Hartlepool United chief executive delivers verdict on what the National League must do

Mark Maguire, the chief executive of Hartlepool United.

The Pools chief executive admits the situation is incredibly complex with the Premier League, EFL and National League all weighing up their next move.

All football has been suspended until April 30 at the earliest as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

The National League season remains up in the air after the FA confirmed all divisions below would be made ‘null and void’, though the NL aim to conclude the season with an FA statement confirming discussions are ongoing.

But all leagues below the National League North and South will have their 2019-20 records expunged with no promotions or relegations.

When asked about the National League meetings, Maguire told the Mail: "I speak with the chief executive regularly but since I last spoke with him the country has gone into lockdown, so any plans to get players back if we were working towards a May, June return time, I was discussing with Dave if we could get players back training but that’s obviously been jeopardised by the Government’s decision which we can understand.

"I think the league are in exactly that situation and they’re being bombarded by clubs with different views saying ‘end the season’ or ‘finish the season regardless’ and then it comes about the definition of what ending the season is, which brings up issues with contracts.

"Does it mean contracts come to an end and then teams start again with new players for the restart of the remaining season and into next season?

"It’s all incredibly complex and about reacting to what the best guess is going forward.

"What it feels like is that the National League will follow on from the Premier League and EFL and look to return to play and follow suit essentially.

"What we have to do and what they have to do is uphold the credibility of the league in line with the divisions above because otherwise all of their aims to make it a proper promotion and relegation pyramid will be out of the window.

"We need to protect that principle."