COMPLETE SEASON OR SOUR EFL RELATIONS
NEAL ARDLEY believes that there may be more than this season’s promotion and relegation places on the line if the National League campaign is not completed.
The Notts County boss has made an impassioned plea for the National League to follow in the footsteps of fellow elite sport – or risk its relationship with the EFL.
As National League clubs continue to consider their response to the next stage of the Government’s financial compensation offer – with National League North and South fixtures already suspended for two weeks – Ardley said: “We are an extension of the EFL, so if the EFL finishes, the National League really has to strive to finish too.
“There could be a question mark over that relationship if one league finishes and the other doesn’t.”
It’s the second time inside 10 months that Ardley has seen the Magpies’ attempt to regain their Football League status threatened by the season being cancelled – and he advises the National League not to follow the same path as last March.
Then a temporary suspension was followed by all the league’s remaining games being cancelled before the National League’s status as elite sport allowed it to stage the play-offs in the summer.
“If we suspend the season now, it is going to be very difficult to start again. This pandemic is not going to go away in a few weeks.
“I know every club has its agenda, but we have started a season and we intend to finish it.”
The staging of last season’s National League play-offs maintained the contract between the League and the EFL for promotion places and Ardley is concerned over what might happen if that contract is broken.
“The National League classes itself as an extension of the EFL and we should do everything possible to keep that going.”
Ardley’s fervour comes despite the fact that Notts have been one of the hardest hit clubs by the pandemic now threatening the season.
They closed down for two weeks in the autumn – and withdraw from this season’s FA Cup – after an outbreak at Meadow Lane that eventually affected much of the firstteam squad.
And they went into yesterday’s eagerly awaited promotion clash with Torquay – their first National League game of 2021 – having played only 14 of their scheduled 44 league games. Only Solihull Moors and bottomof-the-table Dover have been worse affected.
With their season being further complicated by progress in the FA Trophy – they are due to travel to Havant and Waterlooville in the last 16 on February 6 – Ardley concedes the scheduling is already very tight to conclude as planned on Saturday May 29.
Notts County’s new owners have continued their investment this month with two new signings being made in a bid to boost their promotion push – and another proposed deal with a Premier League club crashing this week – and Ardley will inevitably face comments that the Magpies have their own vested interest in playing on.
They occupied the last play-off spot prior to yesterday’s kick off after being beaten 3-1 in last season’s play off final by Harrogate Town.