Stockport County: ‘Finish the season with integrity’

Jim Gannon
Stockport County boss Jim Gannon

Stockport County want teams with something to play for to finish the National League season.

Cubs voted to end the season this week but there is no decision on how the campaign will end and how promotion and relegation will be decided.

The Hatters were seventh – and in the play-off places – when the season ended, while Chorley and AFC Fylde made up the bottom two.

“The announcement by the National League goes against our intention to complete the season and determine, when safe to play again, the final placings in the fairest possible way,” the club said in a statement.

“However, this resolution and the voting behaviour clearly demonstrates the precarious nature of finances at this level of football.

“We recognise many clubs are experiencing financial difficulties caused by Covid-19 and understand this to be the driving force in the voting and while sporting integrity is valued, these exceptional times challenge how far that goes when the sustainability of clubs is in question.

“Our hope in these difficult times, is that clubs come together, those with things to play for and those that don’t, to try and find a solution that upholds sporting integrity as much as possible in determining the sporting outcomes of the season.”