Darragh happy to keep playing

Darragh MacAnthony would be happy for the 2020-21 season to be extended until the end of the May.

But he’s accepted the hectic schedule imposed on EFL clubs during the second-half of the season.

Posh have 17 League One games to play in the next 11 weeks.

“Look, after what happened last season I’d be happy to play every Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday if it means finishing the season,” MacAnthony said. “We’re in a season like no other so it wouldn’t bother me if we played every two days.

“But equally I have no problem if the season is extended until the end of May. The Euros are coming up in the summer, but that won’t matter to teams at our level.”

CITY HELP POSH CASHFLOW

Darragh MacAnthony has praised the actions of a rival club who allowed Posh to renegotiate the terms of recent transfers.

It’s common practice in football to spread transfer payments over the length of the player’s contract.

That’s how Brentford are paying for Ivan Toney and it’s how Posh are paying Bristol City for Sammie Szmodics and Mo Eisa and how they are paying Bristol Rovers for Jonson Clarke-Harris.

“Bristol City have been brilliant with us,” MacAnthony revealed. “I got Barry Fry to ring around the clubs to see if they could help us with our cashflow problems and City agreed to renegotiate with us straight away.”

TRANSPARENT TRANSFERS

Darragh MacAnthony is all for full transparency over transfer fees, but he will always respect a club’s plea for secrecy.

“I would happily disclose details of transfers,” MacAnthony said. “I would make it completely transparent right down to the size of the agent’s fees. It’s the other club who usually ask for privacy and I respect that.”

JCH IS THE FINES COLLECTOR

Striker Jonson ClarkeHarris is in charge of fine collection at Posh, according to Darragh MacAnthony.

“I support the idea of player fines,” MacAnthony said. “It beats me why any professional footballer would be so unprofessional as to turn up for training late.

“They should be fined for being slapdash and it’s about £200 a pop I believe which goes towards a night out at the end of the season.”

Wigan’s fight against the drop was given a huge boost by a 95thminute winner from Scott Wootton at relegation rivals Bristol Rovers on Tuesday. Despite their lowly position Wigan have now won five away League One matches this season including at Portsmouth and Sunderland. Wigan also won a big game at fellow strugglers Northampton Town earlier this month.

Momentum is on Posh’s side. Posh have made significant ground on their promotion rivals in February.

Posh have gained six points on second-placed Lincoln, 10 points on Hull City (3rd), nine points on Portsmouth (4th), five points on Sunderland (5th), 11 points on Doncaster Rovers (6th), six points on Accrington Stanley (7th), eight points on Oxford United (8th) and 11 points on Charlton Athletic (9th).