National League clubs consider vote of no confidence against league board
A number of National League clubs are considering whether to bring a vote of no confidence against the league’s board in the wake of the latest controversy to hit the competition this season.
On Friday, Dover Athletic were fined £40,000 and deducted 12 points for 2021-22 after choosing to end their campaign early before any wider decisions about this season had been taken.
In the end, a majority of clubs voted to continue playing.
Several clubs in National League North and National League South have also been fined for their refusal to play games last month, with suspended points deductions for next season imposed.
Critics argue imposing financial penalties on clubs for deciding against playing matches behind closed doors because they lacked the money to do so makes no sense.
However, there are a number of other clubs who followed league guidance and fulfilled their fixtures and who feel a financial penalty is fair because otherwise they would suffer financially, relative to the clubs who stopped, for continuing to play matches.
The row is the latest to beset the National League during a troubled season, in which chief executive Mark Ives has struggled to navigate the league through a variety of complicated problems after replacing Mike Tattersall, who left his job in December.
Huge disquiet also remains over the distribution model for the initial £10m received from the National Lottery to start the current season last October.
In addition, the 66 clubs feel they were given incorrect information on future funding in the first place and maintain that had there been any indication loans would have to be taken out from January onwards, the campaign might not have started at all.