Coronavirus

[slaphead]

At Aldershot maybe, but ours are paid the full 52 weeks.

Indeed, but I’ll wager you’ll find most clubs in this league only offer 44 weeks. Our players will be out of contract mid-May, so how do we fulfil our fixtures?

 

[Stocky]

Got a few texts saying that at 8pm tonight across the country that there will be people stood outside front doors and in gardens etc clapping if they think Fylde should be relegated. Will be interesting to see the consensus.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Indeed, but I’ll wager you’ll find most clubs in this league only offer 44 weeks. Our players will be out of contract mid-May, so how do we fulfil our fixtures?

You can have Myles Anderson back on loan if you fancy?

 

[AdamStag]

Bet Vauxhall motors are delighted.

Promoted with 7 games to go....

Oh.

 

[Aberstone]

Unless I'm missing something it doesn't make any difference scrapping or not - clubs would have to pay players regardless. The uncertainty is prolonged by the situation and decision makers. IMO Get the season finished (whenever that can be) and revise next season as and when.

Having said that, I'd choose a void over the PPG idea.

And why is that? Yet again mediocrity is being rewarded.

 

[Soup Ladle]

And why is that? Yet again mediocrity is being rewarded.

Do you mean why i'd void over PPG? Well because PPG is based on a predicted outcome, there are so many variables that happen over the season that it is not a fair way to finish a season off.

 

[#Beebot]

Indeed, but I’ll wager you’ll find most clubs in this league only offer 44 weeks. Our players will be out of contract mid-May, so how do we fulfil our fixtures?

If you're paying them less now the capacity is there to pay them if fixtures are played over the summer.

If we are still on lockdown or with social distancing in place over the summer then that removes the problem entirely.

 

[Railway Blue]

There's no easy way to do it.

If the season is cancelled (did the NL statement say cancelled or postponed?), then there are only two things that can be done. Either void it or PPG. I'd argue that with 7 or so games to play, there's enough to there 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 and at this point, 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 full fair way to do it.

That said, I think the NL will have to, and aim to, fall in line with the EFL (who'll have to fall in line with the PL, who will probably have to do so with other European top flights) because the leagues have got to align up fairly well heading into a new season.

It will be a travesty if Barrow don't get a crack at EFL. It may be another 40 years before they get another chance.

 

[slaphead]

If you're paying them less now the capacity is there to pay them if fixtures are played over the summer.

If we are still on lockdown or with social distancing in place over the summer then that removes the problem entirely.

We’re paying them less now because we have zero income now the gate money isn’t coming in, we have no off field income to prop us up.

 

[jacobncfc]

And why is that? Yet again mediocrity is being rewarded.

Because it’s at least fair for everyone. You can’t just give people titles/promotions etc before they’ve won them.

I would finish the season basically no matter what, but giving out promotion or relegation without all of the games being played would be the worst of the possible outcomes.

 

[Aberstone]

Do you mean why i'd void over PPG? Well because PPG is based on a predicted outcome, there are so many variables that happen over the season that it is not a fair way to finish a season off.

I'd counter-argue that players, managers, volunteers and officials would feel far more aggrieved if the previous 8 months of play was all in vain.

One proposal I did see was to accrue PPG up to the highest number of games played so far in the Conference and then in essence have a double season ending in 2021. How that would play out is another 46 league fixtures would take place and since Chorley would have 27 points after 39 games, they'd start on 0 points whilst Barrow would have 74 points after 39 games and therefore would start this double season on 47 points.

Gives teams an advantage for those who have done well up to now whilst also ensuring any variables are removed from the equation for this season.

Should stress the above is hypothetical and given this is going to be around for a while, trying to fit in a 46 game season would be a real challenge.

 

[Aberstone]

Because it’s at least fair for everyone. You can’t just give people titles/promotions etc before they’ve won them.

I would finish the season basically no matter what, but giving out promotion or relegation without all of the games being played would be the worst of the possible outcomes.

For the majority of us, fine we haven't won the league but I think the FA have reacted too quickly on the news for steps 3-6 today, by all means suspend the season but declaring it null and void when teams such as Jersey Bulls and Vauxhall Motors have already won their leagues is absurd.

If we can get the season going later on this year then that's the path that should be taken, there would be a total minefield on player contracts but clubs would find a solution.

 

[jacobncfc]

For the majority of us, fine we haven't won the league but I think the FA have reacted too quickly on the news for steps 3-6 today, by all means suspend the season but declaring it null and void when teams such as Jersey Bulls and Vauxhall Motors have already won their leagues is absurd.

If we can get the season going later on this year then that's the path that should be taken, there would be a total minefield on player contracts but clubs would find a solution.

I agree, it’s a ridiculously premature decision. They should’ve just frozen it in time for an indefinite period. We have a league table and a fixture list to come back to, we just don’t know when.

 

[Lucky Bobble]

I'd counter-argue that players, managers, volunteers and officials would feel far more aggrieved if the previous 8 months of play was all in vain.

One proposal I did see was to accrue PPG up to the highest number of games played so far in the Conference and then in essence have a double season ending in 2021. How that would play out is another 46 league fixtures would take place and since Chorley would have 27 points after 39 games, they'd start on 0 points whilst Barrow would have 74 points after 39 games and therefore would start this double season on 47 points.

Gives teams an advantage for those who have done well up to now whilst also ensuring any variables are removed from the equation for this season.

Should stress the above is hypothetical and given this is going to be around for a while, trying to fit in a 46 game season would be a real challenge.

I thought I'd come up with this idea myself in bed last night! Clearly not as original idea as I'd thought. Anyway, I like it... or perhaps carrying forward half the points as a 'bonus,' sort of like they used to do (still do?) with the split league format in Switzerland.

To make there something to play for in leagues with run away leaders currently, where possible double the number of promotion & relegation places and look to have extra promotion / relegation playoffs between the leagues - so a current mid-table team this year still has a realistic chance of ending up in some sort promotion / relegation tussle based on their performance in 2020-21.

The 'null & void' option seems a decision very quickly made. No clear 'fair' solutions though.

How are clubs currently able to pay the wages (£8k a wk NN/NS? £14k a wk NL FT?) on zero game receipts (can they claim on the government's 80% of salary?) and how many clubs can afford this for another 5 weeks...

 

[B2TF]

That's exactly what should happen. Have a 6 week window to finish the fucking thing off. Start again in October, have 2 12 team leagues, regionalised for 20/21 only and then we can restart proper this time next year.

Calling the season off, clubs will go the wall. We're already laying people off and the noises from the club aren't good. Many other clubs in the same boat. Of course, the PL could share some of its ridiculous TV deal with us but there's more chance of B2TF going to a game than that happening.

I wasn't going to mention this but since you brought it up, how many game have you got to this season, Spoony?

 

[#Beebot]

We’re paying them less now because we have zero income now the gate money isn’t coming in, we have no off field income to prop us up.

And when you play the games then you have money coming in, so that resolves the problem.

 

[#Beebot]

Because it’s at least fair for everyone. You can’t just give people titles/promotions etc before they’ve won them.

I would finish the season basically no matter what, but giving out promotion or relegation without all of the games being played would be the worst of the possible outcomes.

Worse than declaring eight months of football irrelevant?

It seems like the FA's rules are set up to enable their decision. Apparently the league table doesn't exist until the FA declare the season is over.

Yesterday's decision was essentially the FA covering its own back and taking advantage of loopholes in its rules to produce an unsatisfactory outcome while financially protecting itself.

 

[John Still]

No, they aren’t. Only players registered at the time of the interruption would be eligible to play, and contracts could extend on a monthly basis until the season was completed. It really shouldn’t be that difficult to achieve, assuming that it’s viable to play again by mid-Summer and clubs have been able to survive.

Actually, if it was possible to play again by, say, the middle of July, it could be a bit of a lifeline for teams. I suspect crowds would be massive with games in the middle of summer with promotion and relegation on the table, everyone’s holidays cancelled and everyone having been stuck inside with nothing to do.

You honestly think any players at this level want to extended a contract for a month at a time risking the chance of injury and no wages for anytime up to a year? Clubs can’t just keep affording your go this with no income. Season is over sooner everyone gets their head around it the better.

We got cheated out of a league title by Boston, the national league and FA allowed the promotion, they’ll pull the plug on anything.

Anyone wanting to start legal action on the back of this is an arsehole, take the Chinese to court.

 

[#Beebot]

You honestly think any players at this level want to extended a contract for a month at a time risking the chance of injury and no wages for anytime up to a year? Clubs can’t just keep affording your go this with no income. Season is over sooner everyone gets their head around it the better.

We got cheated out of a league title by Boston, the national league and FA allowed the promotion, they’ll pull the plug on anything.

Anyone wanting to start legal action on the back of this is an arsehole, take the Chinese to court.

There's no need for clubs to extend anything until playing starts up again.

If the FA wanted to they could have altered player registration deadlines, but that would require time and effort so they decided to pull the plug and point to loopholes in their regulations instead.

 

[Chief Rocka]

There's no need for clubs to extend anything until playing starts up again.

If the FA wanted to they could have altered player registration deadlines, but that would require time and effort so they decided to pull the plug and point to loopholes in their regulations instead.

But that's the million dollar question, no one knows when we're going to get started again, contracts run out in April for some, June for others, I think some of you are living in some sort of Football Manager reality, how are teams going to be able to pay players after their contracts have ran out after having zero income for months without financial support from above, teams are going to go to the wall before a football is kicked again in this league.

I'm in the resume the season camp, totally, but realistically, can anyone see this happening soon?

 

[Super_horns]

EFL looking to void this season as they need to start selling tickets for next ?

Who knows when that will be !

https://twitter.com/x/status/1243435315332857858

 

[rudebwoyben]

EFL looking to void this season as they need to start selling tickets for next ?

Who knows when that will be !

https://twitter.com/x/status/1243435315332857858

Why would anyone be buying tickets for next season? Not only does no one know when next season will commence but a lot of people are now living through extremely constrained financial circumstances where discretionary spending has been cut right down.

 

[#Beebot]

But that's the million dollar question, no one knows when we're going to get started again, contracts run out in April for some, June for others, I think some of you are living in some sort of Football Manager reality, how are teams going to be able to pay players after their contracts have ran out after having zero income for months without financial support from above, teams are going to go to the wall before a football is kicked again in this league.

I'm in the resume the season camp, totally, but realistically, can anyone see this happening soon?

Use government support to pay players until the end of contracts, let them go, then re sign them when football starts up again.

 

[#Beebot]

EFL looking to void this season as they need to start selling tickets for next ?

Who knows when that will be !

https://twitter.com/x/status/1243435315332857858

I don't understand, who on earth is going to think to themselves "well the season's been declared void so I've spent hundreds of pounds over 8 months attending friendlies, better spend £200 more on attending future matches that may or may not happen at some unspecified point in the future"

Clubs need to understand that although the desire for certainty is an instinctual part of running a business, there is no decision they can make that will make this virus go away.

There is zero chance of me committing to a new season ticket if this season is declared void because I don't know when matches will start and I can't trust them not to do the same again if another wave of this virus hits again next year.

 

[#Beebot]

Also, the number of people on social media who think the season should be voided because people are dying is ridiculous. How does any decision made by the FA impact on the spread of the virus? Nobody is calling for clubs to violate lockdown to play games.

 

[rudebwoyben]

There’s another reason why this argument doesn’t make sense. Fans don’t buy season tickets for the following season until this season is over. In normal times, clubs would still be reliant on this season’s season ticket revenue until the end of May. Coronavirus would not have increased a club’s running costs.

 

[Ban Fat Stan]

The way to get around player contracts.... Is simple.

You play whatever players you have...

So probably be a competitive 5 aside league.... Job done!

 

[Super_horns]

There’s another reason why this argument doesn’t make sense. Fans don’t buy season tickets for the following season until this season is over. In normal times, clubs would still be reliant on this season’s season ticket revenue until the end of May. Coronavirus would not have increased a club’s running costs.

At the top level fans are given early bird prices in about April time but yes the deadline is usually not till after the season ends.

Probably due the greater demand and potential for a waiting list (even we seem to have one now!)

Totally agree fans aren't going to fork out in tricky health and financial times - I've read a few times this lockdown could go on for months in various ways.

 

[Luke Imp]

There’s another reason why this argument doesn’t make sense. Fans don’t buy season tickets for the following season until this season is over. In normal times, clubs would still be reliant on this season’s season ticket revenue until the end of May. Coronavirus would not have increased a club’s running costs.

That's not strictly true, there are a few EFL Clubs who do - Doncaster and Lincoln being two (this is only our second season doing so, though). Admittedly it's a minority but it does still happen. One of our early bird windows closed 9th March having been open for two weeks and that will be helping us immensely at the minute.

 

[slaphead]

And when you play the games then you have money coming in, so that resolves the problem.

But by that time all our players will have been out of contact and may have left, so we will have no one to pay.