FA Council rubber-stamp Ebbsfleet United's relegation from the National League and the play-offs
Published: 10:00, 16 July 2020
Updated: 10:34, 16 July 2020
Ebbsfleet United’s relegation from the National League has been confirmed.
Fleet dropped to third bottom, and into the relegation zone, after the league table was decided on an unweighted points-per-game (PPG) formula.
The decision to decide the outcome of the season on PPG has been now been ratified by the FA Council which means Ebbsfleet will start the 2020/21 season playing in the National League South.
They are relegated alongside AFC Fylde and Chorley.
The FA announcement comes just days after Fleet said they would not be making a legal challenge over their expected relegation.
An FA statement said: “The FA Council has ratified both the National League’s proposal on concluding the 2019/20 season at Steps 1 and 2 of the National League System [NLS] and the required amendments to the NLS Regulations and Standardised Rules for it to become effective.
“The ratification follows a recommendation from The FA’s Alliance Leagues Committee and allows the National League to: rank clubs on a points per game basis; apply the automatic promotion and relegation based on the position of clubs on that basis; and proceed with play-off matches in accordance with the Government’s Return to Domestic Competition guidance.”
The announcement also rubber-stamps the play-off campaign which will see six teams from both the North and South fighting for a place in the National League.
Dartford will play Slough Town on Sunday in their eliminator match.
Fleet, meanwhile, have already started their rebuilding programme. They have agreed new terms with goalkeeper Jordan Holmes and while one midfielder announced his departure on Wednesday, another one, Alfie Egan, is staying for another year.
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Luke Cawdell