Harrogate Town boss 'positive' about National League decision to wait for EFL's next move

Sixty-five of the 68 member clubs who make up the league's three divisions met on Tuesday to discuss a range of issues, including whether or not play-offs should still take place.

The Harrogate Advertiser understands that although the majority of those in attendance were in favour of scrapping the play-offs, the National League wants to retain both of its promotion spots into the EFL.

It was revealed last week that in order for two sides to go up from the fifth tier, then the EFL would have to finish its season and National League would need to complete its play-offs 'following the existing approved format'.

It remains to be seen whether either of those things will happen, however the National League is at least now giving itself time to see what the levels above them opt to do before the making any decision that could potentially deny one of its own members the opportunity to be promoted.

And this development has been welcomed by Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver, who says he feels "a bit more positive about things."

Weaver conceded last week that the chances of a second team being able to escape the National League depend on the side who finish 24th in League Two actually getting relegated.

He went on to express his concerns that declaring the National League season null and void might become a possibility once more and be presented as an option for member clubs to vote on before it was known if the EFL would complete 2019/20.

It would appear, for now, that this will not happen.

"I feel a bit more positive about things because we're waiting to fall in line with the EFL," Weaver said.

"This gives us the chance to see what might happen above us instead of possibly ending up with the season null and void before the EFL has even come to a decision.

"Without a doubt, this outcome is more encouraging than it could have been, but we're still on edge because of all the hard work we've put in to getting to where we are and the uncertainty that remains.

"But, the intent seems to be clear in terms of falling in line with the EFL and still pushing for two teams to go up."

Town were second in the National League standings when the regular season was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. They sat just four points behind leaders Barrow, who they still had to play on home turf.

A play-off spot would seemingly have been the very least that the Wetherby Road outfit would have ended up with, and unsurprisingly they were among a number of clubs who still want them to take place at some point in the future.

"We were all for the play-offs, but it seems that the majority are in favour of cancelling them," Weaver added.

"I don't think it was just six or seven clubs who wanted to play them, I think there were a few more than that.

"To still have been able to hold the play-offs would have been good, but I imagine that a lot of clubs would have had players out of contract before we might have chance to play them.

"We're okay because we only have a couple of lads whose contracts are up this summer, but not everyone will have been in the same position."

It has been reported that the National League board has not yet ruled out the possibility of expunging all results and following the same pattern as steps three to seven of the non-league system in declaring the season as null and void.

However, a decision on that, or anything else is not expected until next week at the earliest.