League One and Two players have reportedly been told that the chances of the 2019/20 campaign at their levels being played to a conclusion are diminishing.

According to the Daily Mail, following an EFL board meeting yesterday, captains and PFA reps were told to inform their team-mates that it is very possible that the season, suspended since March 13th, will not be resumed.

The source of the story appears to be a leaked recording of Bristol Rovers winger and PFA rep Alex Rodman outlining the situation to his team-mates.

Currently the EFL is still officially committed to completing all three of its divisions with its remaining 113 matches played over 56 days behind closed doors and with a June 6th start date pencilled in. Players are due back at their clubs for a mini-pre-season on May 16th.

However, it’s reported that there is now little expectation of EFL games being played in June, while it’s not anticipated that fans will return to stadia until January.

It’s believed that there are a number of options under consideration for concluding the unfinished season, among them the ‘sporting merit’ system whereby the final standings are confirmed based on points per game. That being the case, Town would finish 11th.

It's said that if that system were to be agreed, both internally within the EFL and with the Premier League, sides in the automatic places would be promoted but no one would be relegated.

Among the issues the EFL is facing is the large number of coronavirus tests which would be required if the season were to be played through to its end, particularly given that there aren’t currently enough for NHS and key workers. Further to that, each test, with tens of thousands likely to be required, costs £150.

Additionally, with no fans present, staging games will cost clubs cash which many of them can currently ill afford.

And beyond June 30th players will be out of contract or past the end of their loans with clubs said to be unwilling - and in many cases unable - to pay them further wages if the season stretches beyond that point.

Players are being asked whether they will accept this position. If not, some clubs will be significantly weakened and in some cases perhaps even unable to complete their fixtures.

The EFL is holding a meeting with its clubs today, while tomorrow sees Premier League chief executives meet to discuss Project Restart.

Also on Friday, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Public Health England are meeting with representatives from various sports to discuss the path towards a return to action, although it’s understood no decision on when that might be will be made until after May 7th when the Government outlines its wider plans for easing the lockdown.

Photo: Action Images

Saxonblue74 added 05:58 - May 1 ......and "keep the seat next to you empty"? How about the seat in front of you? The seat behind you? All passing through turnstiles? Toilets? Exiting the ground?
2

rabbit added 08:30 - May 1 Bluearmy_81 I know you don't have the courage or character to converse with me, as y6u have made clear on numerous previuos occasions. But just to attempt to prove your manliness to dirtydingus, who, by virtue of your churlish response to him, seems to have hit the nail squarely on the head, please tell us what your insider knowledge is now in relation to the potential sacking of Paul Lambert if ITFC finished outside the top six. Also if the season is calculated as the article suggests it might be, how is that NOT finishing outside the top six. Please accept my questions from me as a non passionate serf as you claim anyone that has a differing opinion to you is.

0

Westy added 08:47 - May 1 If there is any chance of completing the season it has to be taken even if it means encroaching on the start of next season, especially as most teams have only eight games left. To make all that has gone before null and void would be the wrong decision. What if next season couldn't be completed if this thing flares up again - as we are only eight games away (plus play offs) it represents 2 matches a week for four weeks for most teams.

1

Blue041273 added 09:02 - May 1 While accepting the view that for the integrity of the various competitions the season should be completed, it must now be clear that this is now highly unlikely and for clarity a decision must be taken to void the season. The integrity of the league competitions has already been fatally compromised. From a competitive point of view only teams with something to play for will be interested. PL has already hinted that clubs will play fringe players and involve academy players. Effectively acknowledging that these delayed fixtures don't actually matter. The risk to health must be considered a priority over anyone's feelings of disappointment if their hopes and dreams are thwarted. Let's just draw a line under it and plan to go again in September,

1

Cloddyseedbed added 09:37 - May 1 How about saying this season is over and plan for next season but........start next season with the points total you had when this season ended.
1

Saxonblue74 added 10:14 - May 1 Cloudy, nice idea. Start at the bottom of the league on 0 points then add the difference as you work up the league.
0

Dockerblue added 10:15 - May 1 If that cretin Pardew came anywhere near our club that would be the end of my 55 year love affair with ITFC.
0

Saxonblue74 added 10:16 - May 1 .....Cloddy that should read! Predictive text!!
1

dirtydingusmagee added 10:22 - May 1 Bluearmy ive been a passionate fan since early 60s before you were a ''swimmer'' in the sac. Seen the best times ,long before you were born , You rattkle on like you know it all seen it all done it all, lol , get off your high horse and drink your milk. I dont need to hear how good we were from you , I WAS THERE.
2

dirtydingusmagee added 10:25 - May 1 Someone on here suggested that the next season starts when safe to do so,and ALL teams start with the points they have from this season, that seems a good idea to me .
1

Karlosfandangal added 11:32 - May 1 Only problem I see is the players contracts and the transfer window. I think they should cancel next season and finish this one off whenever possible. that way you will have your who is up and who is down. However what happens to the players who are out of contract or loaned to another club. Town would have to carry on without Garbutt or if they extended the loan period would Ipswich be able to pay his wages with no supporters. Minefield.

0

Ipswichbusiness added 11:58 - May 1 Remember, that any clubs which lose out from the season ending are all too likely to sue. That is why they've come come up with the idea of yes to promotion and no to relegation. I think that it's inevitable that Ipswich, and most other clubs, will have to cut costs. In practice that is likely to mean few, if any, players having their contracts renewed. Fortunately, we have a productive youth set up!

0

Len_Brennan added 12:05 - May 1 Due to the loss of Bury FC, we are in a 44 games league this season, in which most teams had played 35 games before matches were suspended (some 34, some, included us 36). That is pretty much 4/5 of the season completed; which to my mind is too much to just null & void the whole thing. I could understand it if we were where we are now in December or January even. To be fair to others, seeing as we have no chance of promotion or relegation, I do believe it was right to explore ways of completing the outstanding games, but ultimately it seems to have proven unworkable on health & safety grounds. The season should end now, with all club's points mathematically adjusted to reflect the same number of games played for all, Personally, I'd be in favour of an emergency suspension of the playoffs for this season & reverting to the old school top 3 up & bottom 3 down model of yore (top 4 up from Division 2) in order to simplify things, but I appreciate that the Karren Bradys of the world are extremely litigious and it may not feasible, given the enormous consequences of relegation, particularly from the Premiership. There's going to be outrage & legal challenges no matter what happens now though, I think we should be looking to focus on starting next season as close to its presumed start date as possible & try to mitigate the footballing damage to this season if we can. That means no rollover of games, no outstanding issues of who is in what league, Obviously, all of this comes secondary to the health & welfare of the public & those involved in the game, so I'm purely focusing on the football aspect, in the expectation that there will have been a significant lowering of the threat & lifting of the restrictions by August. One consequence of this suggestion would be that Bolton would be rightly relegated. Their new owners must be looking at the current uncertainty with serious thoughts of an opportunity to come into next season in a very strong position for promotion back to The Championship. Should they go down, I think we should move quickly to bring in Remi Matthews, who is arguably the best goalkeeper in the league. So this is me looking to be opportunistic; hey I never claimed that I was virtuous,

0

Pecker added 17:06 - May 1 Good. At least we can all forget it happened.
0

Razor added 11:36 - May 2 If it is ended early then the manager gets away with it in my view. This horrible situation should not hide at how bad we have become and what a disgrace it is really. Are all our ldas fit now----any chance of an update for some positive news possibly?
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls