Hastings United's wait for season verdict may be over next week

Hastings United’s agonising wait see if their season can be saved may be over next week.
Hastings boss Chris Agutter is waiting to see what happens to his team's season / Picture: Scott WhiteHastings boss Chris Agutter is waiting to see what happens to his team's season / Picture: Scott White
Hastings boss Chris Agutter is waiting to see what happens to his team's season / Picture: Scott White

Non-league football’s rulers have confirmed they will not make a decision on whether to terminate the 2020-21 season for steps three and below until after prime minister Boris Johnson has outlined plans to start exiting lockdown next week.

He is due to address the nation on Monday, and there are hopes he may give a date for non-league football – along with other local sport – to restart.

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With that announcement due, the FA and officials who run the Isthmian League and other leagues at the same level want to wait before deciding their next move.

But it is expected the FA will want to decide the way forward as soon as there is news of whether and when football can be played again.

Hastings’ Isthmian south-east division season has been on hold since the end of October and hopes of getting enough games played to constitute a season have faded fast in recent weeks.

United are among clubs across the country backing Project Non League, which is asking the powers-that-be to use results from two unfinished seasons – 19-20 and 20-21 – to work out points-per-game tables and promote teams who have shown they deserve it over enough games for a full campaign.

If football’s restart is delayed much longer it would seem the only decision to be made by the FA would be to null and void a second successive season or approve Project Non League.