‘It’s a very difficult situation to end up in but this season just has to finish’

JAMES McDONAUGH will hardly complain if the SPFL decides to promote Edinburgh City in lieu of completion of the current Scottish football season.

That doesn’t mean he thinks that particular outcome would be fair.

As things stand, City sit second in League Two, 13 points behind Cove Rangers with nine matches to play.

The likelihood of catching Paul Hartley’s side may be slim but the gap back to third place is also 12 points and Edinburgh have a game in hand over each of their nearest rivals.

In the circumstances, a decision to make Cove champions and promote Edinburgh as part of an emergency reconstruction plan might appear sensible.

Even so, the City manager would prefer to see the current campaign played to a conclusion once the coronavirus outbreak is brought under control.

If that means waiting until autumn and then severely truncating the 2020-21 season, then so be it.

‘I think there are two options,’ he said. ‘Firstly, they could make a decision now to promote and not relegate. That would mean Dundee United and Inverness up from the Championship, Falkirk and Raith Rovers from League One and obviously Cove Rangers and Edinburgh City too.

‘Some might say that’s harsh on the opposition. I get that. Cove are 13 points ahead of us but we still have them to play with a game in hand, so I was never going to give up on that. Equally, we are 12 ahead of Elgin City.

‘Personally, I think they have to finish the season. Even if that means starting again in August or September.

‘I think it would be wrong to award things without it being completed.

‘You could get this season finished, have it all done before Christmas and then have a half season where we play each other twice for next year.’

The Scottish FA and SPFL’s joint response group had hoped to receive clear guidance from UEFA on how to resolve domestic matters.

SFA president Rod Petrie and chief executive Ian Maxwell linked in by video conference to an emergency meeting last Tuesday but were instead given a target of completing the current season by June 30.

Maxwell subsequently declared that outcome highly unlikely and — with the UK shutting down all pubs and restaurants in expectation of an increase in cases of the virus — it is possible a decision on how to proceed will be taken at Hampden before then.

‘My personal view is that you should win the title before being given it but I suppose the decision might be made easier by Celtic, like Liverpool, being so far ahead at the top of the Premiership,’ said McDonaugh.

‘Hearts’ situation is a lot tougher. People might say they deserve to go down but they have five winnable games post-split. They could end up seventh.

‘But that’s what these people, the powers that be, are there for.

‘If it comes to it, then I would take an asterisk next to a promoted Edinburgh City. Give me two if you like!

‘I just hope they get some dates in place so that we can plan ahead. Even if it is August or September.

‘The other day, UEFA were saying they hoped the season would be finished by the end of June. I just can’t see that. Impossible.

‘We have somewhere between 11 and 13 games to play. Nine in the league and, barring a disaster, two play-off games minimum.

‘We would need to be MondayWednesday-Saturday all the way through June. Will everybody be healthy to do that? Will training

facilities be open?

It would be wrong to award things without it all completed

Teams will need to be trained in preparation. I suppose whatever decision is made people are going to criticise and that’s what makes the world go round.’

If the calendar is to be readjusted, then contractual issues will need to be addressed. As things stand, Edinburgh City have nine players tied down for next term and the authorities will need to decide whether to approve extensions or allow newly-transferred players into squads if the season gets going again.

‘That’s all going to get a wee bit messy,’ added McDonaugh. ‘Contractually, a lot of work will need to be done and a lot of things are up in the air. We’ve got a few signed up until the summer of 2021 but negotiations have stalled a with a few others.

‘From their point of view, they might be wondering if they should have taken the original offer. If a player’s contract is up on June 9, we might be asking him to sign on for another year but effectively two seasons.

‘By Christmas, Edinburgh City could be up to League One, by next summer we could be a Championship team. Or we could be back to League Two.

‘Who knows?’