The EFL, Premier League and PFA all met earlier today to discuss the the financial impact that the coronavirus might have on English Football.
We already know that games are suspended until, at the earliest, the end of next month, although many of us, rightly or wrong, believe that when that date arrives games will be again postponed.
It has been agreed that the EFL, PFA and PL will work together with more meetings scheduled for next week when they say that ‘difficult decisions will have to be taken.’
But what will happen?
Already this week we have seen all English football below the National League end with all results expunged which means there will be no promotion or relegation – which, although doesn’t seem fair, at least they haven’t been left in limbo wondering what’s happening like our team and fans at Rotherham United.
We don’t know what’s going to happen with this season. It could be, like the lower leagues, it ends and it’s as though this season never was, the teams could play behind closed doors which, because of the stay two metres away from others, would be very difficult or it could carry on when all is safe to carry on our lives. But, we have no idea when that will be.
Rotherham United have closed the New York Stadium but Millers fans are still able to buy merchandise via the online shop while being kept up to date on the Official Site.
Keep Safe.
Up The Millers.
Caz, the decision on the lower leagues was irrational and wrong. Most teams have played more than 75% of fixtures and that is enough to give a reasonably fair representation on performance (not perfect but pretty good) and any anomalies in numbers of games played could be easily sorted by applying an appropriate factor. It cannot be right to penalise a team 12 points clear at the top or reward one 10 points adrift at the bottom. People pay ticket money to watch competitive football and to effectively tell them they have watched 30-odd meaningless friendlies at full price is a disgrace.
I agree with you Kevin. But, as I said, at least they know. Everything for us in the Football League and above is still undecided and the powers who be just don’t seem to be coming to any conclusion. Obviously, for them, it is easier to cancel the season and I think they’ve probably ‘tested the water’, so to speak, by seeing what reaction they got from doing it to the lower leagues.
Caz, it might be easier but it’s not right. If you end the season with teams in their current (or adjusted) position and award promotion, relegation, Champions League places etc on that basis no one could really complain. They might argue they could have improved their position over the remaining games but that’s hypothetical and I think in law it would be considered “too remote” to justify a claim. If you instead abandon the season the clubs and fans who will be cheated – Liverpool, Leeds, Coventry etc etc – will never forgive or forget and it will leave a legacy of bitterness that will endure.
to caz and kev it cant be right to do religation and promotion on currant points with ten or eleven games still left.Think back a few seasons and neil warnocks miracle with the millers when they looked doomed it could happen again at another club.My opinion is the season should be wrote off and start again next season hard to take i know but it seems the only fair way to me..
Carlton, one problem with the “write-off and start again” argument is that it presupposes Covid-19 will be largely over in a year or so. It won’t. Most experts are reckoning on several periods of intense lockdown over perhaps two to three years assuming a successful vaccine can be produced, put into mass production and given to billions of people. It’s highly likely in my view that a couple or more football seasons will be affected. Who is going to buy a season ticket knowing that season may well be scrapped again?
It’s pretty frightening put like that isn’t it, Kev. As CinL says, let’s hope they find that vaccine very soon. If, as you say, it could affect more seasons then it could be that we play three months, have three months off etc and work it like that for two or three years. But that doesn’t help this current season does it. I’ve seen the UEFA President thinks the season could well be ‘lost’ if it’s impossible to start again by the end of June. If they do try to finish this season at the beginning of next season I can see us playing catch-up for years.
Kev if what you say about covid 19 happens it seems to me they will have run the game to fit in with the virus lets hope they find a vaccine soon to improve things ive got a few medical problems and need it
carlton, there are three of us old codgers living together here and I share your hopes and anxieties. Stay safe.
you three old codgers stay safe and fit too