The National League's long-awaited promotion party is looking short on numbers and in a danger of falling decidedly flat as The Non-League Paper flys off newsstands this weekend!
Champagne corks could be popping within days for Barrow if they are confirmed as National League champions but promotion via the play-offs from National League North and South is hanging by a thread unless the government u-turns on what it deems as ‘elite sport' in the coronavirus crisis.
The spanner in the works from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was thrown in as National League clubs voted this weekend on how to conclude season 2019/20 and Northern Premier League South Shields saw their legal challenge to the Football Association's decision to suspend promotion and relegation below Step 2 rejected by a independent tribunal.
As Sunday's NLP reports, if nothing changes, Chorley would end up becoming the only Non-League club in the land to suffer relegation after the pandemic-blighted 2019/20 season!
Sunday's NLP:
BUBBLY'S ON ICE!…but Step 2 play-off party may fall flat as clubs fight to keep promotion dream alive
All the views and reaction to the big National League vote
PLUS: @IsthmianLeague chairman Nick Robinson column, Richard Pacquette, South Shields' appeal fails pic.twitter.com/OQ7bN45tXL
— The Non-League Paper (@NonLeaguePaper) June 13, 2020
There's no shortage of reaction from fans, players, managers and clubs to the developing stories, Isthmian League chairman Nick Robinson going into bat for the decision-makers with an exclusive column and a fuming Dorking Wanderers chief Marc Roberts among those blasting the handling of the crisis.
Elsewhere among 32-pages of the latest news, big interviews and exclusive features, Chris Dunlavey has no sympathy for the Silkmen in his latest column while more than 3,000 other clubs are set to bank grants from the £7 million Pitch Preparation Fund.
Another page-busting edition also sees Stourbridge's Gary Hackett recognised as one of Non-League's Greatest gaffers, Neil Grayson named a Non-League Icon and Crawley Town's Project Promotion remembered!
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Images courtesy of The Non-League Paper
