Harrogate Town and York City face further anxious wait

A league board meeting took place on Tuesday, with a range of options put forward by 65 of the 68 member clubs.

It is likely that the outcome of the season will be shaped by the English Football League, with the National League keen to retain two promotion places into the EFL.

A number of clubs in the top seven of the National League expressed a desire for the possibility of play-offs to be played.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post recently, FC Halifax boss Pete Wild - whose sixth-placed side finished the regular season in a play-off berth - voiced his support for a play-off finale to be staged behind closed doors at St George’s Park to complete the season.

Back on April 22, the majority of National League clubs voted in favour of ending the 2019-20 campaign and cancelling all remaining league fixtures.

Ninety per cent of clubs voted overwhelmingly in favour of ending the season - but before the last few responses were received.

The league were subsequently entrusted with determining how to finish the season and solving the dispute over promotion and relegation, which stands to be a difficult task to complete given no club across the three leagues had yet guaranteed promotion.

Harrogate Town - in second place in the National League table and pushing for promotion to the Football League for the first time - are sweating over developments alongside North Yorkshire neighbours York, who have presented a 'strong case' to league bosses over what they believe should be the outcome to the season.

The Minstermen are two points clear at the top of the National League North, with King's Lynn having two games in hand.

Guiseley and Farsley Celtic were also in play-off contention, with Bradford Park Avenue propping up the table.

Meanwhile, some reports have suggested that if the EFL does not finish the season, then Stevenage - occupying bottom spot in League Two - are likely to avoid relegation, with only one team coming up from the National League.

Barrow finished the season four points clear of Harrogate after 37 games - but had yet to visit the CNG Stadium.

The National League board has also not yet ruled out the possibility of expunging all results and following the same pattern as steps three to seven of the non-league system in declaring the season as null and void.