The 1939–40 season ended as the Battle of France was drawing to a close and the armed forces were planning the evacuation of British and French troops from Dunkirk. The Rugby Football League's (RFL) annual general meeting was held in Leeds on 12 June when the prospects of the war for the British were not good, the Dunkirk evacuation had finished, the German army was about to occupy Paris and the evacuation of the second British Expeditionary Force from Brittany was about to begin. At a very short RFL meeting the chairman, G. F. Hutchins, stated "it would be futile for the Rugby League to-day to attempt to come to any decision. All they could do was to mark time and await events." A. A. Bonner added "the Government may decide that it would be in the interests of the country for recreation to be provided for the people at home, but at the moment the prospects for football did not appear bright."