Column: The FA have united football - for it's united in condemnation of a crass decision

The people who manage and play for Crawley Town and their supporters probably didn’t think they had got the best deal when all football was suspended due to the coronavirus.
Three Bridges take on East Grinstead in the Isthmian south east division - and EG are one of the sides who will benefit from the move to write off the season, as they are marooned at the bottom / Picture: Dave BurtThree Bridges take on East Grinstead in the Isthmian south east division - and EG are one of the sides who will benefit from the move to write off the season, as they are marooned at the bottom / Picture: Dave Burt
Three Bridges take on East Grinstead in the Isthmian south east division - and EG are one of the sides who will benefit from the move to write off the season, as they are marooned at the bottom / Picture: Dave Burt

They may feel differently now. By playing at an elite level the Reds were in a league whose avowed intention was to complete the season if at all possible.

As previously mentioned alternative suggestions each showed the difficulty of pleasing all of the people all of the time and very real problems that existed in making such a difficult decision. Now the oft-derided “blazers” at the Football Association have settled on an alternative that unites football in recognition of its crassness.

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Simply put they have decided that season 2019/2020 will be declared null and void, at least for non-league steps three and below. All match results and any individual achievements will simply be treated as if they had never happened.

Crawley Town columnist Geoff Thornton says the Reds will be glad to be higher up the leagues than teams who have had 2019-20 summarily written off / Picture: Steve RobardsCrawley Town columnist Geoff Thornton says the Reds will be glad to be higher up the leagues than teams who have had 2019-20 summarily written off / Picture: Steve Robards
Crawley Town columnist Geoff Thornton says the Reds will be glad to be higher up the leagues than teams who have had 2019-20 summarily written off / Picture: Steve Robards

If ever there was an own goal then surely this is it.

You have to question the reasoning (if not the sanity) of the committee members who thought this course provided the best outcome. If their choice comes to fruition they will lose the support of practically every member club in the country. Virtually a whole season of effort, expense and for some clubs apparent success will simply be consigned to the dustbin – not even to history.

There are no circumstances that make this a wise move although some clubs will be relieved. Ironically no relegation brings some reward to the poorest performers in the disrupted campaign. It applies locally as East Grinstead Town will not have to worry about overtaking Three Bridges to avoid returning to the Southern Combination League.

At the other end of the table the incredible debut season by Jersey Bulls in the Combined Counties League (27 wins in 27 starts) will count for absolutely nothing. Criminal is hardly strong enough a word to describe this course of action. There will be clubs all over the country who will understandably feel they have been robbed.

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I was fortunate to know the late Peter Bentley, the candid, if occasionally irascible, one time chairman of the Sussex County League. Despite being an FA councillor Peter was always prepared to take his fellows to task with regard to some of their more errant decisions. He must be spinning in his grave now.

He had an ally in Mike Amos, the former chairman of the Northern Leagu,e who remains equally forthright about the injustices that exist within football. The distress and infuriation in the north east is palpable as that part of the country has always been viewed disdainfully by the FA.

We haven’t heard the last of this travesty.

- Geoff Thornton, Crawley Town columnist for the Crawley Observer

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