AFC Fylde's anxious wait over clubs' quest to continue the season

Clubs in those divisions, the second tier of non-league football, voted 24-19 a week ago to scrap their season immediately and declare it null and void.

Promotion-chasing Fylde were among 18 clubs who then wasted no time in signing an open letter to the National League’s acting general manager Mark Ives, arguing passionately that clubs who wished to play on should be allowed to do so for the integrity of the football pyramid.

That letter was considered by the FA’s Alliance committee, which sits over the National League, on Tuesday morning.

Fylde chief executive Jonty Castle, who is spearheading the campaign from Mill Farm, told The Gazette: “After Tuesday’s Alliance meeting, my understanding is that conversations are now taking place behind the scenes and we are waiting to see what the next steps are.

“The letter stimulated debate and the National League have requested some time to see if there is a different scenario to null and void.

“No promises have been made and we take it day by day.

“We know that plenty of the 19 clubs are in contact with Mark Ives and with Jack Pearce, chairman of the Alliance Committee, to see if there is a roadmap for us to continue playing football. We are waiting with bated breath.

“We await confirmation of the National League’s thinking but we appreciate there are quite a few moving parts.

“These include what is happening at step one (the elite National League), another is loans from Sport England (to help fund the remainder of the season), so we are part of a wider group of issues.”

As things stand, Fylde could be among the losers from a vote to curtail the season for a second successive year after last year’s vote resulted in their relegation from the National League via the points-per-game method.

The current campaign was halted with the Coasters second in NL North and well placed for a promotion challenge after three straight wins in 2021.

Asked if he was optimistic of a happier outcome this time, Castle added: “I remain cautious, having been on the receiving end last year when we were informed we would survive, only for the position to change immeasurably a week later.

“I believe Mark Ives is one of the good guys and is working hard to try to understand everyone’s position.

“I think the decision to curtail step three works in our favour but you never know and we will continue to fight the good fight for our communities.”

Fylde and their fellow campaigners argue that clubs who wish to end their season should do so, secure in the knowledge they can return at the same level for 2021/22, while clubs who wish to play on and compete for promotion should also be allowed to.

Exactly what form an ongoing competition would take is as yet unclear.

Only seven of the 19 clubs who voted to play on are from NL North, meaning they may have to join forces with their southern counterparts in one division.

Castle says such issues would be finalised further down the line, adding: “The narrative at present is: can we continue? The next stage beyond that would be developing the roadmap.

“I think that if we are able to continue, that option would most likely be opened up to all clubs however they voted.

“At present we have 19 clubs who are absolutely committed to playing and we believe more clubs would join us if they were given other options – so far they have been presented with only one option to vote on.

“Then we could determine whether there were enough clubs to make two competitions viable, with the usual four promotion spots to the National League via automatic promotion and play-offs.

“If the appetite is for other scenarios, that would need to be developed by the National League and the clubs.”

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