Black Cats will get their say on league

SUNDERLAND will get the chance to have another say on the fate of the League One season later in the week, according to plans revealed by one of their rivals.

League One clubs held a conference call on Friday morning to discuss ways of resolving the season, which has been suspended since March 13 due to the Covid-19 crisis, but that meeting ended without agreement save that talks would continue this week.

And Peterborough United director of football Barry Fry said today that the clubs would not be asked to vote on any plans until after the EFL’s scheduled board meeting on Wednesday.

Peterborough, along with Sunderland, Oxford United, Fleetwood Town, Portsmouth, and Ipswich Town, all want to complete the season when it is safe to do so, but a number of other clubs are resisting that for a variety of reasons including the cost.

That could mean the season is cut short, but the question then is how to resolve the outstanding issues, with a number of proposals mooted including promoting the top two and holding an extended eight-team play-off, deciding the table based on points-per-game, or using a weighted points-per-game system.

Fry said that the campaign will not be declared null and void, as at least one club had pushed for, and believes there will be promotions and some form of play-offs.

“The League One season will not be declared null and void,” Fry told the Peterborough Telegraph.

“Promotions will be granted. There will be play-offs, but as yet the League One clubs can’t agree on the way forward.

“The EFL board are meeting on Wednesday. They will then present the possible scenarios to the clubs and we will then vote on them later in the week, probably on Friday.

“My fear is the EFL deciding League One should follow what League Two have done [unweighted points-per-game, which would see Peterborough miss out on the play-offs], but that would be wrong as [EFL chairman] Rick Parry has said the Championship, League One and League Two clubs can make their own decisions.

“I know the EFL want to promote [current top two] Coventry and Rotherham and then have playoffs. I can just about see why Coventry would be allowed to go up, but promoting Rotherham would be wrong.

“They are only two points ahead of two teams and three points ahead of four other teams.”