City’s promotion bid in doubt as league ‘unlikely to be finished’ - claim

PLAYERS below the Championship in the EFL’S League One and League Two have been told it is unlikely the 2019/20 season will be restarted, according to reports.

The Premier League is due to meet today to discuss their ‘Project Restart’ and, while the EFL hopes to also resume action, it is now said to be unlikely that divisions below the Championship will be concluded.

Coventry City currently top League One and are eyeing promotion to the Championship.

It is reported that club captains and PFA reps have been told to relay to their team-mates the very real possibility of no more football being played, with it stated that players have been told there is little expectation within the EFL that any football will take place in June.

Clubs have also been warned that fans are unlikely to be able to attend matches until January 2021, with the impact of the coronavirus crisis set to be felt at the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

One of the biggest issues for the EFL is the number of coronavirus tests that would be required for players, said to run into the tens of thousands, and the EFL are concerned how that would look in an environment where there are not enough tests for the NHS and

key workers. In the Championship, the clubs remain keen on concluding the campaign but the picture in League One and League Two is far less clear, with players being told that a ‘sporting merit’ system could be considered – which would see the final standings decided on a points-per-game basis.

That could see clubs in the automatic promotion spots rise into a higher division but, crucially, relegation could not be in place – which would see an increased number of teams in the league next season.

In the Championship, this would require agreement with the Premier League.

Another issue is that EFL clubs are reportedly not prepared to pay players whose contracts run out in June extra money if the season does continue and runs into July, August and even beyond.

They will merely expect them to play on.

Players have now been asked by their PFA reps to vote on whether they think this is acceptable and whether they would be prepared to do it.

This could yet be a deal breaker as some clubs will simply not be able to compete without the services of players in the last year of their contracts.