South Shields' season could be over after Northern Premier League announce agreement to terminate fixtures

South Shields have moved a step closer to seeing their season ended after the Northern Premier League announced that they had agreed to terminate their remaining fixtures.
South Shields against Buxton (Kevin Wilson)South Shields against Buxton (Kevin Wilson)
South Shields against Buxton (Kevin Wilson)

The league confirmed that they had been working alongside fellow step three and four leagues to come to a unanimous decision over how the remainder of the season should be approached as the coronavirus epidemic continues to spread around the country.

That decision was to bring a premature end to the 2019/20 campaign – a move that could see the Mariners without a competitive game until August at the earliest.

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Premier Division rivals Morpeth Town and North West Division duo Dunston UTS and Marske United will also be impacted by the move.

However, no decision has yet been made over how the season will be brought to an end with the Northern Premier League suggesting that final league positions could be decided on an average points per game basis or the season could be voided altogether.

A statement read: “The Northern Premier League has been working alongside its fellow step three and four leagues, via the FA Alliance committee, to find a solution for the 2019/20 season that can, ideally, apply across all of the National League System.

“The NPL, Isthmian and Southern Leagues are unanimous in wanting to terminate the 2019/20 season immediately. Whether that is done on the basis of determining the final placings via average points per game, or the season is declared null and void cannot be decided until the National League’s intentions are confirmed.

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“The NPL, Isthmian and Southern Leagues have made the FA of their wish to terminate the 2019-20 season, although any such decision has to be ratified by FA council. While this process is on-going, competition issues can then be decided, together with the implications for promotion and relegation.”

Isthmian League chairman Nick Robinson confirmed that step five and six leagues across the country – including the Ebac Northern League – also supported the termination of their own seasons.

But Robinson revealed that no decision could be finalised until the National League made a decision on how it would finalise its own season.

He said: “'The Alliance Leagues held the latest of several conference calls last night (Monday) after our own Board, and those of the Northern Premier and Southern Leagues, met over the weekend to determine how we wish to proceed.

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“The step three and four leagues share clubs’ frustration that it is taking so long to determine whether the 2019/20 season is to end now, and if so on what basis.

“To maintain the integrity of our competitions, we ideally need to apply one solution across the whole of the National League System. However, this may not be possible.

“Right now, the National League’s position is that they wish to be able to resume the 2019-20 season at some point.

“The feeder Leagues do not support this because our Clubs do not have the financial resources to continue to honour Player contracts indefinitely.

“The Step three and four Leagues have therefore commenced the process to terminate the season.”