2020-21 Newark Football Alliance season ruled null and void following roadmap announcement

The 2020-21 Newark Football Alliance has been ruled as null and void following the government’s roadmap announcement on Monday evening.

Sunday league football can resume from March 29, with the Football Association also allowing leagues to be extended until the end of June if required.

Andy Duckmanton, chairman of the Alliance’s committee, said he did his best to allow the leagues and cups to continue, but found the schedule impossible to complete.

The issues included the time frame required to fulfil all of the fixtures without overlapping into the cricket season, a shortage of referees, the future of Lowfields — which put the venue for the cup finals in question — while other venues, such as Lincoln Road in Newark, are now out of use.

He said he personally rallied for the cups to be completed, but did not want to undermine or disservice the value of them by shoehorning them in.

Alliance teams have been sanctioned to play friendly matches from March 29.