League Two: Southend United & Grimsby Town challenge 'unfair' relegation to National League

Ron Martin has been the chairman of Southend United since 2000

Southend United and Grimsby Town are challenging their relegation from League Two with the Football League.

The two clubs claim their demotion is "unfair" in the current circumstances, given there is no relegation from the National League this season.

They have submitted a proposal which is set to be discussed by the EFL.

Southend chairman Ron Martin said it was "fundamentally against the pyramid system" to allow promotion from the National League but not relegation.

"We're looking at the rules. The National League is shot, it needs a lot of repair," he added to BBC Essex.

It was agreed in February that the National League would carry on for the remainder of the season but its feeder North and South divisions were declared null and void because of the impact of coronavirus on clubs' finances.

That meant that although promotion would be retained into the EFL, no teams would be relegated from the National League.

Southend were relegated from the Football League for the first time in 101 years last Saturday despite winning at Barrow.

"If they were going to have promotion then they should have had relegation but they can't have relegation because the leagues beneath them ceased," added Martin.

"You've either got to say 'no relegation from the EFL and, sorry, National League clubs can't come up' or maybe they can come up and four go down next year."

Paul Hurst led Grimsby to promotion from the National League in 2015-16 during his first spell as Mariners boss

Grimsby, whose relegation was confirmed with two games of the season to play, are also part of the proposals, with manager Paul Hurst agreeing with Martin that relegation feels "unfair".

"All I would say is that it doesn't seem right that a team didn't complete their fixtures and there's no relegation," Hurst told BBC Radio Humberside.

"I don't feel that's right. What the consequences of that are is for other people to sort out but it does seem unfair to my mind.

"If anything does come of it and it's positive then great. I'm looking at starting in the National League and if anything changes, we'll happily take that," he added.

The Mariners have new owners after 1878 Partners recently took over the club.

The EFL and National League have been approached for comment.