‘The season has to finish by July 31’

EFL chairman Rick Parry appeared before the House of Commons’ Department for Culture, Media and Sport committee this week and dropped a bombshell on those keen for the 2019-20 season to be completed.

Parry revealed the current campaign would most likely not continue if it couldn’t be finished before July 31, mainly because of the turmoil clubs expect to find with players’ contracts.

There are believed to be over 1,000 EFL players whose contracts are due to expire on June 30 and clubs don’t believe they will legally, or financially, be able to extend them for more than one month.

The EFL stance currently is for clubs to resume training on May 15 and to cram all remaining fixtures including play-offs into a 56-day period.

It would just about be possible to complete fixtures by the end of July with this plan, but few believe there is any chance of competitive football action before the end of June.

It’s widely thought that the EFL will propose a much different plan after speaking with the UK Government this week.

It could even be that the season is cancelled with ‘sporting merit’ - believed to be a points per game average - employed to decide promotion places, something that wouldn’t favour Posh unless home and away form is used in any formula.

Parry also used his appearance before the political committee to suggest salary caps, and more favourable loan deals for lower division clubs could be introduced, both ideas were first suggested by Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony.

A £2.5 million playing budget has been mooted for League One clubs.

Former Posh boss Steve •

Evans has suggested football shuts down for three months, but when they come back they should still complete the current season.

Evans said: “Let’s go into hibernation, let’s go away for three or four months and then come back on, say, October 1, and finish the season by the middle of November.

“We could then start again on January 1.”

A leaked private conversation between Bristol Rovers players was another worrying development for those wanting to complete the 2019-20 EFL season.

The club’s PFA rep Alex Rodman was heard telling teammates that the EFL chief executive David Baldwin thought football by the middle of June was most unlikely and that player contracts were causing great concern as clubs would struggle to honour them if they were extended.

Rodman also revealed fans were unlikely to be admitted into football grounds until January, 2021 no matter how plans for a return to competitive football pan out.

Plans are in place for all remaining matches to be streamed to fans this season on iFollow at no extra cost to season ticket holders.

Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony believes clubs could charge non-season ticket holders up to £20 a match to help cover the loss of matchday income.

There was also talk in the leaked audio of using ‘sporting merit’ to decide on the promoted teams from each division with relegations being scrapped.

The Premier League would absorb three promoted teams under this plan and move up to a 23-team division for one season only with six teams relegated the following season. The League Cup would be scrapped to create room for the extra fixtures.

The need for 66,000 coronavirus tests being carried out before the season finishes was also mentioned although it’s unclear whether that meant in League One or in all divisions.

It is thought the next Goverment announcement on lockdown scheduled for today (Thursday) could lead to a definitive outcome for the 2019-20 season.

EFL chairman Rick Parry