Now another "Spanner in the Works" with Bury looking to get back into National League or North laegue.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3516125988414571&set=gm.2622882697936706&type=3&theater

Not seen anything official, but my guess is that now that the pressing situation with clubs and player contracts, particularly at step 2 where they finish in April, has been resolved the National League can now take their time to resolve what happens.  My money is on them taking a 'waiting to see' approach and then provide some options once the position in the EFL is clearer.

It all depends on which team is promoted to EFL1 to replace Bury who were ejected. That means a team from EFL2 missing so the cascade continues. Will EFL only accept 1x Team to fill the slot but not allow any Relegations? Will the EFL call it Promotion or Selection?

Will Teams in Premier, Championship and EFL 1 and 2 follow previous seasons and carry out Promotions and Relegations and 1.) Allow that procedure to cascade into Step 2. or 2.) Stop Relegations at EFL2 to Step 2 Level. Much depends on that decision by Step 1.

Then comes the Articles of the Northern League where they cannot treat any team from Step 2's 3 Leagues NPL and North and South differently. If one team goes up to fill the EFL2 slot then a team from N or S will go up but if it's only one team the other League will have been treated differently. What a bugger's muddle.

The Step 2 leagues cannot Relegate to Step 3 as they have "Null and Voided" so no Promotions and Relegations between Step 2 and 3. That seems simple enough.

It's the Promotions and Relegations between NPL and North and South where the sticking point/log jam occurs.

Simple Solution: Highest PPG Team from North and South goes Up to NPL to fill the vacant slot left by the Team going to EFL. FULL STOP.

As 1 x Team has gone Up to EFL then 1 x Team must go Up to NPL fro North/South.

Will we then have a "just the one" Team Up situation or should Step 2 have a "normal" Promotions and Relegations between NPL and North and South leagues.

Normally there would be FOUR Teams Relegated from Vanarama National Premier and TWO Promoted. Unfortunately EFL2 are not Relegating but there is ONE Slot available in EFL2 as one team has gone bust??

According to my calculations AND if the Step 2 Vanarama National League played this with a straight bat/round ball:

Barrow (Premier) Promoted with a PPG 1.89 {Harrowgate in 2nd PPG 1.78}

At the Bottom 6 Teams have been considered as some teams have played fewer games and sit in the bottom group so here are the PPG's. FOUR to be Relegated:
League Position in ( )

(20)  Wrexham    PPG 1.62 Escape
(19)  Chesterfield PPG 1.15 Escape

(22)  Maidenhead PPG 1.078
(21)  Ebbsfleet     PPG 1.076
(23)  AFC Fylde    PPG 1.05
(24)  Chorley       PPG 0.68

Now the PROMOTIONS from:

North:
(2)  King's Lynn  PPG 2.00
(1)  York City      PPG 1.94

South:
(1) Wealdstone  PPG 2.12
(2) Havant & Waterlooville PPG 1.97

Flagging this up now, as something which shouldn't happen because the size, following , style and standard is greatly different between North and South, but this is the type of cop out / fend off that Committee s can sometimes come up with :
EFL 2   one short so promote Barrow
No relegation from National League.
Fill the one space by promotion from North/South with side with best PPG : Wealdstone
No relegation from North /South



What I guess might be a possible is a one off play off between the top Sides in N/S, based on PPG....ie Wealdstone and Lynn,.....,
(if its allowable to have 30 people in close proximity before contracts run out......which seems very unlikely.)

If using PPG for promotions it should be used for relegations as well - albeit Step 3 are Null and Void.

It should be relatively simple - Two Up from North and South & Four Down from National League all based on PPG. So Lynn and York should both go up.

My idea is to Roll 2019-20 and 2020-21 together and when a team plays a game (2020-21 Season) that was not played in 2019-20 it's for "Double Points".

Quote from: westlynnmike on March 19, 2020, 07:11:26 PM

Players are self employed as semi-professionals. Have any volunteered not to be paid until they have played the game/s?

I take it as club officials have been on here and ignored your question Mike.....that'll be a no then....

Some are on a Contract. Some are paid by the Game. All are on Expenses for travel and training. Some are Self-Employed.

We are all in different boats. Some of us are employed, un-employed, one job, two or more jobs, have a pension and some have two or more pensions. Others are on benefits and some have savings - others not.

However, with regard to COVID19 we are all in the same sea (just different boats).

As a Season Ticket holder I shall NOT be making a claim to get my money back. I took the risk of paying "up front" and any un-for-seen events that preclude me from attending (illness, the wife saying "your coming on holiday" etc.) must be accepted.

Whoever that person is - many, many thanks for a most generous gesture of support.