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Season Suspended Until End of April at Earliest - Ipswich Town News

The suspension of the football season has been extended until April 30th at the earliest due to the coronavirus pandemic, the FA, Premier League and EFL have announced in a joint statement released this lunchtime.

The statement reads: "The FA, Premier League, EFL and women’s professional game, together with the PFA and LMA, understand we are in unprecedented times and our thoughts are with everyone affected by COVID-19.

"We're united in our commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019/20 football season and ensuring all domestic and European club league and cup matches are played as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.

"We've collectively supported UEFA in postponing EURO 2020 to create space in the calendar to ensure domestic and European club league and cup matches have an increased opportunity to be played and, in doing so, maintain the integrity of each competition.

"The FA’s Rules and Regulations state that ‘the season shall terminate not later than the 1st June’ and ‘each competition shall, within the limit laid down by The FA, determine the length of its own playing season’.

"However, our board has agreed for this limit to be extended indefinitely for the 2019/20 season in relation to professional football. Additionally, we've collectively agreed that the professional game in England will be further postponed until no earlier than Thursday 30th April.

"The progress of COVID-19 remains unclear and we can reassure everyone the health and welfare of players, staff and supporters are our priority.

"We will continue to follow Government advice and work collaboratively to keep the situation under review and explore all options available to find ways of resuming the season when the conditions allow. We would all like to re-emphasise that our thoughts are with everyone affected by COVID-19.”

Already Town’s League One matches at Bristol Rovers and at home to Portsmouth, which was due to be played on Saturday, had been postponed with the season having been suspended until April 3rd on Friday.

Now the fixtures with Southend, Bolton (both home), Shrewsbury (A), Rochdale (H) and Doncaster (A) are also off.

As things stand, only what was expected to be the final day of the campaign match at home to the MK Dons on Sunday 3rd May remains on as scheduled.

On Tuesday, UEFA and various other football authorities agreed that the domestic programme across Europe had to be completed by June 30th.

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