Over two months after it was officially confirmed that the League Two season would be ended early, the bottom two sides now know their fate. Stevenage, who finished the regular season bottom by some distance, have survived after Macclesfield Town were docked a further four points, resulting in them finishing bottom on the points per game system.
Macclesfield Town Relegated From League Two
‘Final and Binding’
There will be no room for Macclesfield to appeal this decision as the action taken by the independent panel was “final and binding”.
The Silkmen looked to have avoided the drop back in June when they were docked two points and a further four were suspended in relation to non-payment of wages.
This left them one point above Stevenage in the table, but the decision by the EFL to appeal the suspended four points and subsequent success in the case means that Macclesfield now sit bottom of the table and will return to the National League for the 2020/21 season.
It means that across three different disciplinary cases this season, the side have been deducted a total of 17 points.
EFL Statement
In a statement, the EFL said: “An independent arbitration panel has upheld the EFL’s appeal in respect of the outcome of an independent disciplinary commission who in June 2020 had considered misconduct charges brought against Macclesfield Town.
“The charges related to failing to pay a number of players on the applicable payment dates due in March 2020, failing to act with utmost good faith in respect of matters with the EFL and for breaching an order, requirement, direction or instruction of the league.
“The arbitration panel confirmed that the two-point suspended sporting sanction activated on 19 June 2020 from previous proceedings will stand and in addition the four-point deduction, originally suspended in the latest proceedings and only to be activated in the event of a further breach of regulation 63.7 during season 2020-21, will be activated immediately and applied to the 2019-20 table.
“Today’s outcome leaves Macclesfield Town in 24th position in the table on 19 points with a points per game (PPG) total of 23.62, resulting in the club’s relegation into the National League.”
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