CONFUSION reigned throughout the non-league footballing community yesterday after an ambiguous statement from the National League’s CEO appeared to cast doubt on how the season will finish.

A statement from the league’s chief executive Michael Tattersall, posted online by Boreham Wood FC, appeared to indicate the rest of the season would not go ahead.

“The National League attended a meeting last night (by video conference) with The Football Association and the FA has 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," it said.

“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.

“We will continue to press for updates and will ensure that any further information is relayed to clubs as soon as it is received.”

However, Barrow AFC head coach Ian Evatt has cast doubt on the rumours, saying he is confident the season will be completed.

“From what I understand the season isn’t finished yet, there’s still a lot of discussion to be had," he said.

“We’ve contacted the FA to let them know that there are concerns, we’re just waiting. There is every chance the league will finish, I don’t think it will be abandoned, I think it will be concluded. I would be astonished if it wasn’t.”

When asked whether his side deserves promotion without actually achieving it, Evatt said: “This is where it becomes difficult.

“Everyone, apart from five or six clubs, has a hidden agenda. People say they want to go up but would really be happy with just staying in the league. We can only go on facts. After 37 games, we’re top of the table, comfortably so, and I feel like we should go up.

“The most important thing in the near future is the good of the country and to look after everyone out in the community, but football will be back again.”

When asked if he would feel the same if Barrow were in the relegation zone and could be relegated despite having nine games left, he said: “Those teams are where they deserve to be, that’s the facts of the situation.

“Anybody can say, ‘we’re going to win the next nine games’ but not when they haven’t won nine games in a row all season.

“We’re talking about a season that is 80 per cent complete.”