Unlucky Ebbsfleet forced to accept their National League relegation – by just 0.002 of a point

The Kent club had sought legal advice after dropping into the relegation zone on an unweighted points-per-game methodology.

But they have now accepted their unlucky fate with the South and North play-offs due to start this weekend.

Ebbsfleet were 21st in the table when the season was halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Clubs decided to end the season in June on a points-per-game basis and that dropped Ebbsfleet below Maidenhead. Fleet were a point ahead of the Berkshire club but had played a game more.

Frustratingly for Fleet, they were on a great run at the time the season was halted. Having won four of their last six games, they were joint-second in the form table - only high-flying Notts County (13) had banked more than their 12 points during the same period.

There was briefly a glimmer of hope for Fleet when the National League last month said only the bottom club, Chorley, would go down with just the South and North champions coming up.

That was due to the government apparently telling the league that the sixth tier play-offs could not take place as they were not classified as elite sport.

After Hawks got Havant MP Alan Mak involved, it was quickly found out no such advice existed. And that meant the South and North play-offs could proceed - relegating second-bottom AFC Fylde and Ebbsfleet in the process.

‘As all our supporters will know, when the season was prematurely ended our club finished out of the relegation zone and as one of the top form teams in the league,’ a Fleet statement said.

‘Nevertheless, an unweighted points-per-game system saw us moved down one place into the relegation positions by 0.002 of a point.

‘This is the leanest mathematical calculation of any club in the UK to be relegated on this system.

‘We are the only club to be sent into the relegation zone by points-per-game, and one of only three clubs – along with AFC Fylde and Chorley – to be relegated in the only division in the National League framework to retain relegation under the points-per-game season-end solution.’

The FA had quickly declared steps 3-7 of the non-league pyramid null and void shortly after lockdown had been imposed. And because no clubs could come up from the Southern and Northern Leagues at step 3, that meant no clubs from the NL South and North divisions would go down either.

Fleet have been left with a sour taste in the mouth after making huge efforts to play their home game against Stockport on February 29.

As the south east was battered by stormy conditions, other games in the region - including National League games at Barnet and Dagenham and South matches at Hampton & Richmond and Welling - were called off.

Had Fleet not played that game - which they lost 1-0 - they would have avoided a third relegation in 11 seasons from the top tier of English non-league football.

The statement continued: ‘Perhaps most frustratingly for our club is the great effort and goodwill displayed in February to ensure our home match against the travelling Stockport County squad went ahead – despite extreme weather conditions, in the form of Storm Dennis, rendering the majority of matches to be postponed in the London region.

‘Had this game not proceeded it would effectively have made the difference when the ‘points-per-game’ system was calculated.

‘We believe in making every effort to work overtime and stage matches, when perhaps the easy option would have been to give up and declare an early postponement the night before.’

At the other end of the table, Barnet benefited from calling their game off on February 29.

When the season was halted, the Bees were 11th - four points behind seventh-placed club Stockport. But because they had a raft of games in hand - all at home - they rose into the play-offs on an unweighted PPG methodology.

‘It is fair to say we disagree with the National League and their legal advisors on some matters and processes,’ Ebbsfleet’s statement went on.

‘It is also the case that there is a clear legal pathway available to the club to pursue the fight against what we are sure many supporters view as an unfair, and very unlucky, outcome for our club.

‘However, as with any legal challenge, we must make a judgement on the merits of such action and, at all times, whether we wish to continue pursuing it or not.

‘The decisions on finalising the season have been made under difficult conditions and have been without precedent.

‘They have been made with an intent to find a solution for, and to please the vast majority of clubs wherever possible, and unfortunately for Ebbsfleet United we have fallen on the side of the small minority who are severely affected by the outcome.

‘To launch a legal challenge and arbitration when 12 fellow member clubs are planning for and hoping to compete in a play-off series, at great cost to them and the league, would be extremely disruptive, and of course would carry no guarantee of any outcome other than further weeks of delays and uncertainty.

‘We have, as noted, argued strongly our case to the National League through correct channels and we believe it now to be in everyone’s best interests to accept that, unfortunately for Ebbsfleet United, the right thing to do is accept our “relegation by formula” and push forward for a strong season in the National League South should play-offs proceed.’