CULL THE SEASON OR SOLDIER ON?
SO, now what? Football has been suspended until April 3 at the earliest. Although there is already an acceptance the hiatus will last a lot longer than that, at this stage it is very difficult to put timescales on anything.
That will be one of many problems facing the football authorities over the coming weeks and months.
Player, manager and staff contracts are an undoubted issue as are general running costs for clubs without any income through the turnstiles.
But there is also the burning question of how football resumes. Continue where we left off? Start again? And what happens with promotion and relegation?
Here we take a look at some of the scenarios available to Football Association chiefs and/or the individual governing bodies. Either way, when the game does resume, it’s likely to be a case of what is the least bad option.
NULL-AND-VOID
That’s it. Over. No playing out the final few games of the season, no promotion, no relegation. Just reset as we are and start again, whenever that is.
So Barrow don’t win the National League, York City stay in National League North for another season and Jersey Bulls have to set the Combined Counties League winning-run all over again.
Concord Rangers and Halesowen
Town will just have to try again in the FA Trophy next year too.
From a logistical stance it works. The restructuring of an additional division at Step 4 as well as the changes at Step 5 and 6 can be delayed a season, ground grading can be rolled over as can the promotion of officials.
Of course, there will be uproar – not to mention legal issues with clubs almost certain to take that route if they feel they’ve been denied promotion. The idea that a season can just be vanquished in one fell swoop won’t rest easy with anybody.
FINISH THE SEASON IN FULL
There has been speculation about football returning in June but that seems optimistic to say the least.
Many would like to see the season completed instead of the worry about what the knock-on consequence will be to next season.
So, the idea being, when the green light is given, the campaign finishes as it would now, perhaps with two games a week to ensure it is completed as quickly as possible. Finals can still take place, promotion and relegation as normal as everyone plays out to a natural conclusion.
The water muddies slightly not knowing the return date and how that will work from a housekeeping point of view. Many contracts finish at the end of April, some later at professional clubs, but how it works from a player registration point of view would have to be solved.
In theory it could restart in September and Halesowen, for example, could have a whole new squad of players technically cup tied to play in the FA Trophy semi-final.
The more you think about it, the less likely it would seem because of the complexities involved. More and more there’s a feeling that it the season has finished already. The next question is, now what?
PROMOTE BUT DON’T RELEGATE
One favoured idea – discussed in more detail in Chris Dunlavy’s column on page 22 – could be adopted by the EFL, should they not complete the season – although they seem to be committed to that at this stage. It may make sense for the Non-League game to mirror the formula.
It works on the domino effect of the top two in the Championship – Leeds and
West Brom – being promoted into the Premier League. There is no relegation but next season an extra club drops down from the Premier League. The trickle down effect would actually leave three vacancies at League Two because of the demise of Bury. In which case, the top three from the National League would be promoted – Barrow, Harrogate Town and Notts County.
It may get trickier further down, but the general principle of promotion would stand and that would surely be agreeable for most.
POINTS-PER-GAME
Declare the season over and promote and relegate based on points per game. Seems fairer than just stopping at the end point where clubs have played more or fewer games than their opponents. It has worked in Non-League before, in play-off situations, and allows for the restructure to ensure a restart in August, September, or even longer.
What’s clear is there is no easy answer.