No other solution but to scrap Northern Premier League season

Lancaster City boss Mark Fell does not believe there is any alternative other than to scrap the 2020/21 NPL Premier Division season.
Lancaster City boss Mark Fell
(photo: Tony North)Lancaster City boss Mark Fell
(photo: Tony North)
Lancaster City boss Mark Fell (photo: Tony North)

The Government’s announcement this week that outdoor sport will be permitted by the end of next month has given rise to the idea that the current campaign could reconvene.

However, the fact that the divisions directly above – the National League North and South – voted last week to declare their seasons as null and void, means there is next to no chance of football at step three beginning again as far as Fell is concerned.

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With no promotion available to teams in the NPL Premier Division, Fell insists the league’s Board will have to scrap the current campaign.

Currently, this season has been suspended until March 6, and official confirmation about its future is set to be announced soon.

Fell said: “After the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his bit on Monday, there were a few clubs who were suggesting that football would be back soon. I was thinking, ‘How will it be back soon?’

“There’s going to be no promotion from the NPL Premier Division because the National League North and South seasons are null and void.

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“There is some talk that we could go back to playing for 10 weeks, play through April, May and June – play 20 games and then have a points-per-game scenario.

“But for what? There is going to be no promotion.

“I have seen a lot of clubs in the division below us – Workington, Colne, Clitheroe – they are all wanting to play because they have something to play for at the top of that division.

“They think they can win promotion but there’s no promotion and relegation from the Premier Division because there can’t be.

“The Northern Premier League’s hand has been forced by the decision of the National League clubs, which was always going to be the case.

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“There is no other solution now other than to null and void our league season.”

Fell revealed there could be a tournament staged – and he has even suggested fitting in his team’s Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy final, carried over from last season, against Prestwich Heys.

“Whether they do something else like a small tournament to bring football back or let us play our LFA Trophy final, there is no other solution other than to scrap our season as we know it.”