Waiting game for Shelley, Emley and Golcar as league ends

EMLEY, Shelley and Golcar United are facing a wait to see which division they will be playing in next season after the

FA ruled the North West Counties League season ‘must end immediately’ due to the coronavirus.

At a web meeting yesterday, the governing body told clubs at steps five and six of the non-league pyramid that their season is over.

There is, however, no decision yet on how the final placings, promotion and relegation will be decided, or whether the whole campaign with be voided.

Shelley sit third, Emley fourth and Golcar fifth in First Division North, all with a good chance of promotion.

Clubs were braced for the season to be brought to a premature conclusion and a statement from the Essex Senior League - who are at level five - has confirmed that.

“Following on from the pre-arranged Webex meeting today with the FA and our colleagues in Step 5/6 leagues, the FA have confirmed that the season 2019/20 must end immediately,” a statement posted on Twitter read.

“The consensus was there is no option of any football being played for the rest of this season due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

“Even if the FA were to extend, it wasn’t going to be possible to complete remaining games, also subject to being allowed to socialise by May.”

The Essex Senior League also said that a decision has yet to be communicated as to how best to end the season.

“The FA League Committee are to determine the terms of that conclusion which seems at present to be a 50:50 split between PPG (points-pergame) promotion/relegation or complete null and void of the 2019/20 season,” the league said.

“That decision is not the leagues to make but the FA Leagues Committee.

“Once a decision is conveyed to the Leagues it will be consistent across the NLS system - if null and void is the FA decision there will be NO promotion or relegation for 2019/20 season.”