Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace says League Two relegation would be unjustified
Saturday 16 May 2020 14:25, UK
Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace says relegating the club from the Football League would be unjustified.
At a meeting on Friday, the 24 League Two clubs took an indicative vote and decided unanimously that three teams should be promoted to League One, the promotion play-offs will still take place, and no teams should be relegated to the National League.
That would mean a reprieve for Stevenage, pending approval from the EFL and FA. They sit bottom of the table, three points behind Macclesfield with a game in hand.
"The meeting was very constructive and very cordial," Wallace told Sky Sports News.
"It was a long meeting on a difficult subject. Every single club has a different slant but as a collective we all wanted to try and make the best we could of a very bad job.
"If you are going to change the rules to allow a member club be relegated with 10 games to go - bearing in mind we are three points behind with a game in hand - and deprive them of the opportunity to save its EFL membership, I can't see how that's justified.
"That's probably the reason why the majority of members at Friday's meeting felt, and felt strongly, that no one should be relegated in such circumstances."
Wallace said the estimated cost of resuming the season was around £500,000.
"We're looking at financial armageddon and that's not just Stevenage - that's every club," said Wallace. "Best case scenario we're looking at 50 per cent of our income."
Harrogate 'qualify for promotion'
Harrogate's managing director Garry Plant believes his side should be promoted from the National League.
The North Yorkshire side were second in the standings, four points adrift of leaders Barrow, when the National League announced the cancellation of all remaining regular league matches on April 22 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Barrow could be the only side promoted, taking Bury's place.
"We are in second place and we qualify for promotion," said Plant.
"We are in second spot as the table stands and we have to wait and see what the EFL's final decision is and we go from there.
"Harrogate Town wants to be promoted. That has always been the aspiration of this football club. It does seem to be entering the end game."
If promotion is refused "the board of directors would have to consider what their position is".
Considerable investment has been made at the club's Wetherby Road ground, and attendances have increased from 200 a few years ago to more than 1,500.
Plant said: "Six years ago it was like Sunday league at Harrogate, now we have a new family stand being built and the capacity is up to 5,000 with 1,000 seated.
"It's fantastic to see for the people of Harrogate. The town is excited about the club."
