Financial reasons set the agenda over future of football in English leagues
LOWER-LEAGUE finances are set to dictate that the 2019-20 Leagues One and Two seasons will end today, but they are also a motivation behind trying to complete the Premier League and Championship campaigns, according to the Government.
Clubs in England’s bottom two divisions will meet today, when they are expected to accept defeat in their efforts to play the campaign’s remaining matches. Thoughts will then turn to how – or if – to decide the final placings, and whether to award promotion or relegation. The outcome – which may not come today
– will have repercussions for clubs lower down the pyramid, including Harrogate Town, Halifax and York City.
With a huge number of players out of contract in June, and most of their income dependent on matchday revenue which has been non-existent since the coronavirus caused the suspension of matches in midMarch, it does not make financial sense to keep fighting against the tide, despite the problems abandonment will cause.
The situation is reversed higher up, with the leading clubs mainly subsidised by television revenue and needing to try to play to protect that, even without spectators.
Without giving details, the Government hinted protecting that revenue could provide a lifeline to some of the lowerranked clubs.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden held “positive” talks with the football authorities yesterday, and said afterwards: “We all agreed that we will only go ahead if it is safe to do so and the health and welfare of players, coaches and staff comes first.
“The government is opening the door for competitive football to return safely in June. This should include widening access for fans to view live coverage and ensure finances from the game’s resumption supports the wider football family.”
The “roadmap” the Government published on Monday outlining its plans to ease the lockdown suggested elite sport could be played for broadcast in step two of their plan, which is due to start no earlier than June 1.
Solidarity payments ensure £400m of the Premier League’s
multi-billion-pound broadcast deals go to Football League clubs, but £270m is given to those – including Huddersfield Town – relegated from the top division over the last three years. Football League chairman Rick Parry criticised parachute payments as “evil” to a House of Commons select committee last week.
Whether the distribution of that money would change in a resumed season is unclear.
There are still considerable logistical and political difficulties in resuming the Premier League and Championship seasons, not least the increasingly vocal concerns of high-profile footballers.
Whatever is decided in terms of how Leagues One and Two are resolved is likely to have an impact on the National League, which has been awaiting a Football League decision before making their own. The regular seasons in tiers five and six have been abandoned, but the prospect of play-offs has not been ruled out, causing uncertainty for clubs such as Harrogate, Halifax and York who could be involved.
Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore believes the season should be declared “null and void” if a full programme of matches cannot be completed, but the Football Association prefers a resolution based on “sporting integrity”. That could be decided on the present table, points per game or a weighted system which takes into account how many of each club’s remaining fixtures were due to be played at home.
Any outcome other than “null and void” would lead to promotion for League One side Rotherham United, but Doncaster and League Two Bradford City remaining in their divisions.