Stiles: Logic to restarting the league in August

Fareham Town boss Pete Stiles is in favour of the current non-league season resuming in August and being played to a natural conclusion.

But the Reds manager conceded the most likely outcome will be a second consecutive 'null and void' campaign for non-elite football.

Clubs from steps three and below have only completed a small percentage of fixtures with the 2020-21 season currently paused for the second time this term amid the coronavirus pandemic.

It's becoming increasingly likely that campaigns will be unable to be completed and teams are now being asked to respond to an FA survey as to alternative options on avoiding 'null and void'.

A suggestion that Stiles would welcome is for the current Wessex League campaign - his side are lying fourth in the top flight - to restart in August and cup competitions such as the Portsmouth Senior Cup, Hampshire Senior Cup and Russell Cotes Cup to be reinstated.

He sees no reason why seasons could not resume from where they are now later this year and be concluded by 2022.

‘For me, I would probably restart the season, bring in more cup competitions to make up for the games you’ve played,' said Stiles.

‘Obviously I’d be in favour of that because we’ve started quite well (restarting current season in August).

‘Anyone who is nearer the top is going to be in favour of it and anyone who’s started off badly is going to be against it because it gives them a clean start.

‘This season we started off with no Pompey Senior Cup, no Hampshire Cup, no Russell Cotes - all of those cups were knocked on the head.

'If you were to reintroduce them, started all the competitions again and started the league, you wouldn’t have the worry. Alright, it might be an earlier finish season, but you’ve avoided null and void.

‘There is logic.

'Someone said a little while ago why don’t you make it a 2020-22 season and that, to be fair, isn’t as stupid as it first sounded.

‘You could take the months out, start up again later on and carry on from where you’re doing that.

‘All you’re doing is reintroducing a couple of cup competitions.

‘That’s quite a good way because it is frustrating - another null and void it means the past two seasons at Fareham, like for anyone, have been a waste of time.'

But Stiles, above, has doubts as to whether any other outcome than null and void will be reached.

At present, all non-elite level clubs cannot train or play with a third nationwide lockdown in place.

‘The problem is if they’re on about not releasing lockdowns until March, I can’t see how you can possibly carry on,' added Stiles.

‘Unless there is some cunning plan where they do it over two seasons or the seasons start and finish at different times - I don’t know.

‘It looks to me like the season is going to be written off.'