Null and voiding season is the common sense thing to do - Chorley boss Jamie Vermiglio believes Magpies should remain in National League

The Magpies looked destined for the drop after a tough season in the top flight of non-league football, following last year’s stunning promotion success.

But the pandemic has brought the campaign to an end prematurely, with the league’s Board revealing last week that clubs had voted in favour of not fulfilling their remaining fixtures.

The clubs were then asked to put forward their ideas on the best way to conclude the campaign by tomorrow..

The options available include declaring the season null and void and starting afresh next season, which Chorley are in favour of.

But there is the possibility that clubs will opt to have final placings decided on a points-per-game ratio which could mean Chorley are relegated back to the NL North.

The league has also asked clubs their view on the feasibility of continuing with the play-offs.

A lot rests on the Premier League and the EFL, who are still keen it would appear to conclude their seasons in full.

It could well be that no team is relegated from League Two which would affect how many teams win promotion from the National League.

All is set to be revealed early next week once the league’s Board have digested the clubs’ wishes.

“Obviously from a selfish point of view, we want to play in the best league we can and so we want to stay in this league,” said Vermiglio.

“If we are going to null and void and start again, it’s going to benefit our club.

“But if I was on top of the league then I would be telling you something different, of course. When you look at it with a common sense head on it, I just don’t think you can relegate anybody.

“I think it is near impossible to be able to do that because even we could have gone on a run and avoided relegation, but especially more the clubs who are two or three points off it. If you were going off points per game, you would be basically predicting a fifth of the season.

“If you look at teams like Barrow, Harrogate and York who are going for promotion, you would be distraught if the season was null and void . If this was to have happened to us this time last year, I would be thinking , ‘Arrggh, we have done so well this season and worked so hard’.

“But with my common sense head on, I would look at the bigger picture and see what this virus is doing.

“My concern would be to make sure everybody around us, supporters stay safe and that people have the opportunity to watch football next season. It’s easy for me to say that with us being rock bottom of the league, but it just feels like the most common sense thing to do.”