It would have been a Death Wish to carry on…

Sutton United chairman Bruce Elliott has declared that only clubs with a “death wish” wanted to carry on playing the National League’s abandoned campaign.

Elliott, pictured in happier times with the FA Cup, spoke out in favour of the decision by a “clear majority” of fellow clubs to back a recommendation from the National League’s board to finally write off the indefinitely suspended season in Thursday night’s London Evening Standard.

The National League’s clubs must next decide on promotion and relegation, a decision that could see leaders Barrow AFC handed an historic return to the Football League after a 48-year absence.

Elliott told the Evening Standard’s website: “You would have to have a death wish to carry on playing. Eventually, it was a no-brainer. I feel for the clubs who are in the play-offs and don’t know what is coming now or what the options will be.

“Selfishly, it doesn’t really make any difference to us, but for a lot of clubs it does. I think [common sense prevailed] and ultimately clubs have to look at their own situation.”

Barrow director Levi Gill told the BBC on Thursday they are hoping fellow clubs will do the right thing by the Bluebirds who were four points clear when the season was first suspended in March.

“Taken in isolation, it is the right call,” he said. “Obviously, we are very strongly against voiding the season. But apart from that, it is impossible to know what to do without seeing the choices.”