In the end it was never going to be about finding the best
solution to end the 2019-20 season in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, but
more a case of choosing an option that was the least worst.
To decide the outcome of Leagues One and Two the Football
League has decided that promotion and relegation will be determined by PPG
(Points Per Game) and the play-offs will follow accordingly using the same
method to select who qualifies. The use of this option has incensed many within
the game, most notably Peterborough United and Tranmere Rovers who were denied
promotion and condemned to relegation respectively from League One. So angered by the ruling Peterborough director of football
Barry Fry responded by described it as ‘the worst day of my life’ as the Posh
missed out on the League One play-offs by 0.02 points.
The Vanarama National League is set to apply the same
formula, and if the vote passes it will see Torquay United move up one place from 15th to
14th in the table. For the Gulls who famously rarely do mid-table
finishes, the 2019-20 campaign could possibly have chosen the best time for a middle of the road season.
For example, had the 2005-06 League Two season ended prematurely after United had played their 36th league game then their 'great escape' under Ian Atkins would never have happened. After 36 games in the 2005-06 campaign the Gulls had achieved 33 points from 36 league matches.
Under the PPG rules United would be have found to have achieved an average of 0.91 points per game, which applied to their remaining ten matches would leave them rooted to the foot of the table with 42.1 points - thus condemning them to what would have been their first ever relegation to the from the Football League. United would also have joined in telegation to the Conference by Rushden & Diamonds, who would themselves finish bottom of League Two, with 44.8 points from ana average of 1.08 points per game. Oxford United, who finished 23rd in League Two after being condemned to relegation with a final day defeat to Leyton Orient, would have finished level on 50.05 with Bury and Chester City using this formula.
As it was United won five of their remaining ten league games, which famously included four wins from their last five - a sequence that included a memorable 2-1 away win over champions elect Carlisle United with Kevin Hill and Jo Kuffour finding the back of the net.
The current proposals for the National League would see Barrow promoted to the Football League and Kings Lynn and Wealdstone promoted from National League North and South respectively. However, these plans also would see York City - the National League North leaders at the time of the suspension of the season - and Havant and Waterlooville - who were second in the National League South and three points behind Wealdstone - forced to settle for a play-off spot should the play-offs take place. It could also be argued that in the National League Harrogate Town and Notts County might also feel that they possessed a chance of overhauling the Bluebirds.
Whatever the outcome of the proposed resolution, it is worth sparing a thought for those players, managers, directors and fans who may have felt that their side were capable of completing a turnaround similar to the one the Gulls achieved under Atkins in 2006.
