Promotion hopefuls Clay Cross Town are 'unluckiest club in the UK'

The title-chasing Millers were left disappointed by the FA league committee's intentions to expunge the 2019/20 season for clubs at Step 3-7 of the non-League pyramid, which would see all results seen as null and void as well as no promotions or relegations.

Clay Cross, second in the Central Midlands Football League South Division - two points behind leaders Sherwood Colliery Reserves with three games in hand, have not played since their 7-0 drubbing of Mansfield Hosiery Mills at home on Saturday 7th March.

Millers club secretary Dave Clark said they weren't even consulted.

"We've considered ourselves the unluckiest club in the UK," he told the Times. "We've been runners-up for the past three seasons and this time it looked like it was the one, everything was going for us this year.

"We weren't consulted. That's what's so frustrating.

"They could have sent a generic email to every club from Step 7 upwards asking what the feeling was, even a push-button vote. But no, nothing, we just had it dropped on us - your season's been null and void, which is disappointing.

"Communication is so easy these days.

"That's the main cry for the non-League clubs.

"We're always going to get winners and losers. At least at our level there's no relegation so we're the only ones who are going to benefit - and points per game is the only answer. We've been consistent enough to prove to the FA and the FA Council that we're ready to go up.

"We've outgrown where we're playing now."

The league was suspended two weeks ago following the government's social distancing measures and rules against mass gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

More than 100 clubs have signed a petition asking the FA to reconsider expunging the season.

"We'd certainly add to it," said Clark. "I have to look at football and we're a drop in the non-League ocean - and that is nothing compared to what people are going through right now. We understand the predicament the FA is in."

Millers have got a backlog of fixtures following the inclement weather over the winter months and were informed the season couldn't be extended past its initial 9th May deadline prior to the coronavirus outbreak.

"We've got a team full of quality which belongs at a higher level than Step 7 where we currently sit and look likely to be sitting next year.

"We don't pay anyone - that's our downside - and we're not sure if we're going to be able to keep them or not.

"We're a humble little club that lives day-to-day.

"This is a massive loss of income for the last home games of the season.

"I think we've got a nucleus of players who will stick with us and if we can keep hold of those players who were trialling at higher up then we'll be lucky," Clark added.

As well as club disappointment, the Millers' Josh Scully was on track to set a new club goalscoring record for the season.

The FA's decision to end the season is still subject to ratification by the FA Council.

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