Mark HARRIS
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE CHAIRMAN
Finally. After six months without competitive football, we’re back and the whole world seems a better place.
As usual, club volunteers have done a brilliant job seeping terraces, re-painting dressing rooms and the 101 other things essential to prepare for a new season.
Of course, we aren’t quite back to normal yet. Even though social distancing has been abandoned, Covid protocols must still be observed.Close contacts between players must be minimised, so Clubs will need to ensure players don’t travel to games four in one car, but in ones and twos, and think twice before allowing paying fans onto the team coach.
As Leagues, we may not be able to prevent outbreaks at clubs, but we can help clubs reduce the risks – up to a point.
COVID RULES 2021-22
This season, a single positive test does not automatically mean that the club needs to quarantine or postpone fixtures. That’s because, from 16th August, fully vaccinated people and under 18’s are exempt from the self-isolation rules.
A player need not self-isolate if “pinged” by the NHS App but must take a PCR test if called by NHS Test and Trace. If that test is positive, the player must self-isolate for ten days.
Some clubs have considered checking the temperatures of every player entering their stadia. We discourage this because temperature checks are unreliable for detecting Covid-19, although we do expect opposing teams to ensure their players and staff have no symptoms before travelling.
We also recommend clubs insist every player is double jabbed as soon as possible, and that every player carries out a lateral flow test before arriving at the ground. If that test is positive, a PCR test should be taken to confirm.
Ultimately, we want to complete a full season whilst keeping everyone safe, so everyone needs to recognise that Covid-19 has not gone away.Some games will be postponed due to players testing positive, so a series of protocols are now in place across the Trident Leagues.
This season, for a league match to be postponed due to Covid-19, first clubs must have fewer than 13 players (including goalkeepers) eligible to play. If an outbreak occurs, clubs must provide evidence of players testing positive to the League no later than six hours before kick-off. Any clubs with 13 or more players registered, regardless of age/ability, will be required to fulfil a fixture.
CONTINGENCY PLAN FEEDBACK
The contingency plans drawn up to help steer a course through Covid-related disruption seem to have landed well. I understand that only two clubs at Steps 3 – 6 raised any objections, so it’s unlikely these plans will change.
Naturally, the plans will only be needed if we cannot achieve 100 per cent of fixtures. In drawing them up, our objectives were to prevent a third consecutive curtailed season; to achieve promotion and relegation and to protect the stability of the National League System.
There are potential obstacles to overcome. Trying to predict the timing and scale of any future restrictions imposed by government is almost impossible, whilst there’s no sign of the furlough scheme, which enables clubs to cover wages, being available this winter.
Thankfully, the contingency plans are flexible enough to deal with most scenarios except a major, long-term shutdown as we experienced last winter.
PROMOTION, RELEGATION AND REPRIEVES
How many clubs are being promoted and relegated at the end of this season? The answer is complicated by the fact there are vacancies at Steps 1 – 4 to be filled ahead of 2022-23 which, as laid down in FA rules, will be filled via reprieves. Providing no club goes under or fails its ground grading during the coming season, this is what should happen.
AT STEP 3
● Each champion and play-off winner is promoted.
● Of sixteen clubs finishing in relegation positions, seven will be reprieved, comprising the clubs finishing 4th bottom in each Step 3 division plus three of the four clubs that finish 3rd bottom with the best unweighted Points Per Game (PPG) record.
● The 3rd bottom club with the worst PPG record across the Step, plus all 2nd bottom and bottom placed clubs will be relegated.
AT STEP 4
● Each champion and play-off winner is promoted.
● Sixteen Step 5 champion clubs are automatically promoted and replace the bottom and 2nd bottom clubs at Step 4.
● Nine clubs with best PPG are reprieved due to vacancies at Steps 1 – 4 and the number of clubs at Step 2 increasing.
● This will leave seven Step 4 clubs playing off against seven Step 5 Play-Off winners or runners-up with the remaining eligible Step 5 clubs promoted.
One note of caution. Although reprieves usually awarded to clubs with the best PPG records, the FA Alliance Committee has the power to vary that model.
TAKING THE KNEE
Taking the Knee is an emotive subject. The National League and Trident Leagues fully support the decision taken by the Premier League and EFL to collectively support all players, managers and individuals who wish to take the knee ahead of matches this season.
This is an individual choice many players wish to make as a way of peacefully demonstrating against racism, discrimination and injustice. Consequently, the Step 1 – 4 Leagues will allow players of either team, match officials or management teams to take the knee at their discretion.
SEASON PREVIEW
Yesterday, the Northern Premier League season got underway. Ahead of us lies (hopefully) 38 weeks of action, incident and goals. I’ll leave the predictions to others, but I will offer some hopes and fears for the season ahead.
Other than hoping we complete a full season of fixtures, my biggest hope is that clubs remember last winter and don’t splash the cash collected from the Premier League, Winter and Summer Survival Funds and various local authority grants on players.
Investment in facilities and fan engagement makes sound business sense. My biggest fear is that chairmen and owners will be tempted to spend big. It’s already happening, and rarely ends well for those who miss out on promotion.
