25-04-2024, 10:06
One would have thought that the rules would have legislated for the event of any club finishing in the top seven not qualifying for EFL membership and been catered for by the next team down the table in eighth becoming eligible.
As things are at the moment Bromley can't go up either, because of their artificial pitch - so they need to dig it up - if they reach Wembley and win. Sutton gained promotion first and then dug up their pitch. So why couldn't Gateshead satisfy tenure requirements once they were in a position to be promoted.
Altrincham have now gained an advantage by not playing, and their semi-final opponents a disadvantage.
The deeper truth however is that Gateshead should not be an EFL club at the moment, despite having a good team. They do not have the support or the finance and are only steps away from a time of complete instability.
If clubs which really cannot sustain EFL membership keep gaining promotion from the National League that surely weakens the Football League? I don't know the answer to that one, other than that their status of being unavailable for promotion should be known much earlier in the season. By battling to achieve a top seven place Gateshead effectively deprived another club of an opportunity to progress ..... but in the National League that club's own eligibility and/or suitability might well also have been in doubt.
As things are at the moment Bromley can't go up either, because of their artificial pitch - so they need to dig it up - if they reach Wembley and win. Sutton gained promotion first and then dug up their pitch. So why couldn't Gateshead satisfy tenure requirements once they were in a position to be promoted.
Altrincham have now gained an advantage by not playing, and their semi-final opponents a disadvantage.
The deeper truth however is that Gateshead should not be an EFL club at the moment, despite having a good team. They do not have the support or the finance and are only steps away from a time of complete instability.
If clubs which really cannot sustain EFL membership keep gaining promotion from the National League that surely weakens the Football League? I don't know the answer to that one, other than that their status of being unavailable for promotion should be known much earlier in the season. By battling to achieve a top seven place Gateshead effectively deprived another club of an opportunity to progress ..... but in the National League that club's own eligibility and/or suitability might well also have been in doubt.