THE Football Association has explained why plans for a post-season competition at Step 2 were rejected.

After the 2020/21 season at National League North and South level was declared null and void, a band of 18 clubs - York City included - wrote to the National League urging them to allow teams to play on and fight for promotion in a merged 'mini-league'.

These plans were dismissed following a meeting of the Alliance Committee just under two weeks ago but the final decision remains to be ratified by the FA Council.

In a letter to clubs, Laurence Jones, head of the FA National League System, outlined 11 factors that were considered.

When the proposals were first struck down, the Committee cited the opinion that the competition was not in the interests of the integrity of the National League System.

This feeling was reiterated in the letter, which also noted that though a majority of Step 2 clubs expressed support for the competition, only 35 per cent of clubs indicated that they would take part.

In addition, the majority of Step 1 clubs voted against the competition and its proposed aim of promotion to the National League's top tier.

The National League's board itself took a neutral stance and neither actively supported nor opposed the proposals. The league also "had not conducted any preparatory work in relation to the proposed competition".

It was confirmed in the letter that the league's resolutions - the vote on which terminated the National League North season last month - remain "not binding" but the Committee "nevertheless considered the outcome of the resolutions to be relevant" as a representation of how clubs felt.

Clubs are able to submit further representations to be put before the FA Council by close of business on March 25.