Havant & Waterlooville and other National League teams see season 'suspended indefinitely' amid Covid-19 epidemic

The league board have reached the decision amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

All action at National League level had initially been suspended until April 3 but now no time frame as to when or if the season may resume has been set after a review by the authority.

Football is currently shutdown in the country with the UK placed on lockdown.

Both the EFL and Premier League will not resume prior to April 30 at the earliest with the Covid-19 epidemic accelerating.

The National League, who have suspended all three of their divisions, are now ‘obtaining specialist legal advice’, as well as remaining in ‘regular consultation’ with the FA and other stakeholders as they try to reach a decision on how best to conclude the campaign for teams at step two level.

Hawks boss Paul Doswell, whose side sit second in the National League South, was adamant the season needed to be completed when previously speaking to The News, he said: ‘My personal view is that we should finish the season.

‘Let’s say that we get back playing in July or August, the first thing that everyone does is finish the existing season then probably extend next season by an extra month and play until the end of May.

‘That’s what I think is fairest.

‘You can’t null and void a season having played 80 per cent of it, I think that’s ridiculous.

‘Points-per-game is the next best option, but the best option has got to be to finish it.

‘There will be time.

‘If people are patient and wait, for example, if we’re back to some normality and we’re talking the curve starts going down after three weeks.

‘If we can get back in July or August to get back to a two-week pre-season as opposed to a six week, everyone is going to have to shorten that down.

‘It’s really important (to finish the season) even if we’re playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday - most of us have only got six or eight games left - so turn it into a three-week period when you get back.

‘Don’t play pre-season games, just go straight into your league games.

‘It has to be finished at all costs.’