AFC Fylde's home match with Gateshead is postponed

The Coasters had been due to play their first National League North match since January 9, only for an announcement on Thursday evening that the game was off.

A Gateshead statement said: “In our previous statement regarding the National League resolution, it was stressed that competing in further fixtures while the vote has yet to be decided and we are no clearer on funding would cause the club financial harm.

“With these issues yet to be resolved, the club does not wish to travel to AFC Fylde and incur the costs of competing in an away fixture which could be rendered meaningless as a result of the proposed resolution in the coming weeks.

“As such, the club can confirm that we will not be travelling to AFC Fylde to fulfil Saturday’s National League North fixture.

“We eagerly await the outcome of the resolution voting from step one clubs.”

National League clubs are presently voting on how the season should be resolved.

Gateshead have previously confirmed they voted to declare the campaign null and void.

A statement from the club earlier this week confirmed: “This decision has been taken with great care and is one that has been made to protect the vast array of clubs who face the real threat of going out of business should they be asked to continue the season.

“We are not willing to place ourselves into further financial uncertainty and erase all of the hard work that has gone into rebuilding our club over the past few years.

“The National League’s decision to suspend all fixtures for two weeks was one that we agreed with, however the progression on the funding for the remainder of the season that we believed to be forthcoming has not materialised in the form we were led to believe.

“We must stress that we are extremely grateful for our grant of which all 66 clubs received in varying degrees from the National Lottery. However, we simply would not have started the season if we knew that we would be cast adrift come January.

“Our position as a full-time professional club affords us greater safety than that of semi-professional clubs, whose staff have travelled thousands of miles to fulfil fixtures without regular Covid testing taking place, while also undertaking alternative employment.

“Continuing to fulfil our league fixtures from February 13 will undoubtedly be to the detriment of the club’s current financial state and the board will not be pressured by bankrolled clubs into doing anything that undermines the long-term future of our community asset.”

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