MIKE Ford believes the right decision has been made by the Football Association to expunge this season’s results.
Following an announcement yesterday, Oxfordshire clubs in the BetVictor Southern League and the Uhlsport Hellenic League have now officially finished their campaigns.
All results will be wiped and there is no promotion or relegation, so clubs will line up in the same divisions once the 2020/21 season begins.
Grassroots football is also concluded, after the sport was brought to a halt by the coronavirus pandemic.
Banbury United were the highest-ranked Oxfordshire side impacted by the decision.
Although they sat seventh in the Premier Central division, one point outside the play-off places, boss Ford welcomed the clarity.
He said: “I think initially when we were shut down a couple of weeks ago, we all thought it would be nice to finish the season.
“We were going OK and we probably thought we would have a sniff of the play-offs.
“Then the seriousness of the situation hit home and this is probably the appropriate decision because there’s just so much confusion.
“There was never going to be a perfect solution.”
The measures do have a clear impact on one of the county’s clubs.
Wantage Town have picked up just four points all season and sat 13 points adrift in Division One Central.
They have looked doomed to relegation for months, but will now be reprieved.
An FA statement read: “The steps take into account the financial impact during this uncertain period, whilst considering the fairest method on how the sporting outcomes for the season will be decided with the integrity of the leagues in mind.”
Discussions continue between the FA and the Vanarama National League, which includes Oxford City, about how their competition can be concluded.
On grassroots football, county FAs will work with affected leagues to determine how to finish the competitions.
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