Finishing the season.

[Billy The Fish]

What are the football authorities going to do ? There's the all important TV contracts and the big players like Sky want their money's worth, there's the government trying to limit the effects of the crisis, the clubs need to pay staff - many of whom have contract issues - there's sponsors to consider and the list is endless. Ideas to finish the season are floating around but none of them are ideal. Clubs in good positions want to end it now and clubs facing relegation don't, all for understandable reasons. So what are they going to do ? Ideas ?

 

[Avening Posse]

Not sure, but I think there are 2 givens whatever the outcome, a) the premier league will come up smelling of roses and b) Indo will eventually blame the conservatives

 

[RedPaul]

As I said when this first kicked off, the problem is consistency. Given the pyramid structure, no single league (or group of leagues/divisions) can act unilaterally as the impact trickles all the way down to the village sides.

It is too early to decide. You can't just say now 'restart in June' when we may still be locked down in June.

 

[Billy The Fish]

What if they made this season 2019/2021 ? Two seasons in one. All the league games get played eventually in one super long season. Would that work ?

The cups are a different thing of course.

 

[RedPaul]

What if they made this season 2019/2021 ? Two seasons in one. All the league games get played eventually in one super long season. Would that work ?

The cups are a different thing of course.

Depends when we restart. Talk today that we may be like this for 18 months...

You only need a month to finish this league season.
When that month is able to happen, it should happen.

You then cut the following season accordingly depending how much time there is

If we restart in June (which I doubt), play in June and delay the start of next season to mid September. Cut out the League Cup and the Checkatrade, and similarly all the way down - cut out county cups, the vase, 'league cups' of all descriptions. Keep the league and the FA Cup/Trophy, abolishing all replays

If we restart this season in September/October, finish this season then start next season in December and amend so everyone plays each other once. At least that is fair. Try and keep the FA Cup.

 

[Red Devon]

What if they made this season 2019/2021 ? Two seasons in one. All the league games get played eventually in one super long season. Would that work ?

The cups are a different thing of course.

That is actually a very good idea and worth some thought.

 

[Alistair20000]

Whatever is done this season is an ugly mess with no good way out of it.

Subject to medical/scientific advice I would if possible play the remaining games behind closed doors using the normal rules for postponement if squads have injury/virus problems. Just try to get it finished.

As for 2020/21 too early to say what should happen.

 

[Copernicus]

I fear some of the smaller clubs (and some big ones) won't last very long without gate receipts rolling in, sad but it is a reality.

 

[arthur]

Let this season run on until it finishes, probably some time in the early/mid autumn. Then have a break and devise a one off format for a truncated 20/21 season which could start in January.

Structure it like an international competition, with group stages. There are 24 teams in League One (where we'll be by then). That makes four groups of six which could be drawn via some sort of seeding system based on the 19/20 final placings.

Each of these six teams to play each other home and away = ten games. That takes us to til the end of February and we'd take the top four from each group, giving 16 teams to compete for the promotion spots. This could be done via another group stage, or by knock out, depending on how much time was available. This would be the first competition in the history of the world where the third place play off final actually meant something.

The eight teams who didn't make the cut would then have their own mini competition to decide the relegation places. Again, the format would depend on the time available. The season would finish in good time and our players would be refreshed and ready to go when the delayed Euro 2020 summons them...

 

[Billy The Fish]

Let this season run on until it finishes, probably some time in the early/mid autumn. Then have a break and devise a one off format for a truncated 20/21 season which could start in January.

Structure it like an international competition, with group stages. There are 24 teams in League One (where we'll be by then). That makes four groups of six which could be drawn via some sort of seeding system based on the 19/20 final placings.

Each of these six teams to play each other home and away = ten games. That takes us to til the end of February and we'd take the top four from each group, giving 16 teams to compete for the promotion spots. This could be done via another group stage, or by knock out, depending on how much time was available. This would be the first competition in the history of the world where the third place play off final actually meant something.

The eight teams who didn't make the cut would then have their own mini competition to decide the relegation places. Again, the format would depend on the time available. The season would finish in good time and our players would be refreshed and ready to go when the delayed Euro 2020 summons them...

Haven't done the sums but doesn't this suggestion mean fewer games for all and therefore reduced gate receipts ?

I can't see an ideal solution whatever is decided upon.