Action needed now on rules that stifle clubs' ambitions

On the two biggest issues hanging over the Vanarama National League – the crippling lack of a third promotion place and a much-discussed but still-absent ‘salary cap’ – the silence from the competition’s Board has been thunderous.

But when Rob McElhenney, the Hollywood actor co-owner of Wrexham, expressed his frustration at NL rules which prevent clubs from ‘streaming’ live TV coverage of their matches, the league sprung into action.

Although they’ve had little or nothing to say about three-up-three down or about a ‘cap’ which the clubs agreed in principle more than a year ago, the Board immediately issued a long if unconvincing statement.

It insisted that they DID understand Wrexham’s frustration, that they WERE working very hard to tackle the issue and they DO have every intention of allowing clubs to stream their matches at some stage.

Of course, clubs were allowed to stream their games during the Covid-lockdown, which generated crucial revenue then and proved popular with fans forced to stay at home.

But since the reopening of grounds, that freedom has ended.

The sticking-point appears to be that league rules say that ALL clubs should derive some benefit from selling coverage of games, not just those clubs themselves.

Which, of course, is not exactly what McElhenney or Wrexham have in mind.

McElhenney was quick to indicate that he was unimpressed with the league’s statement.

All these issues appear to be separate, but they are, in fact, connected.

Clubs like Wrexham, Notts County and Chesterfield – the financial big-hitters of the division – are increasingly desperate to escape the clutches of the National League and they are investing millions of pounds to do it.

How long will they, and many of their rivals like Torquay United, accept rules and regulations which stall their ambitions at every turn?

If the sloth-like National League doesn’t tackle these issues with more urgency, and more public urgency at that, their already shaky credibility will crumble even further.