Clubs react to news National League North and South merger league plans rejected

Step two clubs have responded to news that clubs in the National League North and South divisions will not be able to play in a proposed merger league.

Yesterday the FA Alliance Committee rejected the plans put forward by clubs backing the Let Us Play campaign.

They had hoped the supplementary competition would allow clubs to continue after the regular season was made null and void, with proposals including an option for promotion.

"Given the great deal of effort by the National League to achieve elite status for its divisions, and (in addition) given the willing acceptance of National Lottery funding in order to secure the commencement of the playing season, it is astonishing that any type of governance process can lead to this outcome being attained," a statement by Dorking Wanderers, who were topping the National League South read.

"The National League board and executive management are fully responsible for the entire mess that has engulfed all their members clubs."

While 31 clubs voted to axe the season and 32 were in favour of continuing, the voting system included a number of resolutions, the first of which asked clubs whether they wished to vote as one or as separate levels (the National League clubs voting as step one and North and South teams as step two).

This first resolution was heavily weighted in favour of the top flight, with each club getting a vote each while the North and South would both be represented by four votes apiece.

"The resolutions put to clubs included a vote on changing constitutional voting structure. By doing so the league sought to claim that a vote could be democratic across clubs, yet strangely created a vote whereby the voting of one division could effectively close down the other," the Wanderers statement continued.

"It is important to remember that the National League South had a strong majority of clubs that wished to complete the season (12-9). The restructuring of the vote also enabled step one clubs to essentially vote for no relegation, yet the National League will use words such as 'integrity' in their press releases.

"The resolutions were signed off by a National League Board, of which the majority are owners and/or chairman of National League step one clubs."

Boston United backed the Let Us Play campaign but are yet to discuss yesterday's meeting.

Manager Craig Elliott, however, told The Standard he was ready to move on and begin working on next season.

Dartford, who were second in the National League South, issued a statement, which said: "The proposal was rejected out of hand and the results of the earlier votes on resolutions which resulted in the season being declared null and void, have been ratified.

"We are extremely disappointed that the season is now officially over and equally disappointed that the result was not relayed direct to the clubs by the National League, after so much time and effort had been invested in the alternative proposal."

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