National League: Barrow seal promotion after being crowned champions on unweighted points per game

The National League has issued the following statement:

 

Following a vote by all member clubs and subject to FA Council approval, the Vanarama National League, Vanarama National League North and Vanarama National League South seasons 2019/20 will be concluded with final league tables compiled on an “Unweighted Points Per Game” basis.

The outcome is Barrow are champions of the Vanarama National League, King’s Lynn Town are champions of Vanarama National League North and Wealdstone are champions of Vanarama National League South.

The end of season Play-Offs will now proceed with the clubs that qualify, subject to the competition rules and the applicable government guidance on the phased return of elite sport.

The number of clubs to be relegated from the Vanarama National League will be determined so as to maintain a National Division of 24 clubs after any relegation from EFL League Two, promotion to EFL League Two and promotion from the National League North and National League South divisions.

There shall be no relegation from Vanarama National League North and Vanarama National League South.

Chief executive officer Michael Tattersall said: “I congratulate each of our champions clubs on their successful campaigns. The enforced curtailment of our season does nothing to discredit the quality of the football played and I am pleased that our clubs have overwhelmingly supported the award of their titles. We can now also look towards the completion of end of season Play-Offs.”

National League clubs were asked to support an Ordinary Resolution to conclude the season with final leagues tables compiled on an “Unweighted Points Per Game” basis. The resolution received the support of a significant majority of member clubs in each division.

“Unweighted Points Per Game” is defined as: 
The method for calculating the final points total of each club in the Division concerned, calculated in accordance with the following formula, rounding the final points total up to three decimal places:

PT * LMS = Final Points Total
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CM

Where “PT” means a club’s points total in the 2019/20 Season at the point when the Competition was suspended on 16 March 2020.

Where “CM” means the number of Competition Matches a club has played in the 2019/20 Season at the point the Competition was suspended on 16 March 2020.

Where “LMS” means the number of Competition Matches originally scheduled to be played by each club in the 2019/20 Season, being (a) 46 for National League clubs; and (b) 42 for National League North and National League South clubs.

Worked Example:

Club A is in National League North and has played 32 Competition Matches and has a points total of 43 points. Applying the formula, Club A’s final points tally will be:

43* 42 = 56.438
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32

Visit the National League website:  www.thenationalleague.org.uk