The EFL has released a further statement regarding the abandoned game between the Blues and Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday with the EFL board set to meet before the end of the week to make their decision.

The statement reads: “Following the abandonment of the Sky Bet Championship fixture between Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town, the two clubs were given a deadline of 4pm today to make any final representations to the League.

“Once in receipt of the submissions, the matter will be discussion by the EFL board before the end of this week, with the outcome to be confirmed shortly thereafter.”

The match was curtailed in the 80th minute as the torrential rain which had persisted throughout the game had made the surface unplayable.

At the time, Rovers were 1-0 in front via a Todd Cantwell penalty, while Town were down to 10 men following Jacob Greaves’s red card, an incident in which the conditions played a significant role.

An EFL statement following the game read: “[Saturday]’s Sky Bet Championship fixture between Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town was abandoned due to an unplayable surface. The decision was taken in agreement with both managers.

“The board will consider what action is to be taken as a result of the abandonment, in line with EFL regulations.”

EFL regulation 34.2 indicates that any league match which from any cause falls short of 90 minutes’ duration may be ordered to count as a completed fixture or be replayed in full or in part on whatever terms and conditions the board shall in their absolute discretion determine.

A full restaging of the match seems the most likely option given that FA rule 20(E)(iii) states: “In the event of a competition match not being played or abandoned owing to causes over which neither club has control, it should be played in its entirety on a date to be mutually agreed by the two clubs and approved by the competition.”

There has been some disquiet among Town fans that one of the EFL board members who could decide the outcome is Norwich City executive director Zoe Webber. Whether she will recuse herself from the process given the obvious conflict of interest is not known.

The other members of the board are chair Rick Parry, chief executive Trevor Birch, Peter Risdale (Preston), Neil Bausor (Middlesbrough), Liam Scully (Lincoln), Julian Tagg (Exeter), Charles Grant (Crewe) and non-executive directors Caroline Artis and Justine Roberts.

Photo: IMAGO/Pro Sports Images via Reuters Connect

December1963 added 15:50 - Sep 24 Blues1. You’re talking about Phil here not Donald Trump.
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SussexTractor added 15:52 - Sep 24 They must be checking VAR ! lol
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Radlett_blue added 16:02 - Sep 24 It's right there is an amount of discretion - if a team was 3-0 with 5 minutes to go & the pitch was deemed unplayayable, then it's clearly unfair to replay the game. One would hope that common sense will apply & the game be replayed as the result was still clearly in the balance. I doubt there is recent precedence for going back to play the last 10 minutes or so of a game.

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jas0999 added 16:04 - Sep 24 Being made more complicated than needed. Decide and move on.
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tp233 added 16:04 - Sep 24 Feels like the EFL is jealous of VAR and is trialing its own version of a snail paced review system…
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Tractorog added 16:18 - Sep 24 Whilst I have sympathy for Rovers, any decision that does not favour a rerun of the entire game would be problematic. At what point do you decide the game has got close enough to an end to not replay? What score time etc ? The other problem is where is the pressure on Rovers to sort their pitch out if you don't force a full 90 min full team replay. Finally money talks ... who'd be interested in 10 mins of one side minus a player football? But a full 90 min full team grudge match? Kerching!!!

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MVBlue added 16:32 - Sep 24 It seems to me Blackburn Rovers are deflecting from poor venue and pitch management, so are pushing for full win.
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StowTractor added 16:32 - Sep 24 I originally thought replaying the last 10 minutes plus injury time was the fairest outcome, although obviously preferring the full replay. But it is clear the weather conditions contributed to Greaves sending off and the penalty. As well as that there is no way the league could force both teams to field the same teams, players would develop mysterious knocks all of a sudden and the Town team would include more attacking players & less defensive ones whilst the Rovers team would suddenly consist of a back 5 with 3 defensive midfielders and just a couple of quick attackers hoping to catch us on the break. I think a full replay at 11 a side with the score at 0-0 is now the only sensible option. On the subject of Norwich representative Zoe Webber, well Blackburn fans have similar worries about Preston board member so they will balance each other out. Middlesbrough representative is the one to watch out for. They have a vested interest in keeping us as far behind them as possible.

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StowTractor added 16:32 - Sep 24 I originally thought replaying the last 10 minutes plus injury time was the fairest outcome, although obviously preferring the full replay. But it is clear the weather conditions contributed to Greaves sending off and the penalty. As well as that there is no way the league could force both teams to field the same teams, players would develop mysterious knocks all of a sudden and the Town team would include more attacking players & less defensive ones whilst the Rovers team would suddenly consist of a back 5 with 3 defensive midfielders and just a couple of quick attackers hoping to catch us on the break. I think a full replay at 11 a side with the score at 0-0 is now the only sensible option. On the subject of Norwich representative Zoe Webber, well Blackburn fans have similar worries about Preston board member so they will balance each other out. Middlesbrough representative is the one to watch out for. They have a vested interest in keeping us as far behind them as possible.

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StowTractor added 16:33 - Sep 24 sorry didn't mean to add my essay twice!!!
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SussexTractor added 16:48 - Sep 24 Speed up the process - ask VAR…lol
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wischip added 17:17 - Sep 24 I can see ITV making a docu-drama out of this in 2026. Probably starring Toby Jones.
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Girty added 17:19 - Sep 24 Void - (0-0) 1 point each. Rovers fined for poor pitch management, otherwise outcome must be a reply. With the exception of a few garden forks and a nit comb, Rovers did little to improve the situation during halftime. I wonder why!
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Broadbent23 added 17:23 - Sep 24 Blame chicken guts for blocking Blackburn's drains.
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ipswichone added 18:06 - Sep 24 In a game between Swansea and bristol city 1982.Swansea was winning,and match abandoned 85 minutes,was ordered to be replayed.History says what really should happen,just some huge buildup with this match,for some reason
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armchaircritic59 added 18:18 - Sep 24 Oh lord, something so simple being turned into a farce. Either it's replayed in full starting at 0-0, or Blackburn are awarded the points. I trust no one in their right mind is going to suggest we go all the way up there for a 20/25 minute game under any circumstances, though as it's a football governing body, maybe my trust is on shaky ground. One of two sensible decisions to make, and it appears it takes almost a week to make it. And what is the point of clubs putting their case? Somehow I don't think Blackburn are going to push for a full replay and we're going to push for 3 points for Blackburn. It's not a court of law, there is or should be no jury to convince. It should be handled by people with absolutely no interest in the outcome, and it should have been done within a couple of days of the event. Nearly a week to make a two option decision, says much about the idiots running the game.

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bluesissy added 18:23 - Sep 24 This is getting like one of our transfer sagas....
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tetchris added 18:36 - Sep 24 The decision was taken with the agreement of both managers. Contradicts what their manager said in recent interview.
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Scringe added 18:40 - Sep 24 The longer this goes on I think they will award the points to Blackburn and fine them for having a sub standard pitch
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