‘The season must be finished, even with compromise’

THE Football League season must be concluded according to Graham Alexander, with the Salford City boss willing to compromise for the remaining nine fixtures.

March 13 marked the FA, Premier League and EFL’s decision to suspend the 2019/20 campaign in light of the coronavirus pandemic, but some sides across the continent are now beginning to return to light training.

Although the domestic season has been abandoned in the French, Belgian and Dutch top divisions – with the latter’s voided completely – EFL chairman Rick Parry said on Tuesday that the English Football League season must be finished by July 31.

Alexander said: “We’re trying to keep abreast of what’s happening at the moment and what potentially could happen, but we’re not making any definitive decisions.

“We have to stick to what the government are setting down and once they make a decision, then we wait for the EFL and the Premier League and the FA to give us the all clear to get back to work and then we get back to whatever it’s going to look like.

“I think it’s really important that the season’s concluded. If we don’t, people will be going on about it for a long time, and possibly even legally. You always have to have a full-stop at some point and the only way of getting that is by completing the season.”

With the possibility of fixtures being played behind closed doors and Forest Green Rovers chairman, Dale Vince, quietly hopeful of a return by June 6, Alexander says he and his squad would be flexible to

Graham Alexander

accommodate the conclusion of the current campaign.

“If there’s a way of doing it and we have to compromise on the days it’s done, and if it’s behind closed doors, then so be it.

“It’s really important that we complete the season for all levels. I’ll publicly say it – I’ve got no problems with that.

“I’m not putting a time frame on that where it has to be as quick as possible – I think the general health of the country is more important – but there’s too many loose ends to just wipe this season away.

“As there’s only nine or 10 games left, I think it’s doable. If it was halfway through and it’s a long way to go, it would be understandable why it’d be easier to finish the season, but given the stage that we’re at, I think we should complete it.

“It’s important to your supporters, to your owners, to the players and the staff – it’s important, because it’s yours, it’s your club and it’s your result.

“That’s why football’s so important, you see how many levels there are in England and it’s ingrained in millions of lives.“