Hawks’ promotion dream is shattered by the government ruling the National League South is NOT elite sport

They had been hoping to win promotion from the National League South after finishing the 2019/20 season in second place behind Wealdstone.

The Westleigh Park club were banking on either the play-offs taking place OR being automatically promoted as the second best club on points-per-game (PPG) methodology if the play-offs were considered impossible to hold.

In the end, neither option was chosen as the long-running saga of how the season is brought to a close took one final twist.

And for Hawks, it was the cruellest twist of all.

Yesterday afternoon, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) declared that step 2 of the non-league pyramid was NOT classified as elite sport. Therefore, it could not take place behind closed doors.

Step 1 - the National League - is considered elite sport so their play-offs will take place to see who accompanies Barrow into League 2.

The National League were told of this development via the FA - who had been talking to the DCMS - and clubs were informed this morning.

The FA told Hawks and their 67 South and North rivals ‘elite sport means players who derive a living from competing in sport’ and was intended to allow matches that were scheduled to be broadcast to continue.

‘Government is comfortable this can apply to step 1, but not to step 2.’

As a result, only the champion club (via PPG) from the South and North divisions will win promotion.

Only one National League club will be relegated - bottom placed Chorley. Ebbsfleet and AFC Fylde - third and second bottom respectively - have been reprieved.

In a nutshell, those clubs’ failure has been rewarded while the likes of Hawks - second in their table - have been punished for their relative success.

Hawks director Trevor Brock told The News: ‘We are massively disappointed.

‘We have lived with this problem for the last three months, and it was bitterly disappointing to hear the DCMS did not consider step 2 elite sport.

‘That effectively stymied the play-offs at our level.

‘Now we just have to get our heads around it, and set out to achieve what we didn’t quite achieve this season.’

Brock and other Hawks officials this afternoon attended a two-hour Zoom call with other South clubs and Michael Tattersell (chairman of the National League) and Lawrence Jones.

Jones is a former chief executive of the Hampshire FA who is now head of the National League System (covering steps 1-7 of the non-league pyramid).

Clubs were allowed to ask questions and Hawks asked three.

1 Why did the DCMS leave it so late before informing the FA of their decision?

2 Why couldn’t a rule change allowing the second-placed club in South and North (Hawks and York City) to be automatically promoted be inserted into the proposal for clubs to vote on?

3) Would the overall decision be subject to a review?

The second point was believed to be valid, bearing in mind other rule changes - deciding the champions and play-off positions in the top flight via PPG, for example - had been accepted.

Clubs have until Monday to vote on the proposals.

The National League play-offs are to take place at home grounds and will be screened live on BT Sport. The play-off final will be held at a neutral venue.

There was never any plans to televise the South and North play-offs.

The National League - ‘elite sport’ according to the DCMS - comprises mainly full-time clubs, though some remain part-time.

Down in the South division, however, the majority are part-time. Maidstone and Dulwich Hamlet are full-time while Hawks train on three mornings a week.

Champions Wealdstone, though, only train on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

While PPG had no bearing on the South title race, the situation was very different in the North division.

York City were top when the season was halted in mid-March, but under PPG they are overtaken by King’s Lynn.

In the top flight, PPG allows Barnet - who had games in hand - to jump from 11th to seventh and into the play-offs at Stockport’s expense.

Barrow will be promoted - returning to the EFL for the first time since 1972 - with Harrogate, Notts County, Yeovil, Boreham Wood, Halifax and Barnet in the play-offs.

Only one club is coming down from League 2 due to Bury’s withdrawal last September. Stevenage are currently bottom but Macclesfield are facing another points deduction which would put them in last place instead.

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National League clubs were also told yesterday that the FA is currently aiming to stage a full FA Cup competition in 2020/21.

There had been reports that the first few qualifying rounds would be axed because of the fact next season would not be starting on time in early August.

Normally, the first two rounds of the FA Cup are held in August with two more in September.

But the FA have said that, at present, their aim is to run the FA Cup, FA Trophy and FA Vase as usual - but will scrap replays.

County cup competitions, though, could be suspended for a season.

‘For a lot of clubs the FA Cup is their best chance of a crack at a jackpot,’ said Hawks director Trevor Brock.

‘It’s certainly important to us - I can’t think of a single non-league club who it wouldn’t be important to.

‘At the moment the FA are planning to start next season in the middle or at the end of September, but that is dependent on government advice.’