Pompey’s promotion rivals give up the fight

PETERBOROUGH United have conceded defeat in their bid to gain promotion this season.

The Posh have given up hope of either the League One campaign being decided on the pitch or a proposal which would see them finish in the play-offs gaining consensus.

Pompey’s rivals have contacted third tier clubs and canvassed views on how they are likely to vote at next Tuesday’s key EFL meeting.

And they have concluded that 16 of the sides will vote for curtailment and positions being decided on unweighted points per game.

Peterborough director of football, Barry Fry, explained they were hopeful Tranmere Rovers’ proposal of a points per game model with a margin of error would gain impetus – an outcome which factors in an extended play-off competition.

But Fry explained they now feel that’s unlikely to be the case.

He told the Peterborough Telegraph: ‘We did get excited because the Tranmere proposal seemed very fair to a lot of clubs chasing promotion and trying to avoid relegation. It also didn’t affect those clubs who want to shut up shop.

‘But myself and (chief executive) Bob (Symns) have rang round the clubs and the support isn’t there. There are 16/17 clubs who say they won’t vote for it.

‘There’s no incentive for the teams set to contest a fourteam rather than an eightteam play-off and the teams at the bottom are not interested either.

‘Tranmere’s proposal includes a 25-team League One next season which means solidarity money would be reduced as it would split 25 ways instead of 24 and clubs reckon they can’t afford that.

‘Clubs are also claiming they would have to pay £90K to help fund the rest of the season and they don’t want to do that.

‘It’s a big shame, but at least we had a go.

‘Indeed the passion and commitment our chairman (Darragh MacAnthony) has shown throughout this time has been second to none.

‘I feel for him, his co-owners, the manager and players, and the fans. This whole process has been allowed to drag on too long.

‘I’m not sure all the clubs have studied the detail in the proposal. They will all still act in their own interests.’

Peterborough sat sixth in the table when the league was suspended owing to the coronavirus outbreak on Friday, March 13.

But eighth-placed Wycombe Wanderers had played a game fewer and only trailed Posh on goal difference.

– JORDAN CROSS