Athletic Article: League One and Two Seasons to be abandoned next week

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Depends on the wages of players. A kid in our Academy is more than likely going to be fine as they're on lesser wages than your average players.

But the marquee lads on £4000 a week in this division are going to find themselves having to take a massive reduction and fast.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

when we have commitment that games will be restarted we would probably offer contracts for that planned restart date.
As I said the trust has some rainy day money that is set aside for this kind of event.

Plus we are expecting a windfall from a future ollie watkins sale which will help a bit. 20% clause.

Thanks Mr Door, very clear and looks like you should be okay for a while. Though I am not sure many league 2 and 1 sides can bank on the windfalls they expect from further up the greasy pole being paid on time.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

My guess is as soon as the season is abandoned tomorrow, the retained lists are about to pop out in the next week or so and I think 90% of those out of contract will find themselves in the wilderness for the foreseeable.

Apart from maybe James Jones due to his age, gonna be sad to see three of our most experienced players more than likely go who have been so integral in our revival the past 3 years.

I got the sense from that interview with Ryan Lowe that what he would do is offer a player a contract, but make no reference to what the molar will be. A sort of retained contract, for which I guess the player would get something, but not actually know their salary until we start again.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Simon Jordan saying give EFL clubs £1 billion with £750 million to the Championship, £150 million to League One and £100 million to League Two is the stupidest idea I've ever heard.

Just means teams will overspend again once they're bailed out and we'll have learned nothing about the unsustainability of football if it gets bailed out to that extent...

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I got the sense from that interview with Ryan Lowe that what he would do is offer a player a contract, but make no reference to what the molar will be. A sort of retained contract, for which I guess the player would get something, but not actually know their salary until we start again.

I remember a football league chairman in this league years ago (could have been Torquay's) from a club lower down the food chain saying they slashed their basic wages but put heavily incentivised contracts (appearance fees were significantly higher than most clubs for example) so players would want to play and be more motivated to do well and earn their money. I think it went out of the window though because of the rise of non-league moneybags and clubs at this level spending money they didn't have.

I'm sure we operate with a slightly similar system to that for our homegrown lads already. Our system at Crewe was described as two-tiered so I guess experienced players are paid like most woudl pay them but the homegrown lads would be on a more incentivised pay packet with a litany of clauses to boost their pay up.

 

[Trapdoor]

Agreed. I don't think there should be any bailout. Let the basket case clubs fail.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

I remember a football league chairman in this league years ago (could have been Torquay's) from a club lower down the food chain saying they slashed their basic wages but put heavily incentivised contracts (appearance fees were significantly higher than most clubs for example) so players would want to play and be more motivated to do well and earn their money. I think it went out of the window though because of the rise of non-league moneybags and clubs at this level spending money they didn't have.

I'm sure we operate with a slightly similar system to that for our homegrown lads already. Our system at Crewe was described as two-tiered so I guess experienced players are paid like most woudl pay them but the homegrown lads would be on a more incentivised pay packet with a litany of clauses to boost their pay up.

Lowe has said several times, including that podcast, our players are incentivised heavily depending on their position. McFazdean was obviously on incentives for assists and when he scored four very quickly he said he should also have been on a goals bonus. I think the players have a £500 win bonus. I would expect a lot more of this model.

 

[Greenacres]

Lowe has said several times, including that podcast, our players are incentivised heavily depending on their position. McFazdean was obviously on incentives for assists and when he scored four very quickly he said he should also have been on a goals bonus. I think the players have a £500 win bonus. I would expect a lot more of this model.

This approach does make sense, certainly the last bit. There are many jobs where people are paid a bonus related to performance, particularly the likes of sales, maybe this could also apply to football. It could lead to teams having smaller squads and paying a fairly basic wage, as it might help make the whole thing sustainable. I think the current situation will force clubs to look at their wage structure and how many people they have on the payroll, which is probably overdue anyway, it seems obvious that the goose that kept laying golden eggs has been well and truly cooked.

 

[Indian Dan]

It has been mentioned that if there is any kind of bail out it would be administered independently from the clubs. For example, any bills, wages that needed paying would be paid by an auditor. Stops the more nefarious owners trousering it.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

This approach does make sense, certainly the last bit. There are many jobs where people are paid a bonus related to performance, particularly the likes of sales, maybe this could also apply to football. It could lead to teams having smaller squads and paying a fairly basic wage, as it might help make the whole thing sustainable. I think the current situation will force clubs to look at their wage structure and how many people they have on the payroll, which is probably overdue anyway, it seems obvious that the goose that kept laying golden eggs has been well and truly cooked.

Agreed. It looks like it was a deliberate policy to start to move to this model. I would expect us and others to accelerate such an approach.

 

[Indian Dan]

So, if the cowardly 6 in the PL want relegation scrapped in return for finishing the season at neutral venues, I presume that decision would cascade down the leagues and, in effect, halting all promotion/relegation and making any EFL decision about it tomorrow a waste of time.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

If I'm right Norwich and Sheffield United gave out very heavy bonuses last year despite players getting a fairly low basic salary.

Doesn't surprise you that they both romped to promotion ahead of clubs with massive budgets and massive overspending.

For me two transfers last Summer (when Bristol City signed a highly rated French lad from Monaco and when Reading signed George Puscas for £7.5 million) were the two that made me realise football really needed reform. Monaco were Champions League semi finalists recently and finalists in 2004, I know they had a bad year last year, but why give up the potential to play for a side out of the top flight for 40 years? And Puscas was so good at the U21 Euros why would you want to go and play for Reading for any reason other than money? It's the second tier of English football, it's hardly the pinnacle.

Reading fans on Twitter made me laugh the other week talking about Puscas, saying they didn't need to sell him and they were even talking about spending even more money on players without selling. I don't think so at spending wages 225% of your total revenue in the midst of a global pandemic...

I think there's a lot of realism in the lower leagues and non leagues about this crisis. But the money oriented PL and Championship fans really haven't got a clue that it'll hit them even harder than it'll hit us. It's why I laugh when I see the endless shouts for "null and void" from fans in these leagues purely because they don't like Liverpool or Leeds without realising that it'd come with a huge rebate and huge bill if they got their wish!

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

So, if the cowardly 6 in the PL want relegation scrapped in return for finishing the season at neutral venues, I presume that decision would cascade down the leagues and, in effect, halting all promotion/relegation and making any EFL decision about it tomorrow a waste of time.

Won't happen. Violates the tripartite and broadcast agreements. Big PL clubs will raise a motion to relegate three instead.

Feel for Norwich, they've not been anywhere near as obnoxious and vocal about it compared to Brighton and Villa. I'd relegate Brighton immediately given how hypocritical they are and how they've gone on about this. Suggesting integrity is key yet they won't play at neutral venues but they expect to still pocket Sky cash regardless if the season isn't continued? Fuck them. Do they not remember where they've come from? Being destitute at an athletics stadium a decade ago and now they luck it into the Prem and start thinking they're football royalty? Paul Barber and Dan Ashworth are the epitome of suits that are doing all they can to ruin the game and the sooner these people are out of the game, the better.

 

[Indian Dan]

Ditto Bournemouth

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Ditto Bournemouth

They've been less vocal but I can believe they share the same reasoning.

Thing is Brighton have gone about it as obnoxiously as they have because the only scenario that won't benefit them is being forced to complete the season. You know, that game they have to play with the round ball so broadcasters pay them every year? And when that slaphead CEO they have keeps loving the airtime he's getting, you just know he was the same bloke who hired Graham Potter to great fanfare, the same bloke who extended his contract to a 5 year one because they beat Spurs 3-0 early in the season. Except they haven't won in 2020 and look odds on to go down, so it's quite obvious the owner will give him, his hand picked manager and his cronie Ashworth the boot if they go down and are forced to downsize...

They are desperate to keep things at a standstill to the extent that they'd rather every PL club be forced to pay a rebate to keep Brighton in the league, than get relegated and face an uncertain future regarding parachute payments. It stinks. Don't be shit, then you won't have to worry about relegation. Vile club run by vile corporate wankers.

 

[Indian Dan]

Well, Boris has given the green light. Wonder if the bottom 6 will show the yellow light

"Step 2 of government's recovery strategy includes "permitting cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed-doors for broadcast, while avoiding the risk of large-scale social contact".
Current aim is that this step "will be made no earlier than Monday 1 June". "

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I really don't want to be cynical or accusing people of lying, but if Project Restart gets granted I can put money on Paul Barber coming out saying half the team have Corona to force his own way. Class and morals are out of the window as far as money is concerned.

Football really shouldn't restart in these uncertain times, but when you see how the majority want to restart the season for the sake of their own futures yet Brighton are milking their situation and not giving a fuck about the rest of the game because they'd be one of the least to suffer from it, it breeds nothing but contempt.

 

[Indian Dan]

I think any Coronavirus suspects will have to be independently verified by Health England

 

[AdamStag]

Well I think that decision has probably made up the minds of what’s going to happen to leagues 1 and 2

 

[chipmunx]

Well I think that decision has probably made up the minds of what’s going to happen to leagues 1 and 2

final tables and promotion and relegation based on (weighted) PPG then? With (or without?) Satanage getting relegated?

 

[AdamStag]

final tables and promotion and relegation based on (weighted) PPG then? With (or without?) Satanage getting relegated?

Stevenage will go down either way.

Apparently there’s a meeting in the EFL this week

 

[chipmunx]

Stevenage will go down either way.

Apparently there’s a meeting in the EFL this week

hopefully the NL will make a decision soon after....

 

[Indian Dan]

Brighton are changing their shirts to yellow, apparently.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Tony Stewart, Chairman of Rotherham, has said he expects Leagues 1 and 2 to be abandoned by no later than Thursday.

 

[Indian Dan]

I don’t think anybody realistically thinks otherwise. It’s what comes after that matters.

And for the record, if there is some sort of financial bail out that would ensure the survival of the 72 (71) I’d happily settle for another season in L2.

 

[Indian Dan]

Tony Stewart, Chairman of Rotherham, has said he expects Leagues 1 and 2 to be abandoned by no later than Thursday.

He also said that there should be promotion from L1 but no relegation - surprise, surprise. How can they vote on something that will invalidate any decision taken by L2.

 

[AdamStag]

He also said that there should be promotion from L1 but no relegation - surprise, surprise. How can they vote on something that will invalidate any decision taken by L2.

You can’t have promotion but no relegation haha

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

You can’t have promotion but no relegation haha

Unless he means the 22/24/24/22 proposal that some of us were on about in here a few weeks back. But the PL don't want to divide by 22 teams so that's a non-starter.

 

[Indian Dan]

What he means is that it’s more likely he’ll get approval for Rotherham to get promoted if the likely relegation candidates would also be saved. Another shyster

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

What he means is that it’s more likely he’ll get approval for Rotherham to get promoted if the likely relegation candidates would also be saved. Another shyster

Can't see how that'd even work because what if the Championship went to vote and Leeds or West Brom did the same thing? And the the PL obviously did the same thing?

Bloke's a loon.