Leagues One and Two are reportedly considering contingency plans in case it proves impossible to finish the 2019/20 season, among them a mini-tournament involving the top eight teams.

As per this afternoon’s statement, the EFL still remains committed to finishing the season - which is currently suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic - with the remaining 113 games played behind closed doors within a 56-day period currently pencilled in to start on June 6th.

But, according to Sky Sports, three alternative plans were discussed at a meeting of a working group of League One and Two captains and the EFL on Friday if completing the campaign proves unfeasible.

One plan would reportedly see mini-tournaments played out between the top eight teams in each of the two divisions to decide who gets promoted. If that were to happen Town, currently 10th in League One, wouldn’t be involved.

Another of the alternatives said to be under consideration would see the top two from all the EFL divisions promoted with two extra sides relegated at the end of the following campaign to bring the leagues back to their usual complement. According to the report none of the plans would see any side relegated at the end of 2019/20.

Final decisions on the way forward won’t be taken until after the Government outlines its plans regarding the lockdown beyond May 7th.

The EFL said in a statement: "In consideration of the current challenges, a variety of proposals and ideas have been put forward by EFL clubs in relation to operational and financial matters.

"While these contributions are welcome, it is important to emphasise that there is a range of opinion among our membership and that no decisions have been taken at this stage.”

The meeting on Friday is also reported to have discussed the potential requirement for up to 100,000 coronavirus tests if the three EFL divisions are to played to their conclusion as planned.

Photo: Contributed

GerkensBeard added 22:39 - Apr 25 Sounds like something the NCFC board would propose
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Lathers added 23:08 - Apr 25 We don't deserve to go up. We don't deserve to be involved in a mini play-off. Well done PL and the players. It's been a shambles of a season which has turned in to a shambles of a season.
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Bluearmy_81 added 00:04 - Apr 26 10th in the third division, what a joke club we have become. Get used to it or worse, there is zero chance things will get better without big chances throughout the club
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jong75 added 07:00 - Apr 26 Bluearmy 81, i fully agree with you. I know people want to support the club and that is great, but doing that with such blue tinted glasses on is not helping our once great club. I wish someone who could get close to Marcus Evans would ask him what his plans are for the club, short and medium term.
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Dissboyitfc added 07:40 - Apr 26 Does that mean we would lose Lambert? for failing to get us into the play-offs!
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budgieplucker added 08:11 - Apr 26 Anything outside of completing the fixtures for all clubs or abandoning the season will damage the integrity of the game, or conflate the arrogance and parasitic nature of the game. Football's attitude that we must finalise things to be ready to start a new season in August if possible and just carry on from then as nothing has happened is I find somewhat disturbing. I recognise it is like many in the leisure industry a business and people are financially suffering. But should we really be celebrating victories for our teams and cheering the many players who can probably freeze their income for a few months and get by without undue hardship, whilst we send out family and friends to care for elderly or on the front line in hospitals, and many especially carers for a pittance. I am not suggesting we all stay at home and be miserable but we should all be humble and very appreciative if this wicked disease doesn't take members of our own families. Football can and should wait, the Dutch league called it a day and said it wouldn't be the right time for anybody to celebrate any form of sporting victory in the near future. With the cancelled Bury fixture and those to be played at PR that works out that there are 6 undelivered fixtures I have already paid for and subsidising the club until end of the contractual season in June. I am in no hurry to redeem in some form of what nearly represents 25% of what I have paid for.

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Bluearmy_81 added 09:53 - Apr 26 Jong75, he comes up with five point plans and great spin but has only failed for 13 years at town. I couldn't care less what he has to say, on past experience it won't happen anyway. He just needs to go and sell up to someone who can invest in ITFC properly
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Bluearmy_81 added 09:56 - Apr 26 Laters, yes PL and the players are in part to blame. Who took us to league 1 and gave PL a 5 year contract though?! How you can omit ME from blame is simply beyond me.
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ChrisFelix added 10:10 - Apr 26 7 defeats out of last 9 didn't help. Start again by NOT offering Skuse another contract. If Chambers needs to stay he needs a part time role. There are sufficient young players to step up, plus we need to find an experienced defender to marshall the back 4
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tractorboybig added 11:08 - Apr 26 evans+lambert= abject failure evans+ anyone= crap future
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Dockerblue added 12:01 - Apr 26 Chris felix, agree 100%, Skuse and Chambers need to go. They have far too much influence at the club and as for Chambers being a future Town manager l hope that never happens, he can,t manage to organise the defence let alone a whole club!
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TimmyH added 12:10 - Apr 26 @Dissboy - lets hope so!
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Wooly74 added 12:13 - Apr 26 Guys, please get on the BBC Sport website and vote for Sir Bobby as the greatest ever manager..
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Saxonblue74 added 12:42 - Apr 26 Not sure if the "mini league" proposal can work without including clubs that can still mathematically achieve promotion. Also not sure how this has been turned into another discussion about our owner?!
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Lathers added 14:13 - Apr 26 Bluearmy - yes ME is of course to blame for numerous poor decisions and I'm not going there right now, but just talking about the season, PL had a squad more than good enough to finish in the Top 2. He is tactically inept and the players have also massively underperformed.
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Razor added 10:23 - Apr 27 Amongst all this let us not forget how bad the team has become and how badly we have played, 10th in this division is quite frankly a disgrace and let us not hide from that. Also, the only time we heard a peep from the owner was when he wanted our money---very poor in my view and sums it all up. I did of course renew immediately----it is my club and they need my help but it does not change my views on the owner or the manager and how this club is being allowed to slide in to the abyss.

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