League Two poised to end season but clubs not in total agreement

● Forest Green chief says decision not unanimous and they want to play on

English League Two clubs are moving towards ending the 2019-20 season on a pointsper-game basis, but at least one chairman in the division insists it is not a unanimous decision.

The English Football League said fourth-tier sides had “unanimously indicated a preferred direction of travel to curtail the campaign” at their meeting yesterday because of the costs connected to resuming amid the coronavirus pandemic, while League One clubs failed to reach an agreement.

League Two sides agreed the final table should be determined on an unweighted points-per-game basis, the top three should be automatically promoted and that the next four should play off for one remaining promotion place.

Crucially though the clubs asked the EFL for there to be no relegation, which would mean only National League leaders Barrow coming up because of Bury’s demise last summer.

Forest Green chairman Dale Vince said his club had not wanted to end the season, felt the decision had been rushed and that to block relegation was “all kinds of wrong”.

He said: “It might be that the dominant conversation was from clubs that wanted to [curtail the season], and that somehow swayed their judgment as to what was being said. But our chief executive was on the call and we want to play, and he would have said that.” Vince said it was “hypocrisy” to retain promotion but prevent a National League team coming up.

“At the moment there will be teams who will think they could have made an automatic promotion spot, could have made a play-off spot. It just seems like pass the parcel – the music has stopped and you’ve got what you’ve got,” he said.

“If you’re going to apply a rule that says we’re going to freeze the league where it is, you’ve got to do it top and bottom. It’s all kinds of wrong on the National League.”

The EFL board must now consider the implications of the League Two clubs’ position when it meets on Wednesday.

Vince said the costs of continuing – including Covid-19 testing – will have been a key factor for many clubs. “Money was a driving factor and may have been what pushed [the clubs] over the edge,” he said. “The EFL seemed to indicate they would pay for it, that was the understanding we had, and then as of yesterday when they put a price on it there was a different indication.

“I think it was about £120,000 per club. That was just a quote the EFL got to do the whole competition. We would have paid it.

“I don’t think the judgment has been made with the complete picture. I think [the decision] has been rushed.

“The Bundesliga has just gone back this week, the new antibody test announced this week is a game-changer. We don’t have to make a decision for a week or two I reckon.”

No agreement was reached inleagueone,whowill reconvene on Monday. Rotherham chairman Tony Stewart was angry his division had not been as decisive as League Two. “It is ridiculous,” he said.

“I believe there are two options now, one is to fulfil the fixtures totally and the other is the top two will go up, and the [bottom] three will go down, and the next four from the top will be in the play-offs.”

Fleetwood, Ipswich, Oxford, Peterborough, Portsmouth, and Sunderland are opposed to ending the season on a points-per-game basis and want to play on.

“It just seems like pass the parcel – the music has stopped and you’ve got what you’ve got”

DALE VINCE