Hastings United getting together with ‘growing number’ of clubs to challenge season cancellation

Hastings United CEO Billy Wood says the club ‘wholeheartedly disagree’ with the decision last week to cancel the current season and its results at Step 3-6, and they are getting together with clubs to urge a recon­si­dera­tion.

The team were three points clear at the top of the Isthmian South East, with two games in hand on Ashford United in 2nd.

A statement from Billy Wood said:

On Thursday 26th March we was shocked by the Football Association’s announcement that the 2019/20 season for clubs in the National League System from Step 3 – 6 would be expunged, a decision we wholeheartedly disagree with.

Since last Friday, we have been in dialogue with a continuously growing number of football clubs from around the nation, who all feel as strongly as we do when it comes to this position.

At this point, we as a football club wanted to make our position on the matter very clear. We strongly believe our season alongside the rest of Step 3 – 6 can be concluded whenever safe to do so in line with Step 1 & 2 of the National League System, The National League, National League North and South.

We understand the uncertainty of when football can resume but for the integrity of the competitions with 70% (in some cases more) already completed the completion of this season should be held in higher regard than the start of the 2020/21 season and we as a footballing pyramid should all be aligned with a recommencement and completion date, from the Premier League down.

The decision to null and void our season without any consultation with the member clubs in such a hasty manner seems unjust, not to only the clubs leading their divisions but by each and every member club who’s management, volunteers, players and supporters have given up their time and money.

We understand at this point that the decision has yet to be ratified. We urge this decision to be reconsidered.

In the meantime we are spearheading the next steps with a host of other clubs to make sure that our voices are heard.

This isn’t about Hastings United. This is about the knock on effect across our non-league game.