Worthing FC: Give us the promotion our two-season record deserves

Woodside Road - which has not seen a full season since 2018-19

They are among a growing number of non-league clubs nationally lobbying for results from 2019-20 and 20-21 to be combined to work out promotion issues – rather than another season being declared void.

But while pressing their claims, they fear the powers-that-be have already made up their minds and will terminate the season whatever clubs say, forcing everyone to start 2021-22 in their present divisions.

Worthing chairman Barry Hunter said the club’s view was that another null and void campaign should be avoided.

“If we don’t play any more football this season we will have played 42 league games since August 2019 – one full season. We’ve won 28, drawn eight and lost six, taking 2.19 points per game.

“We’ve finished both seasons top of the league and have the best record of any team at step three.

“We are within a hair’s breadth of National League football and believe we’ve earned the right to achieve promotion.”

Hunter questioned whether the leagues and FA Council had ‘compromised themselves’ in writing off last season so quickly.

Worthing officials have already responded to the current survey of clubs backing the idea that’s being called ‘Project Non-League’, which suggests working out points-per-game tables from two seasons’ results to allow for promotion. In line with attempts to rejig numbers in non-league divisions, the proposals do not suggest any relegation.

Hunter said he feared the season would be null and void, but if the idea of merging 19-20 and 20-21’s results was rejected, the idea of ‘freezing’ current tables and using them as a start for 21-22 was preferrable to a write-off.

He pointed out PPG had already been used in the National and Football Leagues.

Hunter said there were so many people connected with the club who were frustrated by the prospect of another season’s work being lost.

“We have built up goodwill from those who are on our journey with us – players, growing numbers of fans, sponsors – they all want us to get into elite football. It would be challenging and harsh if we were held back again.”