Gosport chairman McInnes: One solution to avoid having to null and void another Southern League season

Gosport Borough chairman Iain McInnes. Picture: Colin Farmery

Although the Gosport Borough chairman conceded there may be no other option but to null and void a second straight season if clubs cannot get back to action by March.

The Southern League today issued a statement saying they believe the 2020/21 season at step 3 and 4 level should be declared null and void.

But McInnes has an idea that would mean avoiding having to scrub the campaign for the second year running.

Speaking before the Southern League’s announcement, he suggested that all teams in the Southern League Premier South division play each other just once in 2020/21.

He said: 'From the beginning of March to the third week of May, in normal circumstances, we would have played 12 games which is not far short of half a season.

‘In that period of time from March to the second week of May, which could, of course, be extended by a couple of weeks, we have two midweek fixtures.

‘In other words, from the beginning of March through to the middle of May as a club - and I’m sure our fixture list is not much different to anyone else - we’ve probably got more than enough room to play on a Saturday and in midweek.

‘We could do that from beginning of March through to the end of the season to allow one club to play another club once.

‘In other words, if you take the season and say it’s going to be 20 games with every team playing each other from now until the end of the season on a two games a week basis, I think that’s sensible, it’s do-able.

‘It’s a better reflection of where people should finish as against one where you take an average points decision on less than 10 games.'

He added: 'For me, if we get three months to go about it in March, April and May, then I think we can play each other once.

‘I’d like someone to come up with a better suggestion than that.

‘If we don’t start playing in March then I think the season is over.

'You’ve got to find enough time to play enough games - none of us want us the season to be expunged for a second time - so therefore what’s the fairest basis upon which we can decide who goes where.'