Lancaster City’s season still up in the air

Lancaster City boss Mark Fell admits he is none the wiser despite the Northern Premier League’s intention to terminate this season.
Lancaster City manager Mark Fell. Picture: Tony NorthLancaster City manager Mark Fell. Picture: Tony North
Lancaster City manager Mark Fell. Picture: Tony North

The league’s Board released a statement on Tuesday in conjunction with the other leagues at step three or four – the Isthmian and Southern – that it was their wish to end the 2019-20 campaign with immediate effect.

However, the impact of that decision was not made clear by the statement, indicating they would have to wait on the intentions of the National League, which covers step one and two of the non-league pyramid.

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They are believed to be still intent on finishing their season.

The statement said: “The NPL, Isthmian and Southern Leagues are unanimous in wanting to terminate the 2019/20 season immediately.

“Whether that is done on the basis of determining the final placings via average points per game, or the season is declared null and void cannot be decided until the National League’s intentions are confirmed. The NPL, Isthmian and Southern Leagues have made the FA aware of their wish to terminate the 2019-20 season, although any such decision has to be ratified by FA council.

“While this process is on-going, competition issues can then be decided, together with the implications for promotion and relegation.”

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Fell’s side are currently in a play-off position in the NPL Premier Division and have also won through to the final of the LFA Challenge Trophy against Bamber Bridge at Wigan Athletic’s DW Stadium.

Fell believes that this season will be declared null and void – and every club will start again in the league that they are in.

However, the implications of that are far-reaching, especially where promotion and relegation are concerned.

“The league are clearly saying that they want to shut the season down,” said Fell. “They want to finish the season as it is.

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“If I am being perfectly honest, that was always going to be the case, but there’s no detail around the statement.

“We don’t know where that leaves promotion and relegation. My view is we will all start again and we’ll all be in the same divisions next season.

“Whatever happens, there is always going to be legal arguments and counter arguments.

“If you freeze the league as it is now, the teams with games in hand will kick off.

“If you then say, ‘Right we will go points-per-game’.

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“But hold on a minute, teams like Morpeth who have lots of games in hand have still got to play the top five.

“So how can you presume that they would have maintained those points per game.

“Everybody has a solution or a suggestion, but everybody has counter-claims to it as well. There is absolutely no fair way of doing it.”

The NPL are a feeder league to the National League and Fell believes they will want to look after their current member clubs.

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“There is a gap in the Football League due to Bury’s expulsion,” said Fell.

“So the National League could promote Barrow who are top, but then the knock-on effect of that is who do you promote out of York City and Kings Lynn in the NL North?

“I think York are top but Kings Lynn have two games in hand.

“So how are they going to decide who gets promoted there?

“York and Kings Lynn will be going through the High Court to decide who goes up.

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“In our division, South Shields, FC United and Morpeth could all argue that they could get the relevant points needed to win the title.

“I just don’t see an answer or a conclusion.

“I genuinely think they will null and void the season and we will all be starting again.”

Fell revealed that he is already turning his attentions to next season and is of the firm belief that his players will be back in pre-season training in July.

“I am no scientist, but if you look at other countries, they are starting to tip the curve in terms of the coronavirus and I think we will back in pre-season training in July.

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“I think by then we will have got to the top of the curve in this country and football will be back on.

“We have got to prepare now for being in the same league as we are now and up against the same opposition and that is what I am doing.”