Restart is all set for June 20
CHAMPIONSHIP clubs have finally pencilled in Saturday, June 20 as the date football will return to England.
That is likely to beat the Premier League, whose managers are holding out for a full month’s training before they resume, by several days.
Players in the EFL will see contracts expire on July
31, so it could be mayhem if the Championship season goes on after that.
So clubs have agreed to rush through their remaining nine games in five Saturdays and four midweek slots to finish on July 18.That will leave time for the play-offs. However, the
EFL are focused simply on getting teams back training at the moment.
Players have signed a 47-page dossier of protocols surrounding social distancing at the training ground and the first round of blanket testing will be completed in time for a return to training grounds on Monday.
No formal timetable was set at yesterday’s meeting to discuss procedural issues concerning all three divisions of the EFL.
Similarly, there is still no vote on how League One will end, with clubs set to decide next week whether to try to resume the campaign or decide ups and downs on a points-per-game basis.
Although it is thought League One clubs would take less time to get up and running, the continued delays make it more likely they will follow League Two and abandon the season. The clock, though, is ticking for the Championship clubs.
Hull have already voiced concern about resuming the season, and Derby owner Mel Morris would vote for a premature end to the season even if it means the Rams missing out on a play-off place.
Morris is adamant football should be restarted only with fans at grounds.
Derby, skippered by Wayne Rooney, are in 12th place, five points off the play-offs.
But Morris said: “I would sooner play football with fans in the stadium because that has a financial implication.
“And we have seen already in Germany, it is soulless watching a televised game with no support in the stadium. “If we were hit with a blight of infected players, it will bring things to a rapid halt.”