The Scotsman

Football League clubs set to decide on plan for ending 2019-20 season

- By JAMIE GARDNER

English Football League clubs will vote on the framework for ending the 2019-20 season today, with the bottom two divisions then set to vote on whether to cut the campaign short amid the coronaviru­s pandemic.

The EFL board has proposed a framework which would keep promotion and relegation, retain the four-team play-offs and decide the final league tables on an unweighted points-per-game basis.

Two alternativ­es have been proposed; Barnsley’s plan scraps relegation if a division is unable to finish, while Tranmere’s involves applying a margin for error to the pointsper-game system.

There are then amendments to the EFL framework to be voted on. Lincoln’s calls for a change in how points deductions are applied to the points-per-game calculatio­n, Ipswich’s involves further consultati­on with clubs on the play-offs format if the season cannot be completed, and Stevenage’s scraps relegation from League Two if the division votes to curtail the campaign.

For any framework or amendment to be adopted it would require both a majority vote among Championsh­ip clubs and a majority among the full 71 member clubs.

Most clubs are expected to be represente­d on the video call by a proxy, and the video conference call is due to start this morning.

Leagues One and Two are then expected to vote in the afternoon on whether or not to end the season. If they do vote to cut it short, the final table will be based on whichever framework was approved earlier in the day. A majority of clubs in that division would be required for a motion to carry.

Fourth-tier clubs have already indicated an intention to curtail the season, while League One clubs are undecided.

The Championsh­ip fixture list for the remaining nine games was announced yesterday, including the television selections for the first three rounds of matches.

The season is set to resume on 20 June, with the regular campaign due to be completed on 22 July. It is understood that all 108 matches, plus the play-off semi-finals, have been given police clearance to take place on a home-and-away basis.

London rivals Fulham and Brentford will go up against each other in the first televised game, at 12:30pm on 20 June. Automatic promotion hopefuls West Brom will host Birmingham at 3pm later the same day. Leeds take on Cardiff the following day, in a 12pm kick-off.

Five further games will be televised on Sky Sports on the subsequent weekend, 26-28 June, including Bristol City v Sheffield Wednesday at midday on 28 June.

In all, Sky Sports will screen 30 of the remaining 108 Championsh­ip regular season matches.

The remaining 78 matches will be available via the ifollow streaming service or an equivalent to season ticket holders of the clubs involved in the individual game.

Match passes will be available for £10 per match for those who want to watch but do not have a season ticket for either of the clubs involved.

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