'We had every chance of making the play-offs' - Jeff Stelling on what might have been for Hartlepool United

Pools are now preparing for another season in the fifth tier, though it is not yet clear when football at this level will be able to resume given the concerns around when fans will be allowed back into stadiums and the financial consequences of playing behind-closed-doors.

Dave Challinor’s side finished the season ninth, three points adrift of a play-off spot, with the National League yet to decide how they will sort promotion and relegation issues.

Stelling said: “In an ideal world, we would have loved to have finished the season.

“We were within touching distance of the play-offs and although you can never really tell, on the face of it we had really good fixtures to come.

“A lot of sides above us had to play each other as well so we had every chance of making the play-offs.

“People were rediscovering their fitness, Luke Molyneux being the main one and he would have been fitter and more impressive in the weeks to come,” added Stelling as part of a Q&A with the club on Instagram.

Meanwhile, League Two clubs have voted by an overwhelming majority to formally end the season, meaning promotion for Swindon, Crewe and Plymouth, the EFL has announced.

Swindon have been confirmed as champions with Crewe and Plymouth also promoted.

Cheltenham, Exeter, Colchester and Northampton will contest the play-offs with the first games on June 18.

The bottom team is still to be decided with Stevenage currently on the foot of the table but second-bottom Macclesfield facing a potential points deduction, while relegation will only be ratified if National League can give assurances that its competition will go ahead.

The National League board is expected to meet on Wednesday to decide its next steps.

It is likely that the National League will follow the EFL in using a points-per-game model to decide the final table, with teams keen for the play-offs to continue.