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BuzzJack Music Forum _ Sports and Fitness _ 2020/21 National League & Non-League Thread
Posted by: Mack. 21st August 2020, 04:18 PM
Replacing the two promoted teams and three relegated teams are Macclesfield Town, King's Lynn Town, Altrincham, Wealdstone and Weymouth.
The teams in the National League this season are:
Aldershot Town
Altrincham
Barnet
Boreham Wood
Bromley
Chesterfield
Dagenham and Redbridge
Dover Athletic
Eastleigh
Halifax Town
Hartlepool United
King's Lynn Town
Macclesfield Town
Maidenhead United
Notts County
Solihull Moors
Stockport County
Sutton United
Torquay United
Wealdstone
Weymouth
Woking
Wrexham
Yeovil Town
Any early predictions?
A thread to discuss about your local teams as well.
Posted by: Mack. 28th August 2020, 10:16 PM
Macclesfield Town have appointed former England and Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Tim Flowers as their new manager.
The 53-year-old, capped 11 times by his country and a Premier League winner with Rovers, has been out of work since leaving Solihull Moors in January.
He replaces head coach Mark Kennedy, who left following the Silkmen's relegation to the National League.
Posted by: Suedehead2 16th September 2020, 02:48 PM
Macclesfield Town have been wound up in the High Court. After 12 previous court appearances over outstanding debts, they asked for yet another eight-week extension but didn't get it.
Posted by: Mack. 30th September 2020, 10:44 AM
Officials have been in talks with the government over funding to help cover the losses incurred by a ban on fans.
Last week the government scrapped plans for a partial return of spectators from 1 October.
The National League said it was hopeful a "critical financial support package" could be agreed.
National League North clubs said they did not want to begin playing without crowds, and there had been fears some would withdraw from the FA Cup to avoid triggering player contracts they could not afford to continue.
But on Tuesday clubs received an email from the league's chief executive Michael Tattersall telling them that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was "working at pace… to design a package of support that will give the National League the reassurance it needs".
"This will include grants to cover essential revenue lost from fans not returning on 1 October as planned."
Clubs were told "the government recognises the immediate pressure National League clubs are under in respect of starting their season and are committed to play resuming in a viable way".
The size of any grant is yet to be confirmed, but BBC Sport understands the league is hoping for around £2-3m per month.
Posted by: HeadlessJockey 21st October 2020, 05:45 PM
The National League is to distribute the government's £10m support package on an average attendance basis, meaning seven former Football League clubs will receive a larger sum.
Chesterfield, Hartlepool, Notts County, Stockport, Torquay, Wrexham and Yeovil will receive £95,000 a month, with the 16 other clubs receiving £84,000.
National League games are currently being played behind closed doors.
The first payments of National Lottery funds is scheduled for next week.
In National League North and South, the majority of clubs will get £30,000 a month, although Chester, Dulwich Hamlet, Hereford, Maidstone and York will receive £36,000 a month on the same distribution model basis.
Posted by: Suedehead2 3rd November 2020, 06:49 PM
As expected, all leagues below National League North and South have been suspended until December.
Posted by: Mack. 16th November 2020, 05:33 PM
Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are to be the new owners of National League club Wrexham.
Posted by: Suedehead2 17th November 2020, 09:30 AM
This will be an interesting one to watch!
Posted by: Flatcap 18th November 2020, 09:30 PM
John Pemberton has left Chesterfield by mutual consent.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54988649
Posted by: Flatcap 2nd December 2020, 11:00 AM
Chesterfield have appointed ex Gloucester City boss James Rowe as manager.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55094697
Gloucester have made a good start to their National League North campaign, hopefully it doesn't derail them.
Posted by: Flatcap 14th December 2020, 05:05 AM
Barnet sack manager Peter Beadle.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55295530
Posted by: Flatcap 15th December 2020, 09:17 AM
Barnet have appointed Tim Flowers to replace Peter Beadle.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55302193
Posted by: Christmasteve201 15th December 2020, 11:57 PM
Wow Tim Flowers!!
Posted by: Suedehead2 4th January 2021, 11:44 PM
Today's new lockdown announcement makes it almost impossible for tiers three and below of non-league football to finish the season. It looks like they will have to consider splitting the leagues geographically and having a mini-season from March onwards 
Posted by: Suedehead2 9th January 2021, 02:05 PM
The three leagues at steps 3 and 4 of non-league (Northern premier, Southern and Isthmian) are asking member clubs to give their opinions on what to do. All three leagues are recommending that the season is abandoned
Posted by: Flatcap 23rd January 2021, 05:00 PM
National Leagues North and South have suspended their campaigns over discontent on funding issues.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55767999
Posted by: Flatcap 11th February 2021, 09:23 PM
The financial issues continue to be of concern to the National League, North & South.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56013670
Posted by: Suedehead2 11th February 2021, 09:49 PM
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56013670
It's even more of an issue lower down as the clubs have no income at all (apart from very limited merchandise sales) without matches. With many teams having 25+ games left to play in steps 3 downwards, there is no chance of completing a full season. There may still be a chance of splitting each division in two and playing from there, but it looks very likely that the season will be abandoned. It then becomes a question of what to do about next season. I wonder whether it might be worth splitting the divisions in two and scheduling fixtures so that each teams play each other four times. If the season is curtailed again, reduce that to three or two times each.
Posted by: Rooney 12th February 2021, 12:11 PM
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56013670
The whole thing is an absolute joke, made up of a tinpot leadership. It's meant to be a collective decision and yet some teams have already decided they just don't want to play anymore. It's a complete joke. I understand some clubs are in a mess financially, but some clubs are also doing it for their own personal gain e.g. no chance or promotion or relegation, going to get relegated. What's to say the same doesn't happen again next season? The whole thing is a joke.
Posted by: Suedehead2 12th February 2021, 02:03 PM
As I said above, steps 3 downwards look likely to abandon the season which would mean no relegation from step 2. The only relegation would be from NL Premier (as I think it's called this week). That said, some clubs certainly seem to be acting for themselves rather than for the collective good.
Posted by: Rooney 12th February 2021, 03:17 PM
The whole thing is a joke, teams have banded together to force the issue and thrown their toys out of the pram. If clubs vote to carry on with the season then if the club can't fulfill the fixture they should take a loss. I'm all for democracy and a collective in these situations but some teams have forced the hand to try and get the season abandoned.
Posted by: Flatcap 14th February 2021, 09:32 PM
Dover has furloughed staff and halts fixtures until appropriate funding is in place.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56061802
Posted by: Flatcap 17th February 2021, 03:35 PM
Southport are refusing to play citing concerns about financial support and testing..
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56077914
Posted by: Flatcap 19th February 2021, 09:11 AM
North and South declare season null and void, National League continues.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56119952
Posted by: Suedehead2 19th February 2021, 09:47 AM
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56119952
With little prospect of crowds being allowed back any time soon, I think it's safe to assume the steps below will do the same next week. As far as I'm aware, they are waiting for Johnson's announcement on Monday but I doubt there will be anything that makes continuing the season viable.
Posted by: Mack. 23rd February 2021, 12:47 AM
FA have announced steps 3-6 season has been extended to June 30th in an effort to fulfill all fixtures.
Posted by: Suedehead2 24th February 2021, 08:43 AM
If spectators are not allowed until mid-May then this extension is of limited use. In some leagues, most teams have 25-30 matches left to play. The only vague possibility in those leagues would be to split them in two but even that is probably not enough unless the clubs get a grant to cover the lack of crowds between the end of March and mid-May.
Of course, it may be that this is now being organised by the vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi who cheerfully announced in two separate interviews at the weekend that 8 March was three weeks after mid-April.
Posted by: Flatcap 25th March 2021, 06:26 PM
Notts County have parted company with Neal Ardley and Greg Abbott.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56510771
Notts County have appointed Ian Burchnall and Maurice Ross to replace Ardley and Abbott.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56523097
And finally Bromley have sacked Neil Smith after 5 years in charge.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56525422
Posted by: Flatcap 29th March 2021, 08:58 AM
Quite a bit of news relating to the governance of the National League has come in since.
First of all, Dover has been fined £40,000 and has a 12 point deduction from next season. Their results have been expunged from this season. Other fines have been imposed as you will see.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56544033
Following on from this, the National League board face a vote of no confidence.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56549165
The chairman at Dover refuses to pay the fine.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56550910
Posted by: Mack. 2nd April 2021, 03:12 PM
GOAL - Weymouth 0 Maidenhead United 1 (Sam Barratt 50')
Posted by: Flatcap 7th April 2021, 01:30 PM
Simon Bassey has appointed as first team coach at Barnet.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56660191
Posted by: Mack. 4th May 2021, 02:48 PM
Hebburn beat Consett 3-2 in the FA Vase final and then afterwards Harrogate beat Concord 1-0 in the FA Trophy final.
Posted by: Mack. 23rd May 2021, 04:31 PM
Well done Sutton United
Nice to see another new team in the league.
Posted by: steve201 23rd May 2021, 07:06 PM
When’s the last time they were in the league?
Posted by: Suedehead2 23rd May 2021, 07:25 PM
Sutton have never been in the league.
Posted by: steve201 23rd May 2021, 08:17 PM
Oh I see thought they were there in the 1940s, always good to have another new name - look at Forest Green like!
Posted by: LewisGT 29th May 2021, 01:49 PM
Wrexham bottling it again 
The documentary is going to be lit.
Posted by: Suedehead2 20th June 2021, 03:08 PM
After 90 minutes of the National League play-off final, Torquay and Hartlepool are level at 1-1. Torquay equalised deep into stoppage time with a goal from their goalkeeper who had come up for a last gasp corner.
Posted by: Mack. 20th June 2021, 03:52 PM
Gone to a penalty shootout.
Posted by: Mack. 20th June 2021, 04:00 PM