properly, whenever that may be, not hanging on for play-offs from last season.

“Let’s start right – not behind closed doors because football is a live spectator sport.”