After Coronavirus - What next for league football? (poll)

[Indian Dan]

I’d imagine Stevenage have accepted their fate. I’d ppg the rest - 4-7, if possible, play off, single games only. If not possible promote the 4th placed team. If clubs are as worried as they say about elongating the season for games that might not even take place, I’d imagine the vast majority would appreciate shutting up shop right now.

 

[Super_horns]

But failure is never rewarded in any league season (unless a club goes kaput), so why should it be this season? Why should teams who've worked hard for over 80% of a season have it all go to waste and lose out on a chance the increased revenue a promotion would bring and a greater chance to retain your best players? I'd be arguing this if we were 12th or 24th.

Season must be completed as and whenever possible because integrity is what the game is all about. I know we'd benefit from any proposal to end the season that had promotion scenarios within it, and I do think if we have to do it then we must pursue promotion/no relegation as a last resort, but I'd rather continue the season. There's a great promotion and playoff race occurring in this division and everyone deserves their chance to finish it.

Agreed- was referring to the chairmen who want the season to end.

 

[Chris FGR]

End the season now, using ppg is the most sensible option. Anything else doesn't make financial sense at this level tbh.

Not sure how anyone will be able to plan for next season though.

 

[Indian Dan]

In a way, all that ending the season now does is kick the can down the road.
You’re right - how can anyone plan for whenever the next season starts. Sign players on contracts that may not actually play until 2021. The behind closed doors scenario remains - not financially viable for lower league clubs.

I can imagine, perhaps, fans being allowed back but sitting only and no 2 people seated next to each other. How that would work for those clubs still with predominantly terraced standing I don’t know.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

In a way, all that ending the season now does is kick the can down the road.
You’re right - how can anyone plan for whenever the next season starts. Sign players on contracts that may not actually play until 2021. The behind closed doors scenario remains - not financially viable for lower league clubs.

I can imagine, perhaps, fans being allowed back but sitting only and no 2 people seated next to each other. How that would work for those clubs still with predominantly terraced standing I don’t know.

Nor do we know how many teams there will be next year.

 

[Indian Dan]

According to Nixon a ‘big’ club in L2 is really struggling financially and is desperate for the season to be brought to a conclusion.

Can’t be many to choose from.

Bradford Plymouth Swindon. Any other likely candidates?

 

[Greenacres]

Oldham maybe, I would consider them to be a pretty big team...and I think they have been having a few financial difficulties.

There aren't too many to add to those mentioned by Indian Dan...Port Vale, Grimsby or Exeter maybe, but most of us aren't really considered big clubs.

 

[T.A]

According to Nixon a ‘big’ club in L2 is really struggling financially and is desperate for the season to be brought to a conclusion.

Can’t be many to choose from.

Bradford Plymouth Swindon. Any other likely candidates?

How is the season being brought to a conclusion going to help? EFL have already said all games are going behind closed doors.

 

[Indian Dan]

Because L2 chairmen are going to decide what is best for their clubs not the EFL. Clubs won’t last waiting for games that may not even go ahead. They can’t afford to keep players under contract. One had already said he’ll bin every single player, put his club is footballing hibernation and worry about any legal action later.

This isn’t about whether your club ends up 1st or last - it’s about surviving.

 

[Super_horns]

The Scottish first minister isn't expecting any sport for quite sometime..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1252207865063968774

 

[Boletus Edulis]

According to Nixon a ‘big’ club in L2 is really struggling financially and is desperate for the season to be brought to a conclusion.

Can’t be many to choose from.

Bradford Plymouth Swindon. Any other likely candidates?

Unless Hallett is lying or lost all his money I doubt it is us. All clubs will be hurting but, I don’t sense we are yet hurting to the extent of what Nixon’s point suggests.

 

[T.A]

Because L2 chairmen are going to decide what is best for their clubs not the EFL. Clubs won’t last waiting for games that may not even go ahead. They can’t afford to keep players under contract. One had already said he’ll bin every single player, put his club is footballing hibernation and worry about any legal action later.

This isn’t about whether your club ends up 1st or last - it’s about surviving.

Certainly changed your tune from deciding who is getting promoted to clubs just surviving all of a sudden.

 

[Indian Dan]

You have to be realistic. If the season is wound up now we’ll get promoted. That doesn’t mean jack shit to any club if it’s still not around to contest next season.

 

[Conker]

I’m against anybody being promoted or relegated if they haven’t actually achieve that.

I include Stevenage in this, unfortunately.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

According to Nixon a ‘big’ club in L2 is really struggling financially and is desperate for the season to be brought to a conclusion.

Can’t be many to choose from.

Bradford Plymouth Swindon. Any other likely candidates?

I never believe Nixon. The bloke works for the Sun, is a known bullshitter and will twist words to suit his agenda. I'm sure there are cash flow problems at most clubs in this league because of the virus. Why would they tell Nixon of all people that they were fucked?

His claims that all 24 owners were having a Zoom meeting today were quashed by Walsall. So take anything he says with a pinch of salt.

 

[Indian Dan]

You would if you were in the top 3. Easy to have that view if it makes absolutely no difference to your club. In fact, what difference does it make to you?

why should the achievements of 36/37 games just be binned?

 

[Laker]

But failure is never rewarded in any league season (unless a club goes kaput), so why should it be this season? Why should teams who've worked hard for over 80% of a season have it all go to waste and lose out on a chance the increased revenue a promotion would bring and a greater chance to retain your best players? I'd be arguing this if we were 12th or 24th.

Season must be completed as and whenever possible because integrity is what the game is all about. I know we'd benefit from any proposal to end the season that had promotion scenarios within it, and I do think if we have to do it then we must pursue promotion/no relegation as a last resort, but I'd rather continue the season. There's a great promotion and playoff race occurring in this division and everyone deserves their chance to finish it.

Season can’t be completed if it doesn’t happen before 30th June as players contracts will end and those in mid table will just sack it off with youngsters and cheap players (quite understandably) - would make a farce of any integrity in the game. Games behind closed doors will be devastating for clubs in Leagues 1 and 2.

Season has to end and the play offs shouldn’t happen either. Then promotion/relegation can be determined (I’ve got a different opinion to Dan but there you go) and then clubs can stay “hibernating” until some time frame is figured out. After that, pre season and new season can begin - get the players fit, allow clubs to sign/sell players and prepare the league they know they’re going to be in etc. Will save more clubs this way and won’t be a farcical set of games to determine promotion and relegation.

 

[AdamStag]

Obviously mansfield can’t go up or down (technically we can but more likely to find maddie McCann), but I wouldn’t want the season cancelled.

However, clubs will need help from the FL or whoever at some stage soon if this carries on

 

[Indian Dan]

So what happens if the next season doesn’t start until some time in 2021? How many will survive that? I honestly can’t see any live sport this year.

 

[chipmunx]

I work in a petrol station that all the emergency services in the area use - so talk regularly to Police and Ambulance Services etc. They have a far better grasp on what's going on that everybody else.
Consensus is that this isn't going away any time soon - we are looking (or should be looking) for most measures to be here for 3 months (we are in week 5 now) I'd already been told pubs would be lucky to open before the end of the year and one of the papers today suggested the same. They also say sports is only just ahead of pubs on priority. Sport with crowds of any size won't be happening much before the year end either. We should forget about this season...

 

[Laker]

So what happens if the next season doesn’t start until some time in 2021? How many will survive that? I honestly can’t see any live sport this year.

If it doesn’t happen til next year that’s beyond all of our control and clubs will go to the wall unless there’s significant funding coming from the EFL or the Premier League.

 

[AdamStag]

Maybe they should use clubs with no fans - Macclesfield, Crawley and Stevenage and use them as a test case for allowing fans back into grounds. Measured approach

 

[Indian Dan]

They have fans - same as the rest of us. No club deserves to be fucked by this virus.

 

[AdamStag]

They have fans - same as the rest of us. No club deserves to be fucked by this virus.

Well obviously it’s tongue in cheek, but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the lower league clubs are allowed first, where numbers aren’t so high. I think it’s quite likely fans at league clubs might be allowed to games before premiership.

 

[Indian Dan]

I don’t think they’ll discriminate. Imagine games being played with fans in L2 and hordes descending from all over the place to get their fix.

I do wonder if clubs can survive even if they’re mothballed for months on end. I can still see owners bailing out if their clubs start impacting financially on their core businesses.

 

[Indian Dan]

I never believe Nixon. The bloke works for the Sun, is a known bullshitter and will twist words to suit his agenda. I'm sure there are cash flow problems at most clubs in this league because of the virus. Why would they tell Nixon of all people that they were fucked?

His claims that all 24 owners were having a Zoom meeting today were quashed by Walsall. So take anything he says with a pinch of salt.

The meeting is tomorrow

 

[valefan16]

Oldham maybe, I would consider them to be a pretty big team...and I think they have been having a few financial difficulties.

There aren't too many to add to those mentioned by Indian Dan...Port Vale, Grimsby or Exeter maybe, but most of us aren't really considered big clubs.

Wouldn’t be us, we are financially pretty well off and have the Man City money to cover our arse for a bit just worn go on players, we are on of the few clubs in L2 not to action the pay cuts the clubs agreed on and don’t think we’ve furloughed
as yet.

We’ve stated we want the season finished (obvious in our position).

Had this happened under Smurf mind doesn’t bear thinking about.

 

[Chris FGR]

Big team? At least it definitely isn't us then.

 

[AdamStag]

Wouldn’t be us, we are financially pretty well off and have the Man City money to cover our arse for a bit just worn go on players, we are on of the few clubs in L2 not to action the pay cuts the clubs agreed on and don’t think we’ve furloughed
as yet.

We’ve stated we want the season finished (obvious in our position).

Had this happened under Smurf mind doesn’t bear thinking about.

There aren’t any big clubs in league 2

The only ones that pretend to be (Notts county were great at this before being relegated) are ones who bang on about being important sometime in the distant past which is completely irrelevant to now.

 

[Conker]

You would if you were in the top 3. Easy to have that view if it makes absolutely no difference to your club. In fact, what difference does it make to you?

why should the achievements of 36/37 games just be binned?

No I wouldn’t, so don’t make that assumption.

I’m not a hypocrite, and it’s pretty simple to understand the mindset, if nobody has actually achieved promotion or got relegated then it’s unfair to do so.

We ALL went in with the same understanding at the start of the season, If Mansfield were in a promotion spot now it would be quite frankly hugely underwhelming, but most importantly undeserved to give us the promotion.