THE rest of the 2019/20 National League season is set to be cancelled after the organisation asked the Football Association to help them to postpone all remaining fixtures and end the campaign as soon as possible.

The FA have been in discussion with leagues in the non-league pyramid for the last few days and their top level have joined the ranks of the tiers below them by requesting the remainder of their season to be cancelled.

This reprsents a change in approach from Tuesday, after the Isthmian League made the claim that the National League wished to resume their campaign at some point after the coronavirus crisis passes.

It is unclear as of yet whether promotions and relegations will take place or whether the campaign will be made null and void.

In a statement to released to all of its clubs last night. the chief executive Michael Tattersall said: “As many of you know, the National League held a board discussion yesterday (Monday) which was the third such meeting in 11 days.

“The broad consensus was that our clubs wish for a decision to be made to close the season as soon as possible.

“The National League attended a further meeting last night (by video conference) with the Football Association and the FA have been asked to assist us with making the decisions to officially postpone all remaining National League fixtures and to end the season as soon as possible for the purposes of player contracts.

“The National League is also working with the FA to define all reasonable and practical options for the determination of the 2019/20 season and to provide guidance to clubs on dealing with player contracts, player registrations and the application of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.”

The issue of promotions and relegations is likely to be a sticking point in the next step of concluding the seasons below the Football League.

Barrow AFC will be waiting with bated breath as they were four points clear at the top of the National League with nine games of the campaign remaining before the outbreak of COVID-19 caused sport in this country to be suspended.

Should the league standings be made official on a points-per-game (PPG) basis, the Bluebirds would be back in the Football League for the first time since failing to be re-elected in 1972.

Manager Ian Evatt has maintained that 37 games being played should constitute a season while he also raised the problems with player contracts which would have needed extending if the season had gone into the summer.