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MacAnthony Praise for Evans Ahead of EFL Meeting
Monday, 8th Jun 2020 11:03

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has praised Blues owner Marcus Evans for keeping fighting ahead of Tuesday’s EFL EGM which will determine how the League One season is completed.

Town, like Posh, want to see the campaign played to its completion, but if, as expected, sides vote to end it early they were among the clubs to submit amendments to the EFL's draft framework last week. MacAnthony now believes that in any case there is no longer time to play the season to its conclusion.

“Ipswich have put forward an amendment where you would see a 10-team tournament vying for three [promotion] places. Again, well done to Marcus Evans, at least he’s fighting to put something across,” MacAnthony said in his Football Club Chairman - Hard Truth podcast.

Town’s submission was actually wider than any one specific play-off scenario with Evans believing that in the extraordinary current circumstances for this season alone clubs should have a say on the formula for the play-offs and that any proposal with the support of at least six other clubs should go to a vote.

MacAnthony is a big fan of Tranmere’s proposal which is a variation of the EFL’s preferred unweighted points per game formula but with an added margin of error.

“I think it’s the best solution that’s been put forward,” MacAnthony insisted. “Mark and Nicola Palios [Tranmere chairman and vice-chairman] have done a great job, they’ve put together a really, really thoughtful solution for everyone. I’m astonished so many clubs came out straight away and said no. It baffles me.

“I’m hoping they have a rethink, I’m hoping Mark can get his point across in the meeting. I think on Tuesday he’ll get to speak about it, we’ll get to vote on it. In my mind there’s no doubt we should get at least 13 to 14 votes for it.

"Right now, as it stands from what I’m hearing publicly, everyone’s saying that when the cold light of day sets in and there’s a little bit more explanation and a little bit more transparency given to all those various clubs about what voting for this would mean for everybody, hopefully people would see sense.

“Hopefully the Rochdales, the Accringtons, the MK Dons, the Wimbledons of the world who don’t want to play football will see this as a way where they don’t actually play football and it’s right and proper to allow teams who do want to play to play and it allows teams like Tranmere not to get unjustly relegated. It’s the best proposal for me and it’s the one which needs to get the vote.”

There would be a very outside chance that the Blues could be in the play-offs if Tranmere’s proposal was adopted but only if teams opt out.

“Right now it would bring [second-placed] Rotherham back in to a play-off race that would take eight teams from second down to ninth or wherever it would be, or 10th,” MacAnthony added.

“It would allow people to opt in or opt out, so if Doncaster were in the mix and, according to their local journalists, there’s no appetite for them to play football. If they wanted to give their slot up I think Ipswich would get the slot instead.”

However, under the Wirral club’s formula Town would be 11th in the table, as they would under the EFL’s unweighted points per game, with Gillingham 10th, so it would require another side to give up their place for the Blues to get involved.

Tomorrow’s meeting will see clubs vote on the various amendments but with the EFL’s framework and their unweighted points per game system expected to win the day.

They will then vote on whether the season will be played to its conclusion or cut short and that system implemented. It’s believed around 15 clubs are in favour of ending the season early, more than enough to hit the required 51 per cent mark.


Photo: Action Images



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Dissboyitfc added 13:35 - Jun 8
glad when this all over now! Shambles.com
5

Pencilpete added 14:59 - Jun 8
If only he put this much effort into putting a team and club together that we can be proud of and not a shambles that wins 4 out of 27 in League 1.

Absolutely no point in us taking part in any play offs anyway - we can't beat an egg right now and if by some miracle we wormed a promotion place we'd just be humiliated week in week out in the Chamionship like we were last season.

Mr Evans, please focus your efforts into rebuilding our club and not trying to get some kind of back door entry into a promotion race we had long since ballsed up !!
10

tractorboybig added 16:20 - Jun 8
TWO DICKHEADS TOGETHER......FOOTBALL WOULD BE FAR BETTER OFF WITHOUT THEM.
7

Bluearmy_81 added 16:38 - Jun 8
Mr Evans... 🤢🤢🤢
1

Dolphinblue added 16:50 - Jun 8
Evans = Saviour......FACT
-2

TBT added 18:20 - Jun 8
Evans = 3rd tier mediocrity for a once great club FACT
Evans = hapless vain uncaring destroyer that is way out of his depth FACT
I hope I never need “saving” by this fool
5

stiffy501 added 18:44 - Jun 8
10th in the table and 4th from bottom of the current form table doe's anybody think this team deserve to be in any play off's. just call it a day, have a clear out and try and get a team together to mount a challenge next season !!!
4

norfolkbluey added 19:56 - Jun 8
For pity's sake just end this season and put it behind us. There is no point with lingering thoughts of beating much better sides above us. We failed miserably during the period after Christmas and we face being even more humiliated if we carry on. We have to face up to the prospect that football at this level is unlikely to start again before late August if we are lucky.
We need a lot of money, a whole lot of money and some genuine leadership at this club. It has taken Coventry a long time to get back to this level after being one of the top clubs. I fear it could be the same for us because of poor management decisions, dithering which we are very good at, and letting excellent players depart for short term gain. I have been so lucky following ITFC during the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and the beginning of the 20's but for the last ten years of decline it has been truly harrowing. I think there are many supporters like me who are sick to death of this milaise in our club. The supporters have been brilliant throughout and deserve better. PL has done some good things and I wonder why he has made mistakes that everyone can see. Are there things going on in the background the supporters know nothing about? I think this may be the case. It is a sad fact the game is driven by money and without it you can end up where we are. Very few clubs actually make money outside the premiership and we are a long way off that.SAD BUT TRUE.
3

heathen66 added 20:08 - Jun 8
Strangely enough, had the season been curtailed at the end of January rather than 6-7 weeks later we would all be after something different. We had just returned to the top of the table after beating Lincoln on Jan 25th
2

Bert added 20:10 - Jun 8
Far be it from me to differ from the comments on here but in my opinion Evans is putting the club's interest first. Finishing the season on the playing field behind closed doors is the proper thing to do regardless of our position. The clubs who now fear for their future would be happy to have Evans. He may not have made the investment we want but we will still exist when football returns.
0

Bluearmy_81 added 06:41 - Jun 9
You'd still be saying that in the Rymans league Bert, could be worse, at least we exist!! Try setting the bar a bit higher for your club, if you keep going as you are you'll end up limbo World champion
0

WeWereZombies added 08:54 - Jun 9
Fair play to him for pointing out the injustice of things as they stand, if I were a Tranmere Rovers supporter I would be seething.
0

Razor added 10:20 - Jun 9
If the season ends then it may let Lamert off the hook and we will have at least another year of what we have just had which would not be appetising or mouth watering.

Now if we were to get in a still young,hungry manager who plays football and is used to working on tight budgets and now is available for nothing that would stir my loins and get me interested---step forward NIGEL CLOUGH.

Our owner of course has no idea and will not even see this as an option sadly.

1

BeattiesBackPocket added 10:44 - Jun 9
Razor you must be missing the point we have had experienced managers who have the experience we all wanted of getting teams promotors but look where we are with an average team to show from it!? The common denominator in our decline IS Evans
0

Skip73 added 11:19 - Jun 9
All of you arguing amongst yourselves on here, just remember. NONE OF THIS MATTERS.
0

Bert added 13:35 - Jun 9
If a club goes under there is no bar to set so our expat ‘supporter' will need to think again.
0


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