Hindsight is a wonderful thing but cast mind back to April/May 2020 and the cut off for the 2019/20 campaign and think to yourself… Would you really have done the same?

The FA, the Football League, the National League, Northern Premier League, Timbuktu Division Two, the NSL, CML, EMCL, NCEL and all organisations that credit themselves to be governing bodies of football in this country, should take a long hard look in the mirror and ask, ‘did they do the right thing’ in eventually disrupting not one, but two seasons of soccer.

By following the lead of the Premier League, or not by following the lead of the ‘elite’ clubs in English football… Football made its own mind up to stop, carry on, start again, and stop again, when it was all clear, obvious, and plain to see that it was just not going to work from the off.

Lack of leadership from the FA meant that some competitions would cease last March, others wanting to continue in the summer, couldn’t all do so, eventually the top four divisions in English football concluded, the National League went straight to penalties, those below the top six tiers reduced to non-events. “Let’s just end it, then start again” they said.

Even I could see back then, in May 2020, that a seasonal flu more serious than usual, tagged covid-19 for scientific purposes, would return to spike, when the cold snap of British Autumn hit home. Obvious to see for me, a forty-something writer that always gets the sniffles in the spring, and then again prior to winter.

Unfortunately, Boris and co, nor those at FA HQ could see this, an oversight that meant lockdown II and lockdown III became sequels to a pretty rubbish original.

I said at the time the initial decision should have been made to conclude the 2019/20 season by an extended 31^st January deadline from when it was safe to resume so that all could play and attend. Extreme perhaps, but extreme measures had to be taken for unprecedented circumstances and if they did this (with the addition of one or two safety-measures), last season would be now completed, the 2020/21 competition void, and everybody would be already looking forward to a new campaign this August, perhaps with smaller knock-out competitions in place to fill those blank weekends ahead whilst giving time for everyone to get their vaccinations done before immunity. What happened instead, was that football stopped with teams ten points clear (or adrift) in leagues and looking forward to cup finals, was then delayed as talks stretched about a ‘new’ campaign starting midst uncertain times, carried on, often without fans, or with them, oblivious to safety measures in packed venues standing side-by-side, and is now delayed again because they got it so horribly wrong in the first place… For the goodness of mental health what have you done? For those playing and watching the game, the decision has completely sent everyone who loves the sport bonkers.

Recently, in December, all football below the top six levels stopped again whilst those below the first couple of tiers in English football struggle on reluctantly, at huge losses and for no real gain in continuing without their fans, the staple of their income, not able to attend. Some National League clubs have today announced independently that they are refusing to play matches without clarity for the future.

Like many teams, Basford United recently stated that they want football to continue with the resumption of the Northern Premier League from March or when is safe to do so. Hucknall Town of the East Midlands Counties League have said the same, so have Sherwood Colliery who echo my own stance in saying “We share the growing concern that we could see a null and void decision for the second season in a row.”

Their statement continuing “We have urged the FA NOT to null and void as we are risking the very integrity of the game, we feel it was the wrong decision last season and would be wrong again now.”

Whatever has gone before cannot sadly be undone now, but this season, the 2020/21 campaign still has a fighting chance to run its cause. Whilst the Premier League and Football League will no doubt carry on through all this pandemic, those teams, players, fans, staff and hard working volunteers below ‘elite level’, should also deserve that gratitude to carry on too.

Football needs a healthy non-league and by chalking off results for a second year as null and void, football down the levels will slowly die of death… Those in the power can rectify that, by ensuring whatever the situation now, that the end of the season WILL be completed, whether it means doing it by the last day of the year so be it, but by then, at least if we continue we’ll have an outcome where competition eventually provides results. Otherwise, there’s just no bloody point.

*Article provided by Daniel Peacock (Editor).

*Main image @SCFC08 fans of Sherwood Colliery FC line the touchline on matchday.