How will the season pan out

I've had a quick look at the PL Handbook. It clearly says that the finishing positions are based on each team playing the others home and away and doesnt seem to give any duscretion to the Board to change that. If the Board tried to change it by resolution it seems to need two thirds to vote in favour ie 14 clubs. Also binding arbitration is mandated for disputes so the courts will not be involved.

 

Luckily there is a vacancy in the FL as Bury need to be replaced.
So Barrow can be promoted.

 

1. Promoting a team which has completed a season is simply sorted tbh.
The league above accept them and the league play 2 extra games the following season and an extra team is relegated.

2. Similarly the CL issue is simple too.
If a particular league has completed their season then the CL qualifiers in those leagues go through.
If leagues have not finished then (as the season would be voided) ladt yesrs qualifiers go through...in the case of city (in the very unlikely event that they do not win their sppeal) , 5th place from last would get it.

It seems bizarre to **** up next season to get this season finished.

If we play this seadon to an end it'll probably mean next season starting much later.
Players will be out of contract before the season has ended and the transfer window will be open.
To cram 38 games into an even shorter season to finish this one mskes no sense.
Legally, clubs will have no grounds for legal action as it is a blanket decision caused by an international crisis and government policies stemming from it.

 

So who moves up to League One from League Two to fill the space?

 

I can`t see this season being allowed to go on after the end of June, there are all sorts of potential problems that could arise. Many players will be out of contract come July, other players may have not been able to train etc which puts them at a disadvantage. Then there is a possibility a club like West Ham will not have a home stadium, being rented it is possible it could be booked out to other events like Athletics etc after the regular football was due to end.

The most straightforward solution that gives rise to the least headaches and complications for all concerned, is to null and void this season and kick off again next term.

 

I'm not sure how that would play out in relation to clubs in The Championship. Would they be bound by an arbitration clause applicable to PL clubs? I'm guessing they wouldn't.

If they're not and the PL decide to give the title to Liverpool and European places to those currently placed up to 7th but not to relegate those in 18th. 19th and 20th, then there's potential for litigation and standing for plenty of clubs to bring it.

I've seen spokespeople from a few PL clubs suggesting that Liverpool should be awarded the title. I would suggest that's not a smart decision, because it leaves the question of why other issues aren't being predicted. You can't be a little bit dead or pregnant - they're all or nothing concepts. Equally, you can't say promotion and relegation is frustrated but winning the title and European qualification aren't...without ending up in a court to justify yourself.

 

The most obvious solution as others have said is to void the season. Based on that we can expect the FA to do something else because their record always puts their self interest first. They will worry about their income from Sky and BT and how they can safeguard it. I fully expect them to try and finish the season in some way, despite the knock on effects to the next season but events may well overtake them as the virus takes hold. This is why IMO they have suggested we are are looking at a delay until April. It's just stalling for time while they look for a way to safeguard their income.

 

The losing play off finalist from last season?

 

Newport are mid-table this season

 

Your question only arises if this Season is void. I think that is the default action if the fixtures are not completed as both the PL and FL regulations define the season as being the period between the first fixture and the last. So if the fixtures are not completed there is no season.

 

They don't have enough information to void the Season now though. There are still eleven weeks left and no firm Govt advice.

 

Which in effect is what I am saying. The longer they leave the decision the less options there will be. It is very unlikely to be easier in two weeks time to make a decision, just less time. Already they could decide to play football behind closed doors as other countries are doing. In the end that is what they will have to do to finish the league so it would make sense to make that decision as soon as possible.

 

The summer transfer window opens when the Season ends. This is defined as when the last fixture is played. In any case players are only eligible if they are in the squad nominated after the winter window. If players' contracts expire then that is for the clubs to sort out. I don't think any if this is sufficient to prevent the season being played to a finish whenever that occurs. As far as I can see that is required by the regulations unless 14 clubs vote to amend them.

 

If the number of people contracting the virus follows the trajectory predicted by the publc health advisers, then it won't reach its peak here until June and then the graph moves downwards until we reach the stage we are at now by September.
if that's the case, then if we can't play games now, it looks improbable that any games could be played before September at the earliest.
In which case, when do the remaining games of the season get played?

 

This is the likely reality that the FA and all of us,come to that, need to face.

 

If the season doesnt end until mid july (not impossible as there is not a cat in hells chance of the season re starting before June) then
A) will the clubs be able to buy players from June/july (as per usual) but not be allowed to play them
Or
B) does the window and the whole close season move back therefore messing up the timings for 20-21 season?

The legal argument makes no sense...if an uncontolled and unforseen event occurs to prevent the league fulfilling it's programme in the alloted time period then the league has a legal get out.
Are we suggesting that if a war broke out and there were air raids so the league was stopped for four months until peace broke out that the premier league could legally be sued for ending the season?

Man Utd loaned in a striker. He is out of contract on the 1st of June.
It would be a massive disadvantage to them to have to continue the season with him.
To suggest clubs should "sort" out such contract issue misses the point.
Players are contracted around the dates of the official season endings... but you seem to think that's their problem if they lose a player at such a crucial time.

Edit...didn't mean this rudely...so apologies if it reads poorly. .comes across more bluntly than I realised when I reread it

 

The way things are going we'll end up restarting the season at about this time next year.
Solves everything, pretty much.

 

Even this 3 week suspension is unfair, Spurs for example can now recover players from injury in the next few weeks and should the league start up again, we could have some key players returning fit and raring to go, surely this would give us an unfair advantage if the season was to be completed. Even something as seemingly trivial as this brings the integrity of the Premier League into question. I can`t see how they can continue the season, it is controversial but nulling and voiding the season seems the fairest solution.

 

I don't buy that Billy. Injuries are just bad luck and if we were to benefit as you describe that would be good luck. Luck always plays a part in football. What about when we came 4th and missed out on CL because Chelsea won the thing or when the ball was a metre over the line at Old Trafford and the goal was disallowed. We have had our share of bad luck so I would be quite annoyed if a piece of good luck was not allowed because it was good. I agree though that voiding the season makes sense. Not that sense ever appears much when the FA are involved.

 

You forget the obvious bad luck scenario on the last day of season Lasagnagate