Timeline of ‘an absolute shambles’ – how the National League South and North divisions ended up null and void

2020

March

14: The final games of the regular 2019/20 National League season are played prior to the pandemic taking its hold on society.

July

17: Boris Johnson plans for spectators to return to elite football grounds from October 1. ‘We will pilot larger gatherings in venues like sports stadiums with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn,’ the Prime Minister states.

‘From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadiums. These changes must be done in a Covid-secure way, subject to the successful outcome of pilots.’

27: Following Johnson’s announcement 10 days earlier, the National League inform clubs the 2020/21 season will start in early October, in order to allow fans to attend all matches.

September

22: Due to a rise in the Covid infection rate, the Government press the pause button on the return of fans to elite sports stadia - just 10 days before are due to be allowed into grounds for the first time since mid-March.

Following talks with their local Safety Advisory Group, Hawks had been hopeful of allowing up to 1,411 fans into games - virtually the same as last season’s average crowd.

24: The National League release a statement saying that ‘in recognition of the financial uncertainty facing its member clubs’ they are ‘actively engaged with Government, with the assistance of The Football Association, to secure a critical financial support package.

‘It is imperative the revenue shortfall caused by the pause to the safe return of spectators is responsibly addressed so each club can operate sustainably over the course of the forthcoming season.’

30: Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston reveals the Government have ‘provided the National League with assurance that financial support will be forthcoming so they can start this season this Saturday.

‘The Government support needs to go to those in most need and therefore the criteria will be focused on gate receipts.’

October

3: National League South and North clubs play their first game of the 2020/21 season - an FA Cup second qualifying round tie. Hawks begin 24 hours later, beating Horsham 2-1 at Bognor Regis’ Nyewood Lane as their new 3G pitch at Westleigh Park is not yet ready.

6: The first games of the National League/South/North seasons take place. The Premier League and EFL had started on September 12, over three weeks earlier, and the Southern League had begun on September 19.

Clubs kick off despite not knowing how much financial help they are going to get, and when they are going to receive it.

Hawks are conspicuous by their absence on the opening night - with an odd number of clubs in the South division, one club is left inactive every round of games. And Hawks miss out first.

10: Hawks finally play their first league game of 2020/21, a 2-2 home draw with Maidstone. It is their first regular season league match for 211 days, since a 2-1 win at Dorking in mid-March. The club’s only game in between was a South play-off semi-final home defeat to Dartford on July 25.

18: Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announces that the 66 National League clubs will receive £10 million funding as part of a unique partnership with The National Lottery for October, November and December.

‘National League football clubs are the beating heart of their communities and too precious to lose,’ said Dowden. ‘This £10 million fund will provide a bridge to help clubs survive this immediate crisis whilst we work together on the safe return of fans.’

21: The amount each National League club is to receive for three months is revealed - and some clubs are furious. Seven top flight clubs will bank £95,000 a month and the other 16 £84,000. Five South and North clubs will trouser £36,000 and the other 38 - including Hawks - will get £30,000.

November

19: The Government announce a £300m Sport Winter Survival Package, covering 11 sports and including the National League. ‘The funding, which will be largely composed of loans, is the most generous of any Government for its domestic sport sector in the world, and will focus on sports severely impacted over the winter,’ a statement says. Alarm bells should now be ringing in the boardrooms of the 66 NL clubs as a result of the four words ‘largely composed of loans.’

23: The Government reveal fans will be able to return to some elite stadia once the national lockdown restrictions are lifted on December 1 and a tier system put in place. Those grounds in tier 1, the lowest risk, will be able to admit 4,000 fans or 50 per cent of capacity, whichever is lower. In tier 2, the maximum number for indoor venues will be 2,000 spectators, or 50 per cent capacity. No fans will be allowed inside grounds in tier 3.

When the tiers are later revealed, no elite stadia in any sport is in tier 1 which is limited to the Isle of Wight, the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall.

December

5: Hawks welcome fans to Westleigh Park for the first time since March 7. Around 800 supporters watch a 3-1 victory over Chelmsford City with Tommy Wright hitting a hat-trick.

8: A similar crowd to three days earlier watch Hawks draw 0-0 with Slough Town at Westleigh Park. Due to the rising infection rate in the Havant area, it is the last time supporters will enter Westleigh Park in 2020/21.

January

7: The alarm bells are starting to ring a little louder. Hawks boss Paul Doswell tells The News of his concerns as clubs wait for official news on what financial aid they will be receiving for the first three months of 2021. ‘At the start of the season, the understanding was if the crowds weren’t back and the income wasn’t back that we’d be supported for the next three months in January, February and March,’ he explains. 'In essence, our league wouldn’t continue if the grant doesn’t come through. If they start saying it’s a loan then I think the majority of our clubs would just refuse to play because that was not what was put to us at the start of the season by the league.’

Doswell will be proved correct over a month later.

8: Hawks director Trevor Brocks tells The News the financial situation is ‘very worrying indeed’. ‘We normally pay the players in the third week of the month and we have no idea what money we’re going to receive.

‘There’s not many clubs at our level that could survive without any sort of external funding.’

18: The National League are informed by the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport that £11m made available from the Sport Winter Survival Package will arrive as loans rather than grants.

Hawks CEO Stuart Munro, reacting to the bombshell news, admits: ‘It would now seem that if they continue with it being a loan we won't finish the season.’

Like his manager 11 days earlier, he will also be proved right.

21: Twelve National League North clubs call on the league’s board to suspend the season, while South pair Concord Rangers and Slough say they won’t be fulfilling their fixtures two days later.

22: The National League suspend the South and North divisions for two weeks, while the National League are told by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport it is ‘untrue’ to claim it was promised further grants beyond the end of December to keep its three divisions going.

February

1: The National League issue voting forms to all 66 clubs, asking them to choose whether they want to complete the 2020/21 season or declare it null and void. Under company law, clubs have 28 days to reply.

6: The South and North divisions restart with some clubs refusing to fulfil fixtures until the result of the vote is known. Prior to Hawks’ FA Trophy tie with Notts County, the club release a statement saying they will vote to carry on playing.

14: Hawks boss Paul Doswell describes the National League board as ‘clowns’ after Slough joint-manager Jon Baker insists the situation is ‘an absolute shambles’.

18: At 7.14pm, the National League release a statement with the results of the vote. While the top flight has voted to carry on, the majority of clubs in the South and North - by a 25-18 margin - vote to stop. While South clubs voted 12-9 to carry on, the North voted 16-6 against.

Hawks CEO Stuart Munro says of the result of the vote: ‘We have to accept it and we will accept it. Considering we voted to carry on, we have to be disappointed the season is over. We weren’t in the best of form but who’s to say we wouldn’t have finished in the play-offs?

‘In terms of the integrity of the league, we felt carrying on was the right thing to do.’

Not all clubs are as accepting as Hawks. South division leaders Dorking Wanderers issue a statement saying they ‘are in ongoing dialogue with our legal team and are taking high level legal advice to ascertain the validity of the resolution.’