Blues general manager of football operations Lee O’Neill says it is currently very difficult to plan ahead for next season with so much uncertainty in the game outside the top flight.

O’Neill has praised fans for their support with around three quarters of the existing season ticket holders - understood to be approaching 12,000 - opting to renew their seats despite not knowing when the 2020/21 campaign might begin.

While a September start has been mooted, either behind closed doors or in front of limited fans, it has also been suggested that some League One and Two clubs might not be able to return to action until it’s safe for crowds to return due to the financial implications.

“It’s very uncertain times for us and for every other club, especially those outside the Premier League,” O’Neill told the club website.

“It’s incredibly difficult to plan for next season when we don’t know what it’s going to look like. When will the season start? When will it be safe for players to be back in training? Is the testing procedure still going to be in place to test all players and staff? When will fans be allowed back? How many fans will be allowed back? How will all that affect budgets?

“There are a lot of questions to be answered, a lot of clarity needed and until we get more information, it’s almost impossible to put concrete plans in place.

“We have had great support from fans renewing season tickets for next year but there are no other revenue streams coming in and if games are played behind closed doors next season, there won’t be. Is that a worry? Of course it is. It has to be.

“We are putting plans together as much as we can to cope with different scenarios but as I said, it’s very difficult because of the uncertainty.

“The challenge on the pitch will be the same, to have a squad capable of winning promotion.”

Reflecting on the 2019/20 campaign and Town’s lowest finishing position for 67 years, he added: ”There has been and will be a lot of reflecting on what went wrong because to finish 11th clearly isn’t good enough.

“We felt that if the season resumed, with key players coming back from injury and five home games, the top six was within reach but we only have ourselves to blame.

“We were in a good position at the end of January but our form over the last two months wasn’t what we would have hoped for or expected and that has cost us.

“We have to look at what we can improve on and use the hurt of now to spur us on to win promotion next season.”

Photo: TWTD

midastouch added 20:46 - Jun 11 Beware, the four-eyed stalker returns for his prey.
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istanblue added 21:08 - Jun 11 ''We felt that if the season resumed, with key players coming back from injury and five home games, the top six was within reach but we only have ourselves to blame'' O'Neill still regurgitating the myth that we actually had a chance of making the play-offs. Either it's a PR trick to cover for failure, or it's a complete misunderstanding of how our season has been going. Either way, it's incredibly cringeworthy.

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ITFCsince73 added 21:20 - Jun 11 Funny owner...he'll fund all Covid related losses past, present and future. But wouldn't fund when top of the Championship or top of L1. Which would have been half the cost which he's now facing. The money ain't the problem, there's plenty there.
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blueconscience added 07:43 - Jun 12 Sounds like he is already making excuses for yet another upcoming disappointing failure of a season under Evans and his lackeys.
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Razor added 10:58 - Jun 12 Might make a start by analysing the managers performance this season and asking if he wants another 4 years of the same.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 12:03 - Jun 12 Sadly this fella is just another glove puppet for Evans, he has a very difficult job, I'm sure he would do more good for the club back on the training pitch. We really need a Webber-style to run the club and Evans to be the bank manager.
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AllanHuntersTash added 14:43 - Jun 12 Planning ? There hasnt been any planning since Evans bought the club. Whilst him and his chimps are around we are going nowhere.
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braveblue added 17:22 - Jun 13 Top six within reach!! Fool. If he can't make plans for the different scenarios he should be sacked.
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