Is Cats’ season over? Likely result of L1 vote explained
would be certain. In that scenario, and would surely vote to curtail the season. Though they would benefit from voiding the season, thisappearsnottobepossible and certainly will not be if the framework passes.
As such, with their relegation almost certain, it’s hard to see why they would want to playon.Curtailing,andbeginning the adjustment to life in League Two, would surely be their preferred option.
A number of sides close to the drop but who would survive under a PPG formula would also surely vote to curtail.
and would benefit from the EFL framework, and key figures at the latter two clubs have already expressedtheirpreferencefor a curtailment.
At the top of the table, the current framework quite obviously stands to benefit
and
The automatic promotion of the latter under a PPG formula would be hugely controversial, given their slender advantage over the rest of the play-off pack.
owner Rob Couhig has previously stated a preference for voiding the season, but this is not an option and his club leap to third whentheunweightedPPGformula is applied.
You would also expect
and to favourcurtailinggiventheyhave little to play for, but there is one major caveat to add here.
There are major financial consequences to resuming theseason,butpotentiallymajor ones if it does not resume as well. As well as broadcast contracts, there is also the issue of season card refunds to consider.
Sunderland CEO Jim Rodwell has called for more clarity from the EFL on what the costs of not resuming would be, so clubs are fully informed before they vote.
and
have already stressed their desire to play on, and given that unweightedPPGwouldseethem drop out of the play-offs, they are certain to vote against it.
The rest of the ‘big six’ who publicly stated their desire to play on last week are
and The first threeareaninterestingcasein thattheymayhaveacalculated decision to make.
Playing on gives them the chanceofcatchingRotherham (and perhaps Coventry), but it also puts their play-off spot, guaranteed in the case of curtailment, at risk.
Portsmouth CEO Mark Catlin, however, pointed out earlier this week that for the bigger clubs, there are financial reasons for wanting to resume as well as sporting ones.
Season card rebates are a big issue for clubs with large fanbasesandresumingatleast raisestheprospectofpreserving some funds via streaming.
have only slender hopes of making the play-offs, but Steve Evans has already said that his club wants to play on.
have raised concerns about the financial implications of the current crisis, but an unweighted PPG formula would see them relegated.
They are bitterly opposed to this, having stressed that they have a game in hand and were in good form off the back of their January investment (three wins from three) before the lockdown. Their fight is likely to be in the vote on the EFL’s proposed framework. They will have plenty of support in League Two.
One of the clubs in an interesting position if this vote is held would be
SimilartoGillingham,they areverymuchoutsidersinthe play-off race, but still have a chance of making it if the fixtures are fulfilled. They will have to balance that outside chance against the financial costs of resuming.
Curtail: 15. Resume: 8.