The EFL has released a statement following yesterday’s board meeting ruling out the proposal to extend the League One play-offs to eight clubs and outlining the options available to clubs to resolve the current impasse.

The Blues are among a number of clubs who want the 2019/20 season played to its conclusion behind closed doors - the approach still favoured by the EFL - but most League One sides are understood to favour ending the season now, largely due to financial concerns.

At Friday's conference call involving the 23 clubs Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony proposed extending the play-offs to eight clubs. The idea appeared to gain traction but has now been ruled out by the EFL in their latest statement.

The EFL board met yesterday to consider the feedback and subsequent implications of last week’s divisional club meetings, as the League continues to address the many complex financial and operational matters resulting out of the Covid-19 crisis, including how the 2019/20 campaign is concluded.

The various proposals and counter-proposals received from clubs have been reviewed and, as a result, the board has finalised the draft framework that would be adopted into EFL regulations, in the event that a division is to make the decision to curtail its season as League Two indicated last Friday.

Clubs are now required to give the matter further consideration, before the board formally proposes the appropriate regulation changes, which will then be voted on by all clubs.

The recommended framework is as follows:

1. Resuming the 2019/20 season with the existing format remains the most appropriate course of action from a sporting integrity perspective, but the board accepts there are circumstances that may lead to curtailment (as has been demonstrated with League Two) or a situation subsequently transpires whereby the season is unable to conclude.

2. This means that, in the event of an early curtailment:

a. Final divisional placings should be determined on unweighted points per game (if required).
b. Promotion and relegation should be retained.
c. Play-offs should be played in all circumstances but should not be extended (beyond four teams).

3. If a scenario arises whereby the play-offs cannot be played, the EFL board will determine the appropriate course of action.

4. The board considers that the majority required to curtail the 2019/20 season in any division should be 51 per cent. Determining whether or not to curtail the season is a decision for each division to take.

5. The principle of relegation across all three divisions is integral to the integrity of the pyramid, from the Premier League down to the National League, provided we have assurances that the National League will start season 2020/21 (ie the relegated club in League Two has somewhere to play).

6. Any regulatory solution should be relevant and specific to the current challenges posed by the Covid-19 outbreak and reach a conclusion that is clear and effective with the impact and justifications easy for all stakeholders to understand.

EFL chair, Rick Parry, said: “In the event that a divisional decision is made to curtail the 2019/20 season, the EFL board is recommending that the League adopts the original framework with the amendments as identified, as there is a strong desire to remain as faithful as possible to the regulations and ensure there is consistency in the approach adopted across the EFL in all divisions.

“The board has always acknowledged that a single solution to satisfy all clubs would always be hard to find, but we are at the point now where strong, definitive action is need for the good of the League and its members.”

League One clubs are expected to vote on whether to end the season now or play it to its conclusion next week.

If the division is settled on unweighted points per game, the Blues would finish 11th, their their lowest position since 1952/53 when the Blues, then managed by Scott Duncan, were 16th in Division Three South.

Photo: Contributed

rabbit added 07:25 - May 22 Bluearmy_81 total comedy from you again. A subtle change of tack since your last post when you said keeping PL would be a disgrace, as you read in my response you absolutely did defend him, I guess for you that is as close to admitting you were wrong as it gets. Shame you can't just answer the questions put to you so that we can take your opinions seriously, but I guess if you can't turn up for a demonstration you were advocating against ME you certainly won't risk being questioned about your outlandish assertions.

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Fatboy added 08:46 - May 22 Looking on the bright side, we might have finished 16th in 1953 but we won the division the following season and were champions of England within a decade, so there's always hope!
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Bluearmy_81 added 09:33 - May 22 Stop lying rabbit!
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SouperJim added 09:54 - May 22 You lot really do love to bicker. For the first time in my ITFC-supporting life, I'd welcome the return of one of our former managers, somebody who understands our club, has Ipswich in their veins and will stand up to Evans for the sake of our future. I'd like to think Magilton or Burley would surely be able to get the ball on the floor and have us playing with a little passion. Dyer as number 2.

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TimmyH added 11:06 - May 22 Looks like we're going to be put out of our misery soon...only for next season to start under Lambert and it will continue.
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rabbit added 12:15 - May 22 Bluearmy_81 for everyone's sake please tell me what I am lying about, you accused me of this before in the "Lambert- its and absolute disgrace" article when you said keeping Lambert will be a disgrace, you denied you had recently changed your mind on this after defending him as recently as late December, which turned out to be close to the last match played. I responded to you and you have read my response but chose not to comment and for clarity I have cut and pasted my answer to you below. "There was a protest and you were no where to be seen; fact. You have even admitted that!! Facebook page comments were absolutely accurate at the time I posted it. Anyway to remind you just a little about your defence of Mr Lambert: 1st Aug If Ips not in top 6 end Sept/Oct will it be PL fall guy not Evans 18th Sept In response to Dissboy "Evans is great, its all Evans etc.... But more recently as I said before: 10th Dec Haha town fans crack me up, turning on Lambert. 26th Dec after PL press conference, "Can't believe how quickly you have turned on PL. So what have I made up?" You have said that to keep Lambert on will be a disgrace, not quite the same tone today but to be fair you have had the benefit of my reminder.

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TractorRoyNo1 added 12:32 - May 22 I think Evans should come out and say that as PR Paul was unable to finish the season, therefore I will not invoke any clauses in the contract and will give Paul another season to get us promotion.
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