Rules for Curtailment of the Season

[Suffolk Blue]

I dont know what to think Nige. The NL now looks a bit like a broken biscuit at the bottom of a packet of digestives, essentially being propped up by a minority of NL clubs each of whom are probably only prepared to offer support to it for as long as promotion remains on the cards and with Step 2 clubs in total revolt.

The FA has yet to ratify the process by which the NL is playing on and the NLN/NLS has not, something that it tends to do if it thinks a serious legal challenge could be in the offing. The EFL has chosen to say nothing, yet. To be honest, if it had become clear that promotion to L2 was under serious threat I think the NL may already have imploded and that could in theory be part of the reason why you haven't heard much on this from elsewhere. You can sense lawyers preparing draft writs on all sides of this mess.

Leaving aside the legitimate challenges to a league that has determined that there can be no relegation and only promotion and many of who's members have failed to meet their fixtures at some time, there is this rule that states no team can be relegated to the NL if in the view of the EFL the NL is not in a fit state to receive them. Normally a no brainer. This season I'm not so sure.

It should not influence what we do in an way. Any EFL club that is not currently focused and locked into the battle for survival and that might be thinking seriously about the situation probably already has one foot in the NL already. With the temperature still rising in the NL however, you get the impression that there will be some "afters".

[Hadrian]

Agree with much of that but believe the FA (especially) and FL (certainly at management/admin level) will want to retain pyramid access through the pro and semi-pro game.

I fear, though, it may take another John Flinders Petrie to be able to dig the remaining treasures from the pyramid and an intensive national programme of restoration to bring them back to glory. (Sorry. JVT syndrome developing.)

[Suffolk Blue]

Agree with much of that but believe the FA (especially) and FL (certainly at management/admin level) will want to retain pyramid access through the pro and semi-pro game.

I fear, though, it may take another John Flinders Petrie to be able to dig the remaining treasures from the pyramid and an intensive national programme of restoration to bring them back to glory. (Sorry. JVT syndrome developing.)

Yes I agree Hadrian. And some would argue that preservation of the Pyramid is paramount anyway - me probably included.

What I find interesting is that the way you'd assist that as a NL member is to grumble loudly, then shut up and get on with it. But that doesn't seem to be happening. Indeed i sense the whole NL is fragmenting into self interest groups without any degree of unifying control from the NL board (now largely discredited) or the FA standing off and not wanting to be caught in the brown staff flying around.

The NL is looking increasingly unstable as an organisation. Whilst I personally have never doubted that there'd be relegation from the EFL this season, the irony to me is that the conditions that would actually be required for that to happen still exist and have not been dealt with.

[russell_anderson]

I would think that it is absolutely certain that any of the big clubs in the NL automatic and playoff places would mount a legal challenge were the EFL to decide there would be no prompotion from the NL.

[holkerboy]

They are not sending paricularly clear signals to anyone at the moment that they are a fit and proper organisation.

Same as last year!

[Suffolk Blue]

I would think that it is absolutely certain that any of the big clubs in the NL automatic and playoff places would mount a legal challenge were the EFL to decide there would be no prompotion from the NL.

Yes I'm sure they would. And the principle of promotion and relegation is just that. Its not a rule defined in the Articles of either the EFL or the NL. It could be inferred from their rules but as we know these can be modified to accommodate the wishes of either organisation. The ability of the NL to accept relegated teams is however specifically mandated in the rules of the EFL. That's why the current behaviour is potentially risky. If they pursue a No Confidence vote and effectively bring down the NL board (i.e. it is unfit) it would open up a can of worms for those who would question the legality and probity of their decisions and would reflect on their ability to manage going forward.