Corona league one

[shoddycollins]

What'll happen to Bury if this season is voided?

They were kicked out for trangressions in 2019/20... if 2019/20 no longer exists then presumably neither to their transgressions.

Or is it going to be like when a match is abandoned and the score no longer stands but a player's suspension for a red card still does?

 

[Indian Dan]

There’ll be no next season.

 

[shoddycollins]

There’ll be no next season.

As in no 2020/21 season or as in no season 'next' after this one... ever?

 

[Indian Dan]

Can’t see this season being finished. Can’t see the next one being played either.

Huge game changer for a large number of clubs. Bye-bye to some, I fear.

Those with massive debts that need servicing will be dropped like a hot potato by some owners. A great opportunity for others to ditch their clubs and have the site ripe for redevelopment at a later date.

 

[shoddycollins]

Can’t see this season being finished. Can’t see the next one being played either.

Huge game changer for a large number of clubs. Bye-bye to some, I fear.

Those with massive debts that need servicing will be dropped like a hot potato by some owners. A great opportunity for others to ditch their clubs and have the site ripe for redevelopment at a later date.

My thoughts about next season, if it has to be truncated due to late start / need to finish this season first.

Reorganise the top 4 leagues currently 20,24,24,24 into 6 leagues of 12,16,16,16,16,16.

This means 16 fewer games need played across the board. Add the 9 or 10 needed to complete this season and you're still down by 6 on the number of games to be played if 2020/21 was to continue as normal. We can throw playoffs in too, hopefully though it may have to either be a one off final between the top two playoff sides, or no playoffs at all.

After this, the league will be returned to its familiar 20,24,24,24. In order that teams at every level have something to play for, it will be regionalised below the championship into North and South (if it wasn't then, for example the bottom division of 16 wouldn't be able to get into League 1 the following season)

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

I'd simply scrap any idea of completing this season; player contracts expire at the end of June, plus loanees return to their parent clubs, so squads after this point will have no resemblance to the rest of the season. Signing replacements will be practically impossible too - how do you conduct a medical from six feet away? Add in the financial cost to clubs and it's an untenable situation.

The best solution that somebody on our forum offered was to combine the two seasons by starting the '20-21 season (full quota of games) with teams on their current total from this year. Hence, our obnoxious Scouse neighbours will start with a 20 point head start, Bolton will still bear the twelve point penalty and Leeds will still be scum. This seems to be better than contentiously promoting/relegating teams; the play offs wouldn't be possible for a start, so promoting the third placed team would case uproar.

The main problem arises with the case of Bury, or any other teams that go bust in the meantime. In the case of Bury, you either have a full season of 23 clubs in league one, or run into some highly debatable circumstances if you promote teams from lower down the pyramid, especially with regard to the feeder leagues (i.e. Conference North/South). With regard to any other clubs go under, we'll have to just wait and see... hopefully the EFL intervene with more emergency funds. Whilst we are in the fortunate boat of being financially stable, we will struggle with regard to signing any players.

 

[shoddycollins]

The best solution that somebody on our forum offered was to combine the two seasons by starting the '20-21 season (full quota of games) with teams on their current total from this year. Hence, our obnoxious Scouse neighbours will start with a 20 point head start, Bolton will still bear the twelve point penalty and Leeds will still be scum. This seems to be better than contentiously promoting/relegating teams; the play offs wouldn't be possible for a start, so promoting the third placed team would case uproar.

I would argue that suggestion is a lot worse than most of the others I've heard. For ourselves as well as Tranmere this means fighting relegation for a whole extra year, instead of being virtually safe as we are now and looking forward to starting next season with a clean slate and a new manager hoping we can improve, the best we can hope for is that we don't find ourselves dragged back towards the bottom. I'm sure even the likes of Southend would probably concede they'd rather just get this season finished and plan for League Two than drag this out for another 12 months.

Any problems relating to contracts, squad turnover and transfer windows I'm sure can be smoothed over. It's not like the transfer window opening in July and players returning to their parent clubs is some sort of fundamental law of physics that can't be changed to suit whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, and I don't buy that somehow the season becomes meaningless because teams might end up conducting transfer activity before it is finished.

I'd rather we complete this season and either scrap next season in its entirety, or play some kind of season of friendlies and/or knockout tournaments than attempt to return to normality asap. As I said in the L2 coronavirus thread, completing 19/20 should be football's number one priority.

 

[Indian Dan]

Let’s be honest. Very best case scenario is 6 months for football to return. Let’s say Xmas. Finishing off this season would bring us to Feb. Then either use the next 3 months for the Cup competitions in some sort of group format.

Start afresh in August 2021 with whatever clubs are left.

 

[shoddycollins]

Let’s be honest. Very best case scenario is 6 months for football to return. Let’s say Xmas. Finishing off this season would bring us to Feb. Then either use the next 3 months for the Cup competitions in some sort of group format.

Start afresh in August 2021 with whatever clubs are left.

Suits me... could even find time to finish the 2019/20 FA Cup. Once the strictest restrictions are able to be lifted then players will need a month or more to train. But that could still mean 6 months. Assuming mass gatherings remain banned for a while after people are allowed to go out and do normal things again, players would be able to train.

 

[Muzzle]

Out of interest, how many players would you guys have, given that current contracts run out in June?

We would have 6 players left

 

[shoddycollins]

Out of interest, how many players would you guys have, given that current contracts run out in June?

We would have 6 players left

5, one of whom is a long term injury

 

[Shrimpurh]

I think this season will be cancelled hopefully next season will be okay and we recover from this quickly. No chance this season is going to finish before contracts run out.

 

[Camborne Gills]

and Leeds will still be scum

Hear hear

 

[Camborne Gills]

I think this season will be cancelled hopefully next season will be okay and we recover from this quickly. No chance this season is going to finish before contracts run out.

Is it really that difficult to extend contracts for a few extra weeks, under the circumstances?

 

[Camborne Gills]

Let’s be honest. Very best case scenario is 6 months for football to return. Let’s say Xmas. Finishing off this season would bring us to Feb. Then either use the next 3 months for the Cup competitions in some sort of group format.

Start afresh in August 2021 with whatever clubs are left.

Most sensible suggestion so far.

 

[WhiteRussian]

Is it really that difficult to extend contracts for a few extra weeks, under the circumstances?

How many clubs will want to renew contracts if there isn't a definite date for restarting playing and making some desperately needed money.

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

I would argue that suggestion is a lot worse than most of the others I've heard. For ourselves as well as Tranmere this means fighting relegation for a whole extra year, instead of being virtually safe as we are now and looking forward to starting next season with a clean slate and a new manager hoping we can improve, the best we can hope for is that we don't find ourselves dragged back towards the bottom. I'm sure even the likes of Southend would probably concede they'd rather just get this season finished and plan for League Two than drag this out for another 12 months.

Any problems relating to contracts, squad turnover and transfer windows I'm sure can be smoothed over. It's not like the transfer window opening in July and players returning to their parent clubs is some sort of fundamental law of physics that can't be changed to suit whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, and I don't buy that somehow the season becomes meaningless because teams might end up conducting transfer activity before it is finished.

I'd rather we complete this season and either scrap next season in its entirety, or play some kind of season of friendlies and/or knockout tournaments than attempt to return to normality asap. As I said in the L2 coronavirus thread, completing 19/20 should be football's number one priority.

I would too, but it's no fairer completing it with entirely different squads than it would be ending it now and enforcing debatable promotion and relegations. Basically, there's no solution that would suit everybody but I considered that to be one of the fairer suggestions that I've heard. On a personal level, we have more to lose than yourselves, as would go down on points per game as it stands, regardless of our upturn in form. You're right about Southend though - their fans have been moaning for months about how they're looking forward to it(!)

Regardless of that, like everybody else on here for their respective clubs, I'm very aware that we should have been at home to the illegitimate Dons today, and simply missing going and watching my team. They can show re-runs of Euro 96 etc however much they want, I couldn't care less.

 

[Shrimpurh]

Is it really that difficult to extend contracts for a few extra weeks, under the circumstances?

Everyone has to agree to it. Imagine it’s actually much more difficult than you think..

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

Is it really that difficult to extend contracts for a few extra weeks, under the circumstances?

Yes. All the clubs and players would have to agree it for a start, and how long would contracts be for given that we have no idea when the season could resume? Plus the idea of clubs having to pay for it with no gate receipts/transfers etc coming in - they'd never agree to it.

 

[Super_horns]

Sounds like it might be 6 months on and off of lockdown.

Guess it's so fluid day a day day nothing is certain.

And then you are into winter!

 

[KeithH]

What'll happen to Bury if this season is voided?

They were kicked out for trangressions in 2019/20... if 2019/20 no longer exists then presumably neither to their transgressions.

Or is it going to be like when a match is abandoned and the score no longer stands but a player's suspension for a red card still does?

They could very easily readmit, ask us for proof of funding and expel again. Saves them from the threat of lawsuits and serves their agenda perfectly.

 

[Luke Imp]

As I said in the NL forum, there's no easy way to do it.

Preference is always to finish the season, preferably with fans. If it can't be completed, you can't void it. I'd argue that with 7 or so games to play, there's more than enough to warrant PPG placings. It's not ideal and some will feel aggrieved but you can't void a season having played nearly 40 games. At this point, the table will be there or thereabouts, teams have had good runs and bad runs etc and you're pretty much going to be where you deserve to be. That obviously doesn't take into account strength of opposition left to play etc but as I say, there's not an easy or a fully fair way to do it.

But, the issue obviously runs far deeper that. Bolton and Southend will have accepted their fate, Tranmere will think they could stay up and the financial implications for, say, Fulham missing out on promotion due to it is huge, and runs into hundreds of millions of pounds.

I'd also not be keen on this drifting on and on and creating issues in the next season. There are player contracts to take into account as well. It's all well suggesting month-by-month rolling deals but will the playing of games cover that additional expenditure? That just makes the financial problems worse.

If we have to wait until June and finish it in one month before contract expiry then fair enough, we can start the season in September. But when the talk is about starting a new season in October/November or something daft then it's not the correct thing to do IMO.

 

[Muzzle]

I find it interesting that the PL, EFL, FA etc are making comments on what will happen. That decision is out of their hands, we could be looking at lease another 3 months of these social distance requirements. The issue at the moment are these testing kits, we can't even test the health workers, never mind the rest of the population, and until that happens, governments will not want to see a potential increase in cases, which means sport will stay on the back burner.

 

[Reremnart]

I find it interesting that the PL, EFL, FA etc are making comments on what will happen.

And I find it very interesting that there has been total silence from the PFA. I`m amazed they have not made a single comment, at least one that I have seen, regarding their members contracts, about clubs asking players to take pay cuts, regarding the possibly of their members being asked to play up to 10 games in 6 weeks etc. etc. Just what Gordon Taylor and his buddies are thinking about all the speculation is anybody guess.

 

[Super_horns]

Season finish in 56 days behind closed doors?

Would the players and managers agree to that ?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1248206395750731776

 

[Muzzle]

As has been said, how will some clubs pay the wages of players when no revenue coming in? I still believe players will need time to have a "pre-season", before they start again, they will be fit but I doubt match fit. Can't see it myself. I also note, that this idea has come without speaking to the body who will ultimately decide when the lock down will end...the government

 

[Super_horns]

What do you think of these top players and what they been doing or not doing over the past week - bad PR for them and been greedy or maybe been singled out a bit?

Know they have set up an NHS fund which is good but do get the feeling the horse has already bolted in terms of their relationship with fans (if they can about that..)

Mind you the ground will still be full up when football returns!

 

[Marked Ox]

What do you think of these top players and what they been doing or not doing over the past week - bad PR for them and been greedy or maybe been singled out a bit?

Know they have set up an NHS fund which is good but do get the feeling the horse has already bolted in terms of their relationship with fans (if they can about that..)

Mind you the ground will still be full up when football returns!

Tbf a number of top players have been doing things for a while (ie. Marcus Rashford and kids on free school meals).

 

[Super_horns]

Tbf a number of top players have been doing things for a while (ie. Marcus Rashford and kids on free school meals).

Yes and our players have been ringing fans in isolation whilst some clubs have offered help too.

Sadly most things it gets hidden in with the negative stuff.

 

[Marked Ox]

Season finish in 56 days behind closed doors?

Yes and our players have been ringing fans in isolation whilst some clubs have offered help too.

Sadly most things it gets hidden in with the negative stuff.

Aye. Oxford have been ringing around their older season tickets (my mum and dad both got calls) to check they are alright.

Jamie Mackie is going a bit stir crazy though :

https://twitter.com/x/status/1248309422532804610