National League clubs have ‘moral obligation’ to finish season as funding crisis shows no sign of ending

Representatives from some of the 66 member clubs met with Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston this morning in the wake of the funding crisis that threatens to bring an abrupt end to 2020/21.

Havant & Waterlooville officials were unable to make the online meeting, but will be at the second one Huddleston has organised next Tuesday.

By then, clubs will have received official notice from the league with regards a vote on whether to curtail the season.

The National League North and South are currently suspended until Friday, February 5 and 16 clubs have issued a statement declaring they want the campaign to be permanently stopped before then if no grant funding is available.

After being handed grants for the first three months of the season - via a £10m handout from the National Lottery funds - clubs are now being asked to accept loans for January, February and March.

By the time April comes around, it is possible some fans may be allowed back into grounds.

The four clubs from the South division who signed the statement calling for an immediate finish are Concord Rangers, Chippenham, Slough Town and Dulwich Hamlet - all clubs in the bottom half of the table.

Concord chairman Ant Smith did attend this morning’s meeting with Huddleston, and reported that it would take ‘4/6 weeks at best’ to receive any money. He added on social media: ‘This leaves us all in a position of voting on the season next week totally unsure of gaining any monetary support in the near future, at the very least the league will need to suspend for a further 4 weeks in my opinion.’

But Newton is calling on clubs to restart next weekend when the two-week suspension is finished.

He said: ‘Although the funding is primarily based on loans, it was also made very clear that grants will be available for those clubs that would not be in a position to repay loans.

‘The terms of any loans are also extremely favourable, up to 20 years to repay with an initial four-year holiday period, and at only 2 per cent interest rate.

‘All clubs applied to the league to play the season, and have commenced the playing of the season, so we believe that we all have an obligation to complete the season if possible.

‘It was apparent that clubs with urgent financial issues will be supported by Sport England and/or the National League.’

He added: ‘We feel strongly that, with the above generous support available, the National League should be instructing the clubs to play, as there are no financial reasons why they should not do so.

‘All the clubs have good Covid procedures in place, and they could be improved further through the funding available, if the costs are included in any funding bids to Sport England.

‘At the start of the season, we received £10 million of very generous Government funding, and if clubs now choose to not take up the offer of further funding, that £10 million of support will have been wasted.

‘I believe we have a moral obligation to ensure that does not happen.’

Newton said his club - currently sixth in the National League North, with games in hand on all the teams above them - support a longer suspension than the current fortnight if that would help the situation.

He said: ‘We are very conscious of the current situation in the country resulting from the pandemic and the health of everyone involved in football - and the wider community has always been our primary concern.

‘It was on this basis that when feeding our thoughts back to the National League following the last league meeting, we stated that we would support a four-to-six week break in the season which would not only allow the financial position to be finalised, but also allow the season to recommence when the pressure is off the NHS, all the vulnerable groups in society have the first dose of the vaccine, infection rates are much lower and less games will be lost due to pitch/weather conditions.

‘We still feel that such an approach is appropriate to protect staff, players and the wider community, but also allow the season to conclude properly - on the pitch.

‘Clubs should also be mindful of the positive impact that us playing has had on the health and wellbeing on fans who have benefitted by their re-engagement with the clubs through the streaming of fixtures and, of course, the mere fact that 'their club' is playing.

‘I would urge all clubs to meet their obligations to conclude the season, where possible.’

Those words could fall on deaf ears with clubs obviously not keen to take on loans at a time when they are not receiving any income through the turnstiles.

Though the loans being offered are over a long period of time, the bottom line is this - they are still loans which have to be repaid.

Speaking on January 18, Hawks CEO Stuart Munro said: ‘I don't know what the condition of those loans are yet but, as a football club, we aren't in a position to take loans as I think many of our fellow clubs, particularly in the National South, won't be either.’

Though Hawks did not add their name to the 16 who issued a public statement calling for the league to be curtailed, it is believed their stance has not changed since the day Munro made his comments.

Put simply, Hawks are unlikely to agree to carry on the season unless the Government stages a major U-turn over the loans which form part of their £300m Sport Winter Survival Package designed to support 11 sports.

At present, Hawks’ next game is an FA Trophy tie at home to National League club Notts County on Saturday, February 6.

Clubs will next week be asked to vote on whether they want to end the league season, but even if they do the Trophy is expected to carry on.

Though the South and North divisions could well vote to curtail 2020/21, the National League is expected to carry on to a conclusion.

Failure to do so would have serious consequences with regards promotion and relegation with the EFL and also regarding commercial contracts, not least with BT Sport.

It is conceivable that Hawks’ league season could finish next week, in which case they would have to make the decision on whether to remain in the Trophy or withdraw.

If they beat Notts County, Hawks would have a three-week wait before the quarter-finals are due to take place. If they were to win a last-eight tie, there’s a month-long wait - until March 27 - before the semi-final.

Those are long gaps when you’re only playing cup ties, and players could hardly be placed on furlough in between as they would need to train.