(Reuters) – England’s National League clubs, which represent the fifth and sixth tiers of the country’s football pyramid, have voted to immediately end the 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, league organisers said yesterday.
The clubs were asked to support a resolution to end the season early because of the coronavirus and a clear majority voted in favour of the proposal.
Ninety percent of responses had been received and the resolution had passed because the outstanding votes would not change the outcome, the league said.
“The League’s Board has chosen to communicate the decision now… to enable clubs to make business decisions with greater clarity as soon as possible,” it added in a statement https://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/national-league-statement-remaining-league-matches-61884. “The options concerning the sporting outcomes of the 2019-20 season remain under careful and timely consideration, and further updates will be given in due course.”
Barrow were four points clear at the top of the fifth-tier National League, with Harrogate Town in second when the season was halted on March 16.
Two clubs are promoted from the National League to League Two and four relegated to the sixth-tier National League North and South divisions.
The clubs relegated from the National League are replaced by the champions and play-off winners from the two sixth-tier divisions.