Straw Poll

[swaledale]

Agreed, void the season seems the best option assuming that the remaining games cannot be played before end of June. Move Euro 20 forward a year and perhaps start 20-21season late if situation remains unresolved.

Harsh on the teams currently in pole position but there have to be losers somewhere under todays conditions.

Most interesting question will perhaps be Bury. Can you be expelled from a league when the season in which you were expelled does not exist!

It isn't fair to teams to void the season, if the delay is longer, then call a halt, have close season now, restart the season in August, then have a 2 week break and start the following season?

[Geoff Parkstone]

Part of me says that is sensible. The bigger part asks you how this would work

Player contracts run to 30-06. So do players whose contracts expire in 2020 sign a short contract for the rest of the old season only? What about expired loans?

Then in a 2 week break the players have to rest, many have to sign new longer term contracts. Then those promoted teams have to strengthen their squads, assuming the transfer windows are adjusted to allow. Those relegated have to downsize.

Oh yes and playoffs to fit in, with then no time for the playoff winners to do anything.

Any solution will be unfair, its a question of what is practical and least unfair.

[ramAnag]

I agree and take your point here RA but I'm not sure which way is the best way to go on this. If no more games could be played this season should we give Liverpool the title and the remaining pack champions league qualification, promote the three top teams and relegate the bottom three in the other leagues? Doesn't sound right to me especially while there is a mathematical chance that positions could change. Null and void really is the best option but I can't see it happening! your thoughts?

I fear GP’s self evidenced prejudice against Liverpool and Leeds is clouding his judgement.

If, as I very much suspect, the season can’t be finished within the next few months then there is no truly satisfactory conclusion, however with so much of the season played it makes no sense to me to ‘void it’.

Most teams have between 9-10 matches left which will mean an imbalance of home and away fixtures. If a team has, hypothetically, averaged 2.5 points per home game and has four home matches to play (10 pts) and 1 point per away game and has five away matches to play (5pts), then adding 15 points to their existing total would be as fair a reflection of how the season would have ended as possible.

Sounds complicated and I can’t be bothered to do it, but I’m sure the geeky mathematicians would have it done in no time...can see GP sorting it all and telling us where we’ll finish this afternoon.
If teams, eg West Ham and Villa were to end up level on points then a similar equation could be done to include goal difference.
Same would be true of all the leagues, including the Championship, where the stupid tw@t who appeared to introduce the virus into the EFL in the first place would see his club receive at least a 20 point deduction for all the chaos caused.

Just as an afterthought and playing devil’s advocate...if the season were to be voided would there not be a case for fans to be reimbursed at least a proportion of their outgoings on the basis that there had been no meaningful matches? I certainly would expect to be reimbursed if I went to the cinema or theatre and the performance was curtailed before the end. That surely is what season ticket holders at least have bought into.

[Geoff Parkstone]

There are many people wanting their Sky PL subscriptions refunded during down time, so season ticket buyers could seek refunds - but the value of the matches played so far on a non season ticket basis (one off games) would probably exceed the cost of the season ticket, leaving the fans owing the club more!! .

Your analysis ignores strength of schedule which, given the close nature of some of the up/down decisions, is highly relevant. Also if you pro rate goal difference, then the relative goal difference between teams will be largely unaffected.

[ramAnag]

There are many people wanting their Sky PL subscriptions refunded during down time, so season ticket buyers could seek refunds - but the value of the matches played so far on a non season ticket basis (one off games) would probably exceed the cost of the season ticket, leaving the fans owing the club more!! .

Your analysis ignores strength of schedule which, given the close nature of some of the up/down decisions, is highly relevant. Also if you pro rate goal difference, then the relative goal difference between teams will be largely unaffected.

Absolutely accept that second paragraph and I didn’t claim it to be perfect, however if the games can’t be played then I can’t think of a fairer solution.

My point about season ticket holders - again playing devil’s advocate - has nothing to do with the unplayed games. They obviously need to be refunded the value of the five(?) games that won’t take place which is a simple equation, but it could be argued that, if the season is voided, then they have not seen a single meaningful match all season and that the games played have all been the equivalent of infinitely cheaper ‘friendlies’.
Only needs one successful court case and a lot of clubs would be in trouble.

Now...about my Sky subscription!!

[Geoff Parkstone]

They are only meaningless friendlies retrospectively.....

[ramAnag]

They are only meaningless friendlies retrospectively.....

Which cost about half that charged for ‘competitive’ matches. I rest my case.

[Geoff Parkstone]

The key word here is retrospectively. At the time you watched the games they were competetive and enjoyed (or not) as such. So you can't claim some months later that they were not competitive because when you had your entertainment, and paid for it, they were competitive.

No case to answer 😉

[ramAnag]

The key word here is retrospectively. At the time you watched the games they were competetive and enjoyed (or not) as such. So you can't claim some months later that they were not competitive because when you had your entertainment, and paid for it, they were competitive
No case to answer ��

I might not...some certainly would...enjoying them is irrelevant, but ultimately, if you somehow conclude the season with a meaningful outcome based on current league positions and season long performance then the matches were obviously ‘competitive’.
If on the other hand, you declare the season void...then whichever way you look at it...the matches that have taken place were not ‘competitive’ on the grounds that they didn’t contribute to a competition.

[swaledale]

I can't see how football or indeed the country can survive more than a few weeks inertia. Much more than that and the economic damage done will result in more deaths than the measures taken to prevent deaths from corona virus!

If they void the season, then unless there is mutual agreement between clubs then there will be significant legal action taken. Plus many clubs in the championship and lower will not survive more than a month without match day income.

Players contracts do pose an issue, but not an insurmountable one, given the circumstances it would be perfectly possible to agree an extension of all contracts (it would involve clubs and players union and legal reps but no reason why not) until the new end of the season - why would players object to being paid an extra couple of months on existing contracts, especially as its in their interests to have viable and credible football competitions for their clubs to play in, otherwise they are all out of a job anyway! So I don't see that as a big issue.

It would seem to be a given that the Euros will be postponed until next year, that gives space for the leagues and FA Cup and european competitions to be completed. There may need to be a delay to the start of next season, but a bit of rescheduling of the league cup, or even cancelling it for a season would create wriggle room there.

I would have thought voiding the current season would be the last resort and only favoured by clubs whose interest would be served by doing so.