Null and void the ‘only logical outcome’: Liam
FINALLY, it’s over – Southport FCs National League North season has been declared null and void and ceased with immediate effect when the announcement was made late last week.
The results from the National League’s 28-day resolution to consider the end of the season found 24 teams, across both National League North and National League South, in favour of ending the season prematurely, with 19 against.
As the vote required a majority of only 50 per cent, the declaration was passed.
Promotion and relegation issues still need to be finalised, but no further fixtures will be played.
In the National League North, Southport were among 15 teams who voted in favour of the resolution, with seven voting against.
The National League’s national division will continue after clubs voted 7-13 against declaring the campaign null and void.
Many of the clubs voting to end the season cited the lack of financial backing as their main concern, the fact that grants promised at the start of the season had not been forthcoming beyond the first three months of the campaign.
Instead the goalposts shifted considerably when they were informed funding beyond that initial three-month grant would mean clubs having to take out loans.
That left many facing financial ruin by continuing to play on without the usual matchday income streams.
For the Sandgrounders, it was more an issue of health and safety, the club stressing their concerns for players, staff and volunteers having to play on without testing procedures in place during the grip of a global pandemic.
The club had been among the most vocal critics of the National League board’s decision to play on – declaring the season null and void was the only reasonable, sensible, safe solution.
Manager
Liam Watson, shared his thoughts on the National League’s decision: “There was no other logical outcome, it was always going to be null and void, clubs were never going to carry-on without the finances.
“It’s difficult for the players too because even if you have a 10-year career and play from the ages of 20 to 30, that’s two seasons gone and 20 per cent of their career gone.
“Some players might lose it by injuries or lose time over a variety of different things like losing form but to have a backto-back global pandemic is very unusual and unfair.
“Next season will be a lot easier, we’re not in a position where we are looking to slash or cut costs or reduce budgets. We’ll know where we are from the start and there’s an awful lot of work gone on in the past years to get us where we are now”.
There was no other logical outcome, it was always going to be null and void
Liam Watson