Player registrations on hold in Counties League
CLUBS in the North West Counties League have been told that they won’t be able to register players until more details are received from the Football Association about when the 2020/21 campaign will commence.
In normal circumstances, the transfer registration window for the North West Counties League would open on July 1, with clubs being able to register players from then until the last Thursday in March.
However, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the fact there are still no details as to when the 2020/21 season will start, sides were informed by the NWCFL last week that the league would not be accepting player registrations at this moment in time.
“Ordinarily the 1st July is a significant date in the calendar for the North West Counties Football League, with player registrations opening ahead of what is a new and exciting season starting in August,” a statement on the NWCFL website read.
“Due to Covid-19 though, this is no ordinary season that is coming up and at the time of writing, we still do not know when the 2020/21 season will commence, if indeed at all.
“We don’t even have the luxury of pre-season friendlies to look forward to.
“Therefore regrettably, we are unable to open up player registrations today as we usually do.
“The reason for this is that when players sign a registration form, it says on it that ‘I agree to be bound by the rules and regulations of The Football Association and The North West Counties Football League (NWCFL)’.
“To date we still have not received from The Football Association the standardised rules for 2020/21, and we have subsequently not yet held our Annual General Meeting to adopt those rules and confirm the League constitution.
“Therefore opening up registrations is simply not possible as there are no rules for players and clubs to be bound by.
“We recognise that registration of players is important to clubs, and indeed, clubs have started making announcements for players who have committed to sign for them for the 2020/21 season.
“We will endeavour to open up registrations as soon as we possibly can, but until the registration process is confirmed within the FA Standardised Rules, it is not possible.”
Meanwhile, FC Oswestry Town have become the first side to resign from the North West Counties Football League due to the lockdown.
“It is with a heavy heart that FC Oswestry Town have made the sad decision to fold the club,” a statement from the club read. “The difficult decision has been made due mainly to the Covid pandemic that resulted in the curtailing of the North West Counties League and the FA’s ruling to make the 2019/20 season null and void which robbed us of a hard earned promotion.”
A statement from the NWCFL read: “It is with sadness that the North West Counties Football League have received the resignation of FC Oswestry Town from the First Division
South. This has reluctantly been accepted by the League management committee.
“Everyone at the league is saddened to receive this resignation and we wish everyone who is involved at the club the best of luck moving forward.
“Hopefully they can stay involved within the football family at some level.”