NON-League football guru Ollie Baylis believes null and voiding the season
seems the most likely outcome as COVID-19 looks to have ended all hopes of
semi-professional football in England continuing. 

The FA have sent a survey to all clubs between steps three and six of the non-league
pyramid and they have until midnight on Friday to respond.

There are a number of options available for clubs to back, completing the season using
a points-per-game system being one and extending the campaign till the end of May
another, but declaring the leagues null and void looks the most likely option at this
point admits Baylis.

“It’s a consultation that I suspect could be mostly ignored unless there is an
overwhelming feeling one way or the other,” said the presenter of the Non-League
Show on Three Counties Radio.

“But I think if it’s a mixed picture they will likely null and void across all leagues and
keep it simple. 

“The final decision will be made by the FA Alliance Committee, which consists of a
lot of people involved at steps three and four.

“So most of the power is with those that run the Isthmian, Northern Premier and
Southern Leagues and all have publicly come out in favour of null and void. 

“They are consulting with clubs but they seem to be pretty keen on it so I am not sure
they will change their stance.

“Ultimately, they will probably make a decision to null and void, as it’s the easiest
and simplest.”

One argument, as is to be expected, is from those clubs who are further up the league
tables and ‘Project Non-League’ was a group set-up in favour of finding ways to
complete the season using another method that would still allow for promotion and
relegation.

The group consists of around 20 clubs and whilst Baylis believes they have a good
case, he thinks it’s unlikely to sway any decision.

"They want to amalgamate this season’s points with last season’s which you could
argue is a fair way to decide some promotions.

"Their plan is to allow some promotions but no relegations in order to restructure the pyramid, something the FA itself is keen to do.

"Obviously last season the FA made the leagues null and void and it would
take a lot for them to go back on that decision. 

“The bulk of the legal argument against last season’s decision was over the decision
making process, which involved no direct consultation of clubs.

"This season they’ve learned lessons and are involving clubs in the decision making.”