"I HAVE had more pleasurable ones!" It has been another week full of frustration and mixed messages for Bradford (Park Avenue) director of football Martin Knight as his club's league's fate is still up for debate.

Bradford will not be playing their scheduled home fixture with Farsley Celtic tomorrow after both clubs, along with five others, agreed to take the same stance that they cannot financially afford to progress without grants.

It is understood the National League has threatened fines and the three points going to the other side for clubs refusing to play. Luckily for Avenue, the latter should not be the case if both teams say they will not play.

February started with each National League club being issued options for how they would like to see the outcome of their season.

Avenue replied on Wednesday adamant that null and void had to happen so they do not jeopardise their future, which a loan would do.

The big problem with this is the lengthy 28-day period clubs have got to return their vote.

With the two-week suspension of National League North/South expiring today, clubs are expected to play until the verdict from all 66 clubs is finalised.

"We don’t want to play until we know the outcome of the vote," Knight said. "The longer that takes, the harder the position we are going to take.

"The league are highlighting the 'failure to fulfil a fixture' rule, but it does say as long as there is no reasonable reason. Well, the reasonable reason is that we didn't know whether the league is going to continue.

"We take the players off furlough so that cost then comes back to you as a club.

"What happens if the league is abandoned in 28 days? You have incurred those costs for no reason.

"Why would any business incur costs that in four weeks' time might have been a complete waste if the league becomes null and void.

"They have got to speed up the voting without question because it just leaves everybody in limbo."

After the previous grants expired at the end of December, Avenue funded January off their own back, and simply cannot afford to do the same for rest of the season.

It would total well over £100,000, without even considering the cost of Covid-19 testing.

Knight must put Park Avenue's future first, despite all those involved desperate to play on.

"The league should suspend our fixtures until they know the outcome of the vote or leave the other clubs to play on," he insisted.

"The players, manager and club want to play but we can’t financially. This is a pure economic decision. We just want to be here next season.

"We don’t think we will get relegated or promoted so it is a nothing league. We would be worsening our financial position for no upside.

"My job is to make sure the club is still here next year. Not playing is the best option for us."