'Relief' for Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver as National League play-offs get green light

Wednesday saw fifth and sixth tier member clubs vote in favour of the National League board's proposed format for concluding 2019/20 using points-per-game-ratio, meaning that promotion and relegation will be retained.

Town were second in the table, just four points behind leaders Barrow, when the season was suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Barrow have been promoted as 'champions', while Town - who fancied their chances of overhauling the Cumbrians - still have a chance of earning their own place in League Two for 2020/21 via the play-offs.

"It's a big relief," said Weaver on learning the result of the ballot.

"As a club, we've worked so hard to get into the position that we were in when the season ended and now we have a fighting chance of achieving our goal of promotion.

"We had the players in for training on Tuesday and we just wanted to be able to confirm to them that this is on. We were confident that the play-offs would go ahead, but there was no certainty. Now we have clarity.

"There has been a lot of frustration and some really bleak moments with the ups and downs of the last few months, so I'm happy that we're now going back to some kind of normality.

"From a selfish point of view, this is definitely a weight off my shoulders."

Plenty of details are still to be confirmed, but Town will play the winner of Boreham Wood (5th) versus FC Halifax Town (6th), at home, in their play-off semi-final.

Notts County await whoever triumphs in the second eliminator tie between Yeovil Town (4th) and Barnet (7th on PPG).

Fixtures will take place behind closed doors and are scheduled to commence on July 18. They must be completed no later than July 31.

"There are no guarantees for any club when you enter into the play-offs, but this is the fairest way of deciding who takes the second promotion spot," Weaver added.

"It's certainly fairer than just saying that we go up on points-per-game because we finished in second place.

"Barrow deserve to go up because they finished in first place. Credit to them. Now we have to go and grab our chance.

"It's a blow for the fans that they won't be allowed in the ground to watch us and it's a blow for us too, not having that support, but we just have to win two games of football."

A statement released by the National League on Wednesday evening said: 'Following a vote by all member clubs, and subject to FA Council approval, the Vanarama National League, Vanarama National League North and Vanarama National League South seasons 2019/20 will be concluded with final league tables compiled on an unweighted points per game basis.

The outcome is Barrow AFC are champions of the Vanarama National League, King’s Lynn Town are champions of Vanarama National League North and Wealdstone are champions of Vanarama National League South.

The end of season play-offs will now proceed with the vlubs that qualify, subject to the competition rules and the applicable government guidance on the phased return of elite sport.

The number of clubs to be relegated from the Vanarama National League will be determined so as to maintain a national division of 24 clubs after any relegation from EFL League Two, promotion to EFL League Two and promotion from the National League North and National League South divisions.

There shall be no relegation from Vanarama National League North and Vanarama National League South.'