Paulsgrove boss Grant: ‘I feel sorry for Infinity and US Portsmouth more than ourselves’

And the Paulsgrove boss believes US Portsmouth also deserve to be moved up a level in the Wessex League.

Clubs are awaiting confirmation from the authorities on how the current campaign will be completed with steps three and below halted because of the pandemic.

The FA have sent a survey for teams at steps 3-6 to get an idea of how they feel the interrupted season should be finished.

Meanwhile, the Hampshire Premier League - at step 7 - have suggested adopting a 'each team plays each other once' system to complete the campaign.

However, Grant, whose Paulsgrove side are unbeaten in the HPL, winning nine of 10 league matches, feels null and void will be employed across the 'non-elite' pyramid again this term.

That would mean Infinity, who've gone a remarkable 37 league matches unbeaten since the start of last season, would again miss out on promotion.

Grant would also spare a thought for US Portsmouth, who top the Wessex League Division One table over the current campaign and the last one on a PPG methodology.

‘I think, unfortunately, null and void is the only fair way,' said Grant.

‘In an ideal world we would want to be champions but we obviously haven’t got the ground facilities, Infinity have, so I’d like to see us crowned champions and Infinity get the one promotion place.

‘That would be how I’d go on about it, but there’s then got to be a follow-on effect throughout the leagues.

‘I just feel sorry for Infinity and US Pompey more than ourselves.

‘Infinity are still unbeaten (over the two seasons) and if it was down to me to make the call now, I would null and void it but still promote US Pompey from the Wessex Division One and I would give Infinity the one promotion place. It’s the only fair way.

'You’ve got to be a realist and they deserve to be promoted.'

If the suggested option of each team playing each other once season was ratified by the FA and implemented in the HPL, Paulsgrove would be in with a great chance of claiming the title.

But Grant would not want to be handed the championship by default.

He admitted if Paulsgrove were to win the league that way, it wouldn't be a 'true reflection'.

'I don’t want to see a null and void, I’d rather try something to get this to a conclusion,' he added.

‘But how can you say that’s a fair reflection when last season was null and void and Infinity were going to romp the league, as were US Pompey.

‘You can’t have one rule for one season and one rule for the other season.

‘The only way for them to do it is to null and void it.

‘Obviously we don’t want it to be null and void, with the position we’re in at the moment we’re flying.

‘Also, I wouldn’t want to win it over a 15-game season when it’s a 30-game season, if that makes sense.

‘If we don’t complete the season and they say we’ve won it, it’s not a true reflection.'