GIVE US A SHOT!
Ardley issues play-off plea
NOTTS County boss Neal Ardley wants the Nation- al League play-offs to go ahead – and reckons they could be concluded within ONE week.
On Wednesday, the National League announced that their clubs had voted to end the regular season immediately.
Then the league board held a meeting on Friday to dis cuss the next steps. They will now consult clubs this week over the feasibility of running play-offs.
Ardley’s Magpies were in third place when the season came to a halt last month due to the coronavirus pandemic and believes they, and their rivals, deserve their shot at promotion.
“A basic principle of fairness suggests that teams at top and the bottom should be given an opportunity to get what they deserve,” said Ardley, above.
“At the top, that means play-offs. You’ve got two quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final. You could play those Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday and be done in a week.”
NOTTS County boss Neal Ardley has called for promotion from the National League season to be settled through the play-offs – even if it’s all concluded in double-quick time.
The National League regular season is now over after a majority of clubs at Steps 1 and 2 voted to end the 2019-20 campaign with immediate effect.
That leaves County marooned in third place, three points shy of second-placed Harrogate and seven adrift of leaders Barrow.
However, talks to decide issues of promotion and relegation are ongoing and, whilst the EFL have made no official announcement, they are understood to want two teams from the National League if their own season can be brought to a conclusion.
Barrow, who would finish top on either points-per-game or current standings, would almost certainly take one spot.
But it is thought the EFL will only accept a second team through the traditional play-off system.
A National League board meeting was convened on Friday to discuss the feasibility of holding the playoffs over the summer – and Ardley says they must try to find a way. “If the government and the authorities deem it unsafe to play football, I’ll accept that,” said the former AFC Wimbledon manager. “Health is paramount.”
“But if it is safe to play football, we shouldn’t void the season. Why should the teams who’ve had bad seasons get off the hook whilst the teams who’ve had good seasons be punished?
“The league has dealt with the economic issue by cancelling all fixtures. But there’s also a fairness issue. And a basic principle of fairness suggests that teams at the top and the bottom should be given an opportunity to get what they deserve.
“At the top, that means play-offs. You’ve got two quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final. You could play those Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday and be done in a week.” The issue is complicated by the National
League’s commitment to present all possible options to member clubs for a vote.
If – as expected – the ballot includes the null-and-void option, Ardley, left, fears a majority of clubs will opt to scrap the season, meaning nobody would be promoted at all. “Everyone claims they’re not just looking after their own interests,” adds Ardley. “But everybody is.
“And from the things I pick up here and there, my concern is that the first choice of most clubs in our league would be null and void. “Obviously, all the teams down the bottom want a write off.
“Even for some of those further up, it’s a case of ‘I’ve got nothing to play for, I’m not going to make any suggestions or help anyone else’.
Saving grace
“The only saving grace is that the EFL will only accept a second team into their league if it is through the play-offs.
“That’s our lifeline at the
minute. It might even take null and void off the table. We’ll see.
“You might listen to that and say ‘What a hypocrite, you’re just looking after yourself ’. And the answer to that is ‘Yes, I am’. I’m happy to admit it.
“I believe teams up the top of the table have worked hard to get there and deserve a chance to go up – and that goes for the North and South divisions too.
“But, again, only if it is absolutely safe to do so.”