National League Clubs met with the League Board this afternoon mainly to discuss further funding.
It appears two choices were put on the table by the League for this extra funding. The first was for individual clubs to receive loans, the second was for the National League to take the loans and then distribute the money as grants. However it was thought this might mean less funding from the National League in future seasons. Finally clubs could agree to suspend the season.
Chester chairman Andrew Morris has commented.
"Every single one of them has consequences," he said as reported by CheshireLive.
"What is clear is that all the money would have to be repaid, even if it is not by Chester FC then by the National League. So, that has consequences for future payments.
"If we decide to suspend the season then what are the consequences? Yes we can claim furlough for the players, but are we then ever going to finish the season and what about people’s season tickets and also sponsors, not just at our club but the wider league sponsors? Does that then have a consequence for repaying money?
"So there is no entirely ‘win’ option. As with throughout the whole pandemic and whole economy, there will have to be some difficult decisions made. Non-league football has to try to come out of this in a sustainable way with every club intact. The most important part about this is we don't lose clubs along the way."
Updated: National League 'watcher' Ollie Bayliss has reported that clubs has been told to e-mail their views into the League this evening or tomorrow morning. He says that the League's 'least favoured option is to suspend the season'.
It has also emerged that the National League board will meet again on Friday.