On Monday a letter was delivered to the FA signed by a number of Non-League club Chairman (including Herne Bay’s Stuart Fitchie) objecting to the governing bodies decision to effectively expunge this season from the record books.

We’ve been speaking to Bay boss Ben Smith, and he too isn’t happy about the FA’s decision and thinks that the FA could have some very difficult times ahead.

Smith told KSN, “I think that the decision is an absolute disaster from the FA. I know that by them saying its null and void is fair for everyone but I think that the FA have got a position where there are more clubs unhappy with the position than there are in favour. Points per game wouldn’t have won us promotion but it does show that after the games that we played we didn’t have enough points to challenge Hastings United or Cray Valley – our ratio simply wasn’t good enough,  I would have been disappointed that there was no play offs but you have to swallow that.

“What you cant swallow, I don’t think is all the time, effort, money and sacrifices that you make. I just think that the FA couldn’t give a monkey’s about non-league football and then to top it all off they announce that their own competitions will be finished. I think it stinks to be honest”. 

Smith like other managers is now left in limbo as he contemplates season 2020/21 whenever that may begin.

Smith confessed “officially I don’t think we can talk to players about next season as there is still so much unknown. How can I ring a player up today and ask them what they’re thinking about next season. That person could have someone in hospital or have the disease its pretty insensitive.

“Then on the other side of the coin, time will come when you’re going to have to. I’d been lying if I said that I hadn’t already spoken to the Chairman about what’s going to happen next season if I’m at the club what the plans would be for players and such. We’re in strange times after all when will pre-season even start?

“We’d like to get some clubs in for friendlies, but you’re approaching people who probably don’t want to talk about football at the moment and still might be trying to finish this season. Financially for clubs like ours, friendlies against the “higher” side simply wont be there and when they are looking for the games, we could already be into our league campaign and so both sides miss out. Added to all that there is of course the fact that we don’t know just how long this could go on for.

“It really has left a massive sour taste in our mouths to be honest. Look at our season, from near relegation to a side people consider a promotion contender and that hasn’t been easy at all.  I know at first hand how much work a lot of people have put into it. To then be told that the authorities are just going to scrap all your work is hard to take in truth

“We cant go up even if it is points per game and we know that but in our league Hastings United and Cray Valley should both be going up it’s that simple and East Grinstead should be relegated.  That’s the other thing where people are saying no relegation but if teams are down there at this stage of the season they deserve to go down”.