[spireiterob]

Looking at it it appears that the EFL is hoping to continue behind closed doors eventually and flogging tickets virtually with the opportunity to watch via Ifollow (remember that). Given that many National League teams squad and staff will be furloughed (while they aren't playing?) and with the income opportunities in NL for many with that scenario limited, (Sure it will be a push for many in the league)...i don't see it being financially realistic. However if the EFL go along with it then surely someone needs to be promoted from the NL? Complete mess and the financial disparity will hurt too many outside the PL.

Added to that the capacity to provide online streams in the NL would appear pie in the sky given we have had to rely on mobile phone commentaries for coverage at on occasion at some clubs due to lack of facilities!

This post has been edited by spireiterob: 12 April 2020 - 10:08 PM

[firedodger]

dim view, on 12 April 2020 - 09:20 AM, said:

set me thinking this. Nowt else to do.
Why not extend the current competition into a 'play each other 4 times over two seasons, finishing in April 2021?

So when we start again the league table is as it is and we go from there. Funding from the League, contracts, signings happen as normal in the usual slots and prize money is either doubled in 2021 or paid out after all teams have played each other twice. Any club that can prove genuine financial hardship because of this system can apply for a COVID 19 grant.

For us, fully expecting to continue in the NL next season, it would be business as usual except that we start 26 points behind Barrow.

There must be a catch, don't be too hard on me.

Why the obsession with some sort of closure for this season? We have no realistic idea when current restrictions will be relaxed or completely lifted and as such no idea when football will be played again. Decisions can’t be made until these issues are cleared up.
For me (and certainly the longer current circumstances go on) it’s a void season which has no bearing on subsequent competitions, these are unprecedented times and concerns over who goes up and down, wins what or qualifies for what all must take a back seat to public health concerns.

[Middle East]

firedodger, on 12 April 2020 - 11:51 PM, said:

Why the obsession with some sort of closure for this season? We have no realistic idea when current restrictions will be relaxed or completely lifted and as such no idea when football will be played again. Decisions can’t be made until these issues are cleared up.
For me (and certainly the longer current circumstances go on) it’s a void season which has no bearing on subsequent competitions, these are unprecedented times and concerns over who goes up and down, wins what or qualifies for what all must take a back seat to public health concerns.

Couldn't agree more Worty! In my opinion they should also void the previous 4 seasons too....

[firedodger]

Middle East, on 13 April 2020 - 06:24 AM, said:

Couldn't agree more Worty! In my opinion they should also void the previous 4 seasons too....

🤣

[60s 70s Spireite]

moondog, on 11 April 2020 - 04:08 PM, said:

Ooops, SORRY, I must be going senile, it was the Scottish Vote that stood at 85% with some votes still to come in

Talking of the Scottish vote, this has now been completed and as a result, the season has been declared as finished, Dundee United have been named as winners of the Championship, with Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers taking the League One and Two titles respectively. Patrick and Stranraer are to be relegated from their leagues. End of season payouts will now be delivered.
Wonder if this is a precedent the National League is looking to follow?

[moondog]

60s 70s Spireite, on 15 April 2020 - 07:54 PM, said:

Talking of the Scottish vote, this has now been completed and as a result, the season has been declared as finished, Dundee United have been named as winners of the Championship, with Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers taking the League One and Two titles respectively. Patrick and Stranraer are to be relegated from their leagues. End of season payouts will now be delivered.
Wonder if this is a precedent the National League is looking to follow?

I'll be surprised if it isn't, I expect everyone will be watching the fall out from it first though. I notice you say Dundee United just named winners with no confirmation of promotion which will be dependent on the Premier League relegating a team, which would be Hearts if the same criteria is applied.

[60s 70s Spireite]

moondog, on 15 April 2020 - 08:56 PM, said:

I'll be surprised if it isn't, I expect everyone will be watching the fall out from it first though. I notice you say Dundee United just named winners with no confirmation of promotion which will be dependent on the Premier League relegating a team, which would be Hearts if the same criteria is applied.

I have seen talk of expanding the number of teams in the Scottish Premier League to avoid that.
Meanwhile Patrick are apparently lining up lawyers to challenge their demotion. There’s no easy solution out there.

[Westbars Spireite]

Maybe if 20 EFL clubs go bust we’ll be invited back into the FL.

[JonB]

moondog, on 15 April 2020 - 08:56 PM, said:

I'll be surprised if it isn't, I expect everyone will be watching the fall out from it first though. I notice you say Dundee United just named winners with no confirmation of promotion which will be dependent on the Premier League relegating a team, which would be Hearts if the same criteria is applied.

That'll be Hearts who have already threatened to take legal action if the season is declared ended and they are relegated on the back of it.

https://www.edinburg...-season-2455758

[Tha Knows...]

Not surprised by legal cases arising. When a season cannot be completed, Clubs should not be placed in a worse position than when it started. Madness imo.

This post has been edited by Spire-Power: 16 April 2020 - 08:25 AM

[60s 70s Spireite]

JonB, on 16 April 2020 - 07:55 AM, said:

That'll be Hearts who have already threatened to take legal action if the season is declared ended and they are relegated on the back of it.

https://www.edinburg...-season-2455758

The solution Hearts fancy would be that the Scottish Premier League is expanded so there’s no relegation from the top tier.
https://www.bbc.co.u...otball/52297066

[firedodger]

Spire-Power, on 16 April 2020 - 08:25 AM, said:

Not surprised by legal cases arising. When a season cannot be completed, Clubs should not be placed in a worse position than when it started. Madness imo.

Absolutely, if a match is abandoned you don’t just take the score when the game stopped the whole thing is replayed. You can’t just finish a season where it is when nothing is mathematically certain. It has to be either finished properly or declared null and void.

[60s 70s Spireite]

firedodger, on 16 April 2020 - 09:37 AM, said:

Absolutely, if a match is abandoned you don’t just take the score when the game stopped the whole thing is replayed. You can’t just finish a season where it is when nothing is mathematically certain. It has to be either finished properly or declared null and void.

The scores of abandoned games is sometimes taken as the final score when the cause was say a pitch invasion, a protest or a disaster (eg the Bradford City fire).

[CFC91]

In my opinion, for the integrity of the game we should be finishing this season, and it should be a priority over starting next season on time.

Every league next season won't be a true reflection of what it should be if we null and void this year.

Plus the Leeds, Liverpools, West Broms of the world will be straight to court as I imagine will the teams in Scotland like Partick who have been relegated despite being 2 points adrift with a game in hand

It's not a priority now and it shouldnt be but i'd rather us finish this season one way or another (play it, PPG or whatever) than declare it null and void.

This post has been edited by CFC91: 16 April 2020 - 10:25 AM

[Benno Spire]

CFC91, on 16 April 2020 - 10:24 AM, said:

In my opinion, for the integrity of the game we should be finishing this season, and it should be a priority over starting next season on time.

Every league next season won't be a true reflection of what it should be if we null and void this year.

Plus the Leeds, Liverpools, West Broms of the world will be straight to court as I imagine will the teams in Scotland like Partick who have been relegated despite being 2 points adrift with a game in hand

It's not a priority now and it shouldnt be but i'd rather us finish this season one way or another (play it, PPG or whatever) than declare it null and void.

Personally I would have liked to have seen the season fully completed with games played Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday over 3 weeks but there are many reasons especially in National League why this can't happen. The main problem is where clubs have set contract end dates of end of April. If the season can't be restarted until June then is it more cost effective to end the season by end of April or extend players contracts until season is over weighing those costs against match day income.

[Tha Knows...]

We all accept a sports competition is an irrelevance compared to our health. I think the phrase integrity of the game is in itself rather grand, but any integrity would be undermined by a farcical points per game strategy. If they do that at least the legal challenges might be entertaining!

[mr. smith]

Spire-Power, on 16 April 2020 - 10:49 AM, said:

We all accept a sports competition is an irrelevance compared to our health. I think the phrase integrity of the game is in itself rather grand, but any integrity would be undermined by a farcical points per game strategy. If they do that at least the legal challenges might be entertaining!

posh way of saying money owed to the broadcasters.

[CFC91]

Spire-Power, on 16 April 2020 - 10:49 AM, said:

We all accept a sports competition is an irrelevance compared to our health. I think the phrase integrity of the game is in itself rather grand, but any integrity would be undermined by a farcical points per game strategy. If they do that at least the legal challenges might be entertaining!

I just think you couldn't take any of the next few seasons seriously knowing that some of the teams in the leagues shouldn't be there, and some aren't there that should be there. For me the priority has to be finishing the current one 100%. Feel for teams like Pompey and Salford who have got to cup finals who are facing the possibility of never playing them (won't happen) or playing them behind closed doors.

No winner in all of this, apart from maybe the broadcasters.

One way or another I think it has to be settled, and it will be.

Was on a call with the FL this morning and it won't be null and void, and rightly so.

This post has been edited by CFC91: 16 April 2020 - 01:19 PM

[Wooden Spoon]

60s 70s Spireite, on 15 April 2020 - 09:10 PM, said:

I have seen talk of expanding the number of teams in the Scottish Premier League to avoid that.
Meanwhile Patrick are apparently lining up lawyers to challenge their demotion. There’s no easy solution out there.

I suppose it’s the only way Gary will have his record of relegating every club he’s been at broken

[60s 70s Spireite]

Bit of an update on the NL story from the BBC. Poll shows a split vote.
https://www.bbc.co.u...otball/52316971
And Patrick won’t mount a legal challenge to their relegation. Interesting reasoning.
https://www.bbc.co.u...otball/52315021

This post has been edited by 60s 70s Spireite: 17 April 2020 - 08:31 AM