WHITE: IT’S POSSIBLE TO KEEP US ALL HAPPY
DORKING Wanderers chairman-manager Marc White believes the National League CAN keep everyone happy by allowing clubs to ‘opt out’ of the current season.
The 66 member clubs are set to be issued with a vote early this week to determine what happens with the remainder of the campaign.
White was one chairman who put his points forward in a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, and Alison McGovern, Labour MP and Shadow Minister for Culture & Sport, on Thursday.
Sport England then released more funding information to clubs in a briefing on Friday which left White feeling the need for patience.
“Just when clubs might start to unravel a solution for them, they’re going to put a paper in front of them with a vote,” he told The NLP. “A further oneweek suspension of both the resolution vote and potential league restart is crucial to enable clubs to make an informed decision.
“If it is a bland vote – carry on or cancel – that is appalling. The league would be handing clubs a loaded gun. They already have a 16-team group lobbying to say they don’t want to play. If that happens then I think North and South is going to finish.”
White believes the vote should include an option for clubs to ‘opt out’ of the season with no fines and be able to retain their
National League status.
“You can keep everybody happy,” he said. “There’s likely to be no relegation from Step 2 this year so you can actually allow people to opt out. It’s not necessary to have a black and white decision when you can let teams opt out of the division. What I’m asking clubs to do is look at the bigger picture for everybody.
“I have no idea why they will not be more vocal about retaining the competition. Even if they said we are going to retain the competition as long as we have a minimum of 14 teams in the league. I would agree that there’s not masses of integrity if you’ve only got seven teams who want to play. There needs to be someone a little bit creative.
“Clubs like Dorking Wanderers, with over £500,000 of sponsorship and commercial revenue tied in, would be able to continue and not have massive problem if the season stops. If it does, we’re going to have a whole load of sponsors who want their money back.”
White also has big concerns that North and South may come to a halt but the top division plays on.
“I think if that happens it would be the single biggest failing of the National League since it begun,” he added. “This league has to finish constitutionally legit.”