Proposal from EFL to complete the season

Quoted from Boris Johnson

If i hear or see the word Zoom again..................................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMo6Ju8SJ8o

This plan to finish seasons at all costs has got off to a good start:

In Germany, Bundesliga side FC Cologne have announced tonight 3 positive COVID-19 cases after the squad and coaching staff were tested on Thursday at training.

They are symptom-free but will spend 14 days in quarantine.

Group training will continue

To save playing ALL remaining matches in each division, just play the matches that will influence promotion or relegation positions. Number of matches would be a quarter of what remains. Easier to organise, and not as many COVID-19 tests need doing. Depending on remaining fixtures some teams may only need to play 1 or 2 games, whereas those who are in the hunt for promotion or fighting relegation will only need to play until promotion or relegation is guaranteed.

That would be impracticable. Teams near the bottom, near the top and near the playoffs would all be involved in matches that would influence promotion and relegation. Naturally some of those games will also be against teams with nothing to play for. I bet you'd only shave off a third at most of games. And some teams (mostly the safe, but not likely to get in the playoffs) would play less than others, giving them more recovery time and a better chance. Normally it's these teams that the others pick up extra points from near the end of the season.

And that's before you try to decide what will and won't affect promotion or relegation. In theory that still involves us.

It highly unlikely there will be football with crowds until the end of the year or maybe 2021. I don't see the point in a aborting a season that is 80% complete and starting a new one with no fans. The only income clubs will have will be from online viewers. More people are likely to watch games at the business end of the season.

The solution is simple. Complete the 2019/20 season in full whenever it is possible to restart. Then have a small break of 4 or 5 weeks & maybe play EFL Trophy 2020/21 group stage & EFL Cup 1st & 2nd Round during this period and then start a new (probably shortened) season initially behind closed doors until fans in the stadium are permitted.

Matches in each EFL division could be spread over the entire weekend to help iFollow cope with additional demand. Maybe matches:-

Friday 19:30
Saturday 12:00, 14:30, 17:00 & 19:30.
Sunday 12:00, 14:30, 17:00 & 19:30.

With 35 League matches per round (12 in FLC & FL2 & 11 in FL1) that would mean no more than 4 matches played at the same time across the 4 divisions.

Midweek games could be played:-

Tuesday 18:00 & 20:30
Wednesday 18:00 & 20:30
Thursday 18:00 & 20:30

The average points per game gained over the season so far should be awarded for each remaining game that way promotion and relegation would be based on what each team achieved when playing with a regular squad. No play offs just highest and lowest position counts. Every person working in the footballing industry deserves the right to health and safety in the work place and with this killer it can't be guaranteed. I like every football fan in the world thought the game meant everything ( after family of course ), boy have we been brought down to earth with a bump.
Stay safe all footy fans and be ready for the first game in the new world were we can enjoy the game the way it's meant to be with crowd's that cheer together and were you  talk to the person sat next to you and enjoy the atmosphere even though you have never met before. Good luck and stay safe looking forward to that first virus free game.

I personally don't think in the general community that there is much concern if the season is finished or not. There are far more important things for people to be worried about. To be quite honest I can't remember which team we last played and have no chance of naming what our line up was -can anybody else without looking it up. Clue -Macca was in goal - er - I think

The boss giving his views

“I don’t want to risk anybody’s life in any way, shape or form. I don’t want to risk my life. I’m 57. I don’t want to die early.

“If it’s not safe for fans to go to a game, it’s not safe for players, managers or anybody else.”.



https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/holloway-behind-closed-doors-grimsby-4104375

What remains of this season needs scrapping to give clubs a manageable amount of time plan for next season to give themselves maximum income streams to survive if you ask me . An ifollow season ticket could be a short term solution giving fans the chance to pay and stream matches up to Christmas and then see where we are with fans being allowed back into grounds . It would also giive the clubs and players time to organise who or where they’ll be playing. I can see a lot of players going part time as there’s going to be a dramatic cut in salaries no doubt .

I seem to remember we had to have crowd's of 3000 to break even if that is still the case what sort of crowd's would we get if the over 70s and the vulnerable can't go. The season should not be played out and the new season should not  start until the virus is defeated.