By Neil Harvey

THE EFL say the circumstances around Gateshead’s failure to meet the criteria for entry into the Football League were “avoidable”. The Heed don’t have the required ten-year security of tenure on their International Stadium home and despite launching a challenge on the basis of “irrationality and/or Wednesbury Unreasonableness”, an Independent Arbitrator upheld the decision. Existing clubs in the EFL are not currently required to have security of tenure for ten years but it is for teams promoted from the National League. An ...