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Ilkeston Town : Remaining Fixtures
 
      Tue  08 Dec 20    Stocksbridge PS     (A)
      Sat  12 Dec 20    Worksop                  (A)
      Sat  19 Dec 20    Kidsgrove              (H)
      Sat 26  Dec 20    Carlton                     (A)
      Fri   01 Jan  21    Belper                    (H)
      Sat  09 Jan  21    Glossop NE           (H)
      Sat  16 Jan  21    Sutton Coldfield      (A)
      Sat  23 Jan  21    Market Drayton     (H)
      Sat  30 Jan  21    Leek Town               (A)
      Sat  06 Feb 21    Newcastle Town     (H)
      Sat  13 Feb 21    Glossop NE              (A)
      Sat  20 Feb 21    Sheffield                   (A)
      Sat  27 Feb 21    Wisbech                  (H)
      Sat  06 Mar 21    Loughborough D    (H)
      Sat  13 Mar 21    Frickley                     (A)
      Sat  20 Mar 21    Stocksbridge PS    (H)
      Sat  27 Mar 21     Lincoln Utd              (A)
      Sat  03 Apr 21     Chasetown               (A)
      Mon 05 Apr 21   Carlton                     (H)
      Sat  10 Apr 21     Stamford                   (A)
      Sat  17 Apr 21    Cleethorpes            (H)
      Sat  24 Apr 21     Kidsgrove                 (A)
      Sat  01 May 21    Worksop                 (H)
      Mon 03 May 21    Belper                      (A)
      Sat  08 May 21    Sheffield                 (H)  to be confirmed
      Tue  11 May 21    Frickley                  (H)   to be confirmed
      Sat  15 May 21     Loughborough D     (A)   to be confirmed
      Tue  18 May 21    Lincoln Utd            (H)   to be confirmed
      Sat  22 May 21    Spalding                 (H)     

 To be arranged :  Wisbech (away) and Sutton Coldfield (home) 

 

Last edited by Matchman (25/11/2020 11:37 AM)

Now that nearly every club in our league is in tier 3:  Are matches going ahead and if so, with or without fans ?


Club Official said earlier  "Still awaiting confirmation, hence no statement from the club".

At 4pm he said that there is a meeting of the alliance leagues happening now.   



 

Last edited by Matchman (26/11/2020 4:16 PM)

Doesn't look good does it . Can't see us getting to a match before Christmas I am afraid . Then Christmas being relaxed in a way we might get a few games in ?
I can really see this season being cut drastically , to what though god knows .
I feel gutted for the clubs, their owners , the players , the staff ( paid and unpaid. And ( not going to say "more importantly" ) the fans !
I do feel really gutted for our owners as they done a fantastic job . They have done wonders at the ground with the up grades. Done wonders in getting the club running better . Done wonders in getting the everyone together . It's fantastic feeling of a community club.
Love it .
Gutted I can't get the new flag up and showing as well.

If most cannot afford to play without fans I cannot see any games happening till well after the New Year. Even if some clubs come out of tier three you will have many who won't.
One solution which may not go down well with everyone is for clubs to not be allowed to play their players full wages if any at all. If there was a wage cap of a very small sum every club would be in the same boat and there would be no poaching by the top clubs. This way any grants that might be available can pay for other running costs.You could even think of deferring a percentage of the players wages till crowds are allowed back in. Also I think if crowds were lowered from the 400 they had before you could socially distance more effectively.
The powers that be are going to have be creative to enable non league football to continue as a spectator sport in some form! I am sure it can be done!

I was thinking of putting it up just to take some pics . ....

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    Ollie Bayliss[/url] [url=https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss]@Ollie_Bayliss·2h
 Midland Football League: "The decision has reluctantly been made to suspend the restart of all League fixtures until 19th December. We will then review the decision again on 16th December once the government has reviewed their tier levels."  


I think this will be the action taken by most leagues

 

Last edited by Matchman (02/12/2020 12:21 PM)

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Regarding Step 3 an 4 clubs Including Ilkeston, we won't know what's happening until after the meeting on Tuesday evening.


    Ollie Bayliss[/url] [url=https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss]@Ollie_Bayliss·
 Step 3 & 4 clubs will meet on Tuesday evening at 7pm via zoom. The leagues will discuss the implications of the Government’s new tier system. Following the meeting, a vote will be taken on restarting the league.  


 

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 Ollie Bayliss[/url] [url=https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss]@Ollie_Bayliss·1h
The Northern Counties East League has suspended all league fixtures until January 2021 at the earliest.
The decision was made following an emergency management board meeting tonight.
80% of the League’s clubs said that they didn’t want to play behind closed doors.

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Ollie Bayliss[/url] [url=https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss]@Ollie_Bayliss·42m 
The United Counties League will ‘allow clubs who wish to play, to do so’.
Some fixtures will therefore resume from Sat 5th December.
Clubs are split 50/50 over wanting to restart.
The board will review the situation after 16th December.  

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Ollie Bayliss[/url] [url=https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss]@Ollie_Bayliss
 People are interpreting the Step 3 & 4 leagues' statements in a variety of ways. In my opinion, they're 'holding statements'. No firm decision to postpone the restart has been communicated yet. The leagues appear to still be waiting for the FA to review/approve their decision.  

Ollie Bayliss[/url] [url=https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss]@Ollie_Bayliss·1m
The Northern Premier League has sent the following email to clubs: “We will update clubs as and when we can, please be patient.
There is nothing further we can share at this time.”  



 

Last edited by Matchman (04/12/2020 7:00 AM)

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This was the earlier response by the Northern Premier, Southern and Isthmian Leagues

The Trident Leagues have issued this joint statement.The Clubs in membership of the Northern Premier, Southern and Isthmian Leagues (the Trident Leagues) met earlier this week to consider the challenges and issues brought about by the reintroduction of Tiers after the raising of the nationwide lockdown with effect from yesterday.The clubs were asked to vote on a proposition that the pause in fixtures be continued with a regular review in light of changes to the Tiers and/or grants becoming available. The total votes cast by the 224 Clubs show a substantial number of Clubs in agreement with the proposition (to suspend fixtures). The matter has been considered today and is subject to comment by The FA. A further statement will be issued in due course. 


From the above wording I would suggest that the majority vote was to play on but there was a significant  number of clubs who didn't want to.  

As the voting was close, the three Leagues reacted by offering a compromise of delaying the restart for one week rather than two weeks.
   
 

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I was wrong about the vote result and the wait to restart goes on


The Trident Leagues have issued the following statement.

Following the statement issued by the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Football Leagues yesterday, further clarification can now be given in relation to the voting following the Zoom meetings held by all 3 Trident Leagues with their Member Clubs to discuss the impact of the raising of the lockdown on 2nd December.
There were 224 Clubs voting across the 3 Leagues and of these 172 agreed with the proposition to continue the pause in fixtures, 51 disagreed and there was 1 abstention. Broken down by League, 57 Clubs in the Northern Premier League voted to agree with 4 disagreeing, 68 Clubs in the Southern League agreed with 14 disagreeing and in the Isthmian League it was much closer with 47 Clubs agreeing, 33 disagreeing and 1 abstention.

The “Agree” vote was therefore 76% and it has been agreed that the three Leagues will not sanction fixtures at this time.
It is intended that the situation is kept under review in line with Government review on the Tier allocations and restrictions. Accordingly, the next review is set for 16 December and then 30 December. It is the hope of all the Leagues that a date in January can be set for a return to fixtures with Clubs who wish being allowed to play before that date but this will not be until there is a change in the Tiers and/or some progress in the funding of the Clubs at this level.

The Government has allocated £25m to Sport England to fund Steps 1 to 6 of the National Leagues System, of which £14m is set for Steps 3-6 but is heavily weighted in favour of loans, not grants. The FA is working tirelessly with DCMS and Sport England to have the funding presented as Grants. However, these negotiations take time, and it is not expected to have an answer or clarification of details of even the loans until mid-January.

The deep concern of all involved in the NLS is that circumstances may mean that it is not possible to conclude the current format of competition in a manner in which promotion and relegation can be achieved throughout the whole pyramid with Step 2 being brought up to 48 Clubs and Step 4 brought up to 240 Clubs.

If, therefore, no progress is made by the Government on the Tiers in either of the two December reviews, it is the intention of the Alliance Committee to circulate those concerned with a survey to gather the views of the Clubs as how best to finish the season. Options will include an alternative format competition and extending the season possibly into June 2021. However the implications of all such proposals will involve the cost of players contracts and the ability of some clubs to continue playing because of other issues of grounds and the need to prepare grass pitches for the following season.

The Leagues are mindful of the needs of all Clubs and are striving to find a solution which is fair to all.



So for the time being we left without a restart date. 
   


 

Last edited by Matchman (06/12/2020 11:10 AM)

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 Ollie Bayliss[/url] [url=https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss]@Ollie_Bayliss
The FA’s Alliance & Leagues Commitees have put forward a request for a change in regulations to allow the season to finish in June. The aim is to give Step 3-6 leagues the option to play in June, should the need arise. The FA Board & FA Council will now consider the request.
 

After last season's abandonment, it  seems that there is a determination to play out this season in whatever way in order to achieve promotion and relegation so that the delayed non-league re-organisation can go ahead as planned.

 

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Northern Premier League Latest


All league matches up to and including Saturday December 19 have now been postponed.


Following on from the announcement last week, about the Trident Leagues and its clubs voting to continue the season pause, the NPL confirmed that all league games on December 5 and 12 had been postponed, and this has now been extended until at least December 19.However, please note that if in the interim, the Government make any changes to the current Tier restrictions that allows the return of fans to all NPL fixtures, the league will approve the reinstatement of any scheduled matches where both clubs are in agreement.


Yet another setback to restarting. The above statement means that the earliest date for a possible restart now looks like being Boxing Day when we're scheduled to play Carlton away.



 

Last edited by Matchman (07/12/2020 7:16 PM)

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FA Statement On Fans Return

By James Gordon

Approval to admit limited spectators to fixtures.

The FA has today received approval from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) for a limited return of home spectators to be permitted at clubs competing in the National League System (NLS), Women’s Football Pyramid (WFP)and Buildbase FA Vase if they are situated in Tier 3 areas.

The FA has worked continuously alongside the DCMS, Sports Grounds Safety Authority and leagues to gain approval and clubs competing in Steps 3-6 of the NLS, Tiers 3-6 of the WFP and Buildbase FA Vase that are situated in Tier 3 areas are now permitted to accommodate home spectators up to 15% of their capacity in line with Stage 1 of The FA’s respective guidelines for the NLS or WFP.

A limited return of home spectators up to 15% of capacity will also be permitted in the Buildbase FA Trophy if the fixture is between two ‘non-elite’ clubs (clubs at Steps 3-4 of the NLS) in a Tier 3 area. All fixtures in the Buildbase FA Trophy that involve an ‘elite club’ (clubs at Steps 1-2 of the NLS) in a Tier 3 area must remain behind closed doors in line with the UK Government’s return to ‘elite’ sport guidance.

Prior to admitting spectators, clubs competing in Steps 3-6 of the NLS, Tiers 3-6 of the WFP, the Buildbase FA Trophy and Buildbase FA Vase which are situated in Tier 3 areas are strongly advised to liase with their respective Local Authority for agreement on capacity limits.

It is extremely important that spectators remain in their household or social bubble in groups of six, do not mix with any other spectator groups, or travel between Tiers to attend fixtures, as enforceable by law. If breaches of spectator limits or social distancing are reported, clubs and leagues may face returning to fixtures being held behind closed doors.

Under UK Government guidelines, bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants in Tier 3 areas must be closed, except to sell by takeaway or click-and-collect, and this remains the case for clubs competing in Steps 3-6 of the NLS, Tiers 3-6 of the WFP, the Buildbase FA Vase and Buildbase FA Trophy with clubhouses in Tier 3 areas.

Clubs competing in Steps 3-6 of the NLS, Tiers 3-6 of the WFP, the Buildbase FA Vase and Buildbase FA Trophy that are situated in Tier 1 or 2 areas remain permitted to accommodate a phased and limited return of spectators if they continue to follow the UK Governments’ latest guidance on COVID-19 and The FA’s respective guidelines for the NLS or WFP.

Regional NLS Feeder Leagues, Tier 7 of the WFP and outdoor grassroots football also remain permitted to accommodate socially-distanced spectators but must follow the UK Government’s ‘rule of six’ and guidance on restrictions in certain tiers.  

                                              **************************************************************************


Ollie Bayliss @Ollie_Bayliss
The change in rules comes into effect immediately. Fans are still advised not to travel in/out of tier 3 areas to watch sport. There are still significant financial challenges for non-league but I'd expect suspended leagues to now reconsider whether they can restart. 


 

Last edited by Matchman (11/12/2020 10:14 AM)