The Football Association has “curtailed” the Toolstation Western League season with immediate effect, meaning there will be no further league fixtures for Radstock Town and Welton Rovers until the new season starts later this year.

The announcement from the FA came after the Prime Minster had set out the Government’s roadmap to take the country out of lockdown, which included a reference to formally organised outdoor sport returning from March 29th, subject to “guidance issued by national governing bodies”.

The FA statement said that during its consultation process, taking into account the views of clubs and leagues, it was decided that extending the 2020-21 league season beyond the end of May 2021 would not be a viable option. The reasons for this included the financial implications for clubs, player contracts and fixture scheduling issues caused by the national lockdown and various postponements, which had resulted in there being 81% of matches left to complete at the Southern League level (Steps 3 and 4) and 75% at the level of the Western League in the non-league pyramid (Steps 5 and 6).

A consultation survey undertaken with Clubs in January, completed by 99.1% of clubs at Steps 3 and 4 and 95.8% of clubs at Steps 5 and 6, showed that over 76% of all clubs expressed a preference to curtail the 2020-21 league season, if it could not be restarted with limited spectator numbers and hospitality before 1st April. Taking into account the survey results and the ongoing impact of Covid-19, which continues to adversely affect incomes for clubs, due to restrictions on both spectators and hospitality. The FA’s Alliance and Leagues Committees have agreed, subject to the approval of FA Council, the 2020-21 league season for Steps 3-6 of the National League System should be curtailed with immediate effect.

In March of last year, the 2019/20 season for Steps 3 to 6 was declared null and void, a term missing from the FA’s most recent statement. This is thought to be because by curtailing the season, instead of striking it from the record, provides the FA with the opportunity to use this season’s results at a later date. In the event of another Covid interrupted season, this could mean promotion and relegation settled by fixtures completed across two seasons. It also opens the way for the FA to revisit discussions around a potential restructure of the pyramid at Steps 4-6, which was previously agreed and has been on hold since the 2019-20 season.

The FA have committed to providing a further update on the feasibility of the restructuring in due course, but Clubs will be more eager for information on how the governing body will allow them to restart football with spectators, as Clubs look to organise friendly matches in the final weeks of what would have been the 2020-21 league season.

Ian Nockolds