Southern League season looks set to be terminated

Clubs including AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Banbury United, Corby Town and Daventry Town haven't played a league game since the beginning of November
The 2020/21 Southern League season looks set to be declared null and voidThe 2020/21 Southern League season looks set to be declared null and void
The 2020/21 Southern League season looks set to be declared null and void

The Pitching In Southern League season looks set to be declared null and void for the second campaign in a row.

In a statement from the league's Operations Manager Jason Mills, it was confirmed that all matches up to and including Saturday, March 6 have now been postponed with the UK back in a national lockdown, which is set to continue until the middle of February at the earliest.

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The Trident Leagues (Southern League, Isthmian League and Northern Premier League) will now be seeking the opinions of their members clubs to provide views on whether the 2020/21 season should be terminated or what an alternative should be.

But the three leagues are in agreement that declaring the season null and void should be the final outcome.

The 2019/20 season was also declared null and void at a much later stage after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in March last year.

In today's (Friday) statement, Mills said: "The Board of the Pitching In Southern Football League has, together with its fellow Trident Leagues, reviewed the implications of the latest government lockdown.

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"The matter was also discussed at length by the FA’s Alliance Committee earlier this week.

"In order to reach a decision that will apply across Steps 3 and 4 in the National League System, and which is informed by the views of all clubs at Steps 3 and 4, clubs will shortly be asked by the Football Association to provide views on whether the 2020/21 season should be terminated and, if not, what the alternative should be.

"This will take the form of a short survey.

"Independent of that survey, all three of the Trident League’s Boards hold the view that the season should cease immediately and be declared null and void.

"The ultimate decision lies with the FA Council, following a proposal made by the Alliance Committee but no proposal will be drafted until clubs’ views have been collated and assessed.

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"In the meantime, the Pitching In Southern Football League is postponing all fixtures up to and including Saturday, March 6 since there is no suggestion that the national lockdown will be lifted prior to said date.

"The league will continue to provide its Member Clubs with updates as and when it is able to do so."