Hawks boss Doswell: The National League South season must be completed at all costs

The FA, EFL and Premier League are still to reach a decision on how the current campaign should be concluded with football shut down until April 30 at the earliest in the UK because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

But Doswell believes the authorities must allow teams at National League level and above to finish all their matches this term.

All clubs at step three standard and below discovered seasons had been controversially null and voided last Thursday, subject to FA council ratification.

However, the Hawks boss - whose side sit second in the National League South, three points behind leaders Wealdstone having played a game more - insisted that 'ridiculous' decision cannot be reached for clubs sitting in the top six tiers of English football.

Doswell wants to see a patient approach adopted by the authorities before any final outcome is reached as the country tries to stem the coronavirus epidemic.

‘My personal view is that we should finish the season,' he said.

‘Let’s say that we get back playing in July or August, the first thing that everyone does is finish the existing season then probably extend next season by an extra month and play until the end of May.

‘That’s what I think is fairest.

‘You can’t null and void a season having played 80 per cent of it, I think that’s ridiculous.

‘Points-per-game is the next best option, but the best option has got to be to finish it.

‘There will be time.

‘If people are patient and wait, for example, if we’re back to some normality and we’re talking the curve starts going down after three weeks.

‘If we can get back in July or August to get back to a two-week pre-season as opposed to a six week, everyone is going to have to shorten that down.

‘It’s really important (to finish the season) even if we’re playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday - most of us have only got six or eight games left - so turn it into a three-week period when you get back.

‘Don’t play pre-season games, just go straight into your league games.

‘It has to be finished at all costs.'

Doswell stressed it would be nothing out of the ordinary if they were ordered to finish the current season in a three-week window.

He highlighted the fact that National League matches are crammed in during August and September as proof they can deal with the workload.

‘We’ve got eight games to go and that is the norm for us in a month in the National League,' added Dowell.

‘We’re used to playing that amount of games.

‘They stick loads of games in August to make sure the bad weather doesn’t defeat you in January and February.

‘The National League make you play 10 games in August and almost 10 in September which is a ridiculous amount.

‘We all complain about it, (so) why not make us play 10 games in May?

‘That’s all you’re talking about.'

Hawks actually played eight NSL games last August and only four in September, though they also had an FA Cup tie in the latter month as well.

Due to cup ties and bad weather, Hawks played as many league games last August as they did between September 29 and January 1.