Club Update

[BerlinWaller]

The trouble is that you won't get the Turkey's to vote for Christmas. Some teams are in a better position than others so you will never get them all to agree. Whatever they decide on, clubs will contest it. I haven't heard one plausible outcome from the experts yet and I really can't see how they will ever come to a compromise.

Up in Scotland, Dundee have the deciding vote on how the season finishes and they have 3 weeks to decide what they want to do.

[redrobo]

Looks as though the SFL will finish its season now after Dundee voted in favour of a closure of the leagues with no resumption to fulfill their season.

Wonder if their decision could have influence in the closure of the EFL as well.....

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/foo ... g-21868523

[BerlinWaller]

Partick Thistle have been relegated from the SPL despite having a game in hand which if they had won, would have lifted them out of the relegation zone.

[fulwoodshrimp]

Suspect Partick Thistle lawyers will be in action. No doubt Stevenage will already have put theirs on standby! In my opinion you have to play the remaining games behind closed doors or decide there is no promotion or relegation!

[Alan]

Partick Thistle have been relegated from the SPL despite having a game in hand which if they had won, would have lifted them out of the relegation zone.

Full credit to Partick Thistle for deciding to take no legal action against their relegation, citing the
possible demise of other clubs if monies were delayed.Hope they do well next season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52315021

[fulwoodshrimp]

There is going to be a league reconstruction in Scotland tied in with the scrapping of the season and I suspect Partick have been told off the record that they will remain in the Scottish Championship and be joined by Dundee United and Inverness Cally Thistle in this reconstruction. We shall see.

[Keith]

How about:

No relegation from Premiership, Championship, League One, League Two
Top two up from Championship & League One.
Three up from League Two (to replace Bury)
Three up from National League.

Two up from Championship has already been suggested, as the additional games next season will go some way to pleasing Sky for the loss of games this season. The question was, what about the Football League replacing teams?

Championship: Fulham are six points away from automatic promotion with nine games left so no big argument.
League One: The biggest argument, with Oxford, Portsmouth, Fleetwood, Peterborough, Sunderland & Wycombe all within three points of the automatic promotion spot and Wycombe having a game in hand.
League Two: Exeter & Cheltenham would be aggrieved.
National League: Yeovil & Boreham Wood are both three points off promotion with a game in hand.

It is far from perfect, but it may be closer to an answer?

Perhaps relegate Bolton Wanderers & Southend from League One, then promote five from League Two? Southend are sixteen points away from safety, so realistically, they would be going down anyway.

[BerlinWaller]

Gary Neville has said this morning that the possibility of the season being finished is looking less likely. He has been in the EFL meetings in his role as a club owner.

The likes of Pilley, Andy Holt and Neville are giving a decent insight in to what is going on and possible outcomes. The owners of Tranmere are doing a live chat tonight I think.

[marky No.1]

Behind closed doors and watch it at home looking more likely

https://www.tottonline.co.uk/efl-open-l ... upporters/

[Keith]

Behind closed doors and watch it at home looking more likely

https://www.tottonline.co.uk/efl-open-l ... upporters/

Not like footballers would get hot & sweaty, offering the virus an easy transmission. And we know it is a non-contact game, so players don't touch each other. And they never wipe their hands on their faces while running around, so what could possibly go wrong? Football while maintaining social distancing then?

[RapidShrimp]

Behind closed doors and watch it at home looking more likely

https://www.tottonline.co.uk/efl-open-l ... upporters/

Not like footballers would get hot & sweaty, offering the virus an easy transmission. And we know it is a non-contact game, so players don't touch each other. And they never wipe their hands on their faces while running around, so what could possibly go wrong? Football while maintaining social distancing then?

From previous articles I’ve read, it’s likely that there’ll be covid-19 tests for every member of both the clubs playing against each other, with the players possibly all staying together for ‘pre-season camps’ so there is no outside contact. The Prem apparently were considering playing all the remaining fixtures in Birmingham with the players and coaching staff isolating from everyone else and all the games taking place in secret locations!

[redrobo]

I still feel that this season will be declared null and void particularly in light of the disturbing prediction of a leading medical brain that we can expect at least a second wave in the near future. If true then that will have serious consequencies in terms of the nations well being let alone sporting events.

Even for a resumption of games behind closed doors it would still pose questions as to whether it is possible in terms of safety to players and officials.

For instance how do you keep players apart from each other when travelling on a coach for an away game?

If an away game involves an overnight stay the will hotels be open?

It isn't possible for players not to come into contact with an opposition player or will our sport become a non contact sport?

One thing for sure is that whatever is decided there will be disagreements about the outcome. Already Pilley and one of the Neville brothers have differing opinions of whether the season should continue whatever the timing may be. I can see huge disagreements and arguments taking place in the not too distant future.

[Keith]

From previous articles I’ve read, it’s likely that there’ll be covid-19 tests for every member of both the clubs playing against each other, with the players possibly all staying together for ‘pre-season camps’ so there is no outside contact. The Prem apparently were considering playing all the remaining fixtures in Birmingham with the players and coaching staff isolating from everyone else and all the games taking place in secret locations!

Trouble is, they'd need to test them, then keep them all in isolation, even from each other, for a minimum of 14 days due to the incubation period, and have repeat tests from then on. If one player or member of staff gets it, then what? All teams who played against that player's team would all need to go in to isolation.

While some football would be great right now, even via iFollow, I'd be surprised if they can get it started again in time.

[fulwoodshrimp]

I thought some of our defenders had been operating social distancing all season?

[MFC-Manc]

From previous articles I’ve read, it’s likely that there’ll be covid-19 tests for every member of both the clubs playing against each other, with the players possibly all staying together for ‘pre-season camps’ so there is no outside contact. The Prem apparently were considering playing all the remaining fixtures in Birmingham with the players and coaching staff isolating from everyone else and all the games taking place in secret locations!

Trouble is, they'd need to test them, then keep them all in isolation, even from each other, for a minimum of 14 days due to the incubation period, and have repeat tests from then on. If one player or member of staff gets it, then what? All teams who played against that player's team would all need to go in to isolation.

While some football would be great right now, even via iFollow, I'd be surprised if they can get it started again in time.

Saying now they are unsure if they antibody test will even work and there is no guarantee having it makes you immune.....
Nothing will change until a cure or vaccine is found.

[Gone_Shrimping]

A big back page article in today's Mail On Sunday says that EFL League 1 and League 2 clubs are desperate to call off the 2019/2020 season now. Andy Holt of Accy says in the article that it would cost them half a £million to finish the season.

[redrobo]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... games.html

So what do you think should happen....

I've been very clear on our forum that the EFL has to decide to make this season null and void, with no promotion or relegation.

If as is suggested by the Accy Chairman that the cost could be £500,000 then surely common sense has to prevail. How can our club sustain that kind of figure just to complete a season...

Ridiculous to even contemplate such an idea of a restart.

Some clubs would almost certainly go out of business...


However as always there is a differing opinion from certain clubs...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sport ... d-off.html

[Posh]

As it affect us:

Div 1 - Relegate Bolton and Southend - as they're virtually down anyway
Div 2 - Promote the Top 3 and relegate Stevenage - as they're well adrift
National League - Promote Barrow and Harrogate Town as top 2.

We'd then lose one Northern(ish) team and gain three.

[mrpotatohead]

Personally think that if the season isnt finished it's not feasible to promote or relegate anyone, Leicester were being written off a few seasons ago and then suddenly became unbeatable got out of danger, and then in a year were Prem champions, so anything is possible, best thing is to end the season making the top club in each division champions, and aim to start afresh in September.

[Gone_Shrimping]

My personal opinion is that they won't relegate Stevenage. Their chairman would take legal action due to further points deductions not being imposed on Macclesfield for cancelling the home game with Plymouth due to a players strike for wages not being paid as well as several further late/non-payment of wages. If the national League is null and void then Barrow will stay where they are and that would get the EFL off the hook by not relegating Stevenage. I think League 2 will run with 23 clubs in 2020/2021 although if they don't do something soon some may go under before next season.

[Little Shrimp]

Crowning a side as champions/promoting etc is probably a little less 'angsty' than relegating.

I'd say the only sides in the country who have their fates effectively sealed already are Liverpool as PL champions, and Southend and Bolton being relegated (16 and 18 points adrift). Could maybe make a case for Leeds and Stevenage too based on their recent runs of form going into the lockdown (Leeds with five wins on the bounce, and Stevenage losing nine in a row).

Bury's expulsion might be a way in for Barrow. Even though they're well adrift and nailed on for relegation, dropping out of the Football League is massive and Stevenage will likely kick up a big fuss. No relegation from L2, Barrow promoted, top three go into L1 while Southend and Bolton get relegated could be a handy fix that would avoid some fuss and get 24 sides back into both divisions. Although this wouldn't be helped by how tight it is at the top of L2, could cause some anger there (although 3rd place Plymouth are 3pts clear and them Crewe and Swindon are probably the deserved promotion winners this season).

[marky No.1]

https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/mo ... ll-2543885

[Keith]

https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/morecambe-fc/morecambe-await-further-information-planning-any-return-football-2543885

Even things like, what if a player gets injured and requires hospital treatment? Where do they go, with facilities already stretched? Can they re-join the squad or would they go in to isolation? If a player is out of contract and is signing for another team, if, as suggested, they roll on to month by month contracts, what happens if they become injured? Do the existing club compensate the 'new' club? Or will players simply not give 100%?

[marky No.1]

https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/morecambe-fc/morecambe-await-further-information-planning-any-return-football-2543885

Even things like, what if a player gets injured and requires hospital treatment? Where do they go, with facilities already stretched? Can they re-join the squad or would they go in to isolation? If a player is out of contract and is signing for another team, if, as suggested, they roll on to month by month contracts, what happens if they become injured? Do the existing club compensate the 'new' club? Or will players simply not give 100%?

All your questions sum up why nobody has or wants to make a decision, impossible decision, but ultimately there will have to be one

[Brian S]

https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/morecambe-fc/morecambe-await-further-information-planning-any-return-football-2543885

Even things like, what if a player gets injured and requires hospital treatment? Where do they go, with facilities already stretched? Can they re-join the squad or would they go in to isolation? If a player is out of contract and is signing for another team, if, as suggested, they roll on to month by month contracts, what happens if they become injured? Do the existing club compensate the 'new' club? Or will players simply not give 100%?

To have 22 players in close contact on a football field at a time when supporters aren't allowed in the ground for social distancing reasons is pure lunacy. They shouldn't even be thinking of such things at this time, there's more important things to do like staying alive.