I've never liked Liverpool since they got us banned from European matches after Heysel, but they have been the outstanding team this season and you would have to have a heart of stone not to let them finish their games.

I hate and loathe both Forest and Leeds, but when you see the way Leeds come back from several heartbreaks playing good football, they also should have their chance. And if we have the chance to see Forest humbled by the Rams at Wembley, well good.

So I agree with Peeder and Carajo that when things sort themselves out we should finish the season.

comment by Let Me inRamdini (U21882)
posted 2 hours, 20 minutes ago
Could it be that a ruthless - and up against it - government, just like ours, might be happy to sacrifice thousands of oldies and save all those old age pensions payments?
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Ramdini that is a ridiculous thing to say. Boris is taking the advice from the "experts" and if he wanted old folk to die he would lower the tobacco taxes.

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 47 minutes ago
I'll say again, this is also my preference. I just don't see it happening though. It's going to be unfair but sometimes unfair things happen, and I don't think that the people who decide these things will be as bothered about that as the fans are. They will want to put it behind them and move on.
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But you can't move on. The rules are there and need to be adhered to.
Who would play in next season's CL? No-one can as no one has qualified.
This is not grassroots we are talking about where leagues can decide what they like. This is a multi billion £ industry.
If they scrap this season, will Leeds stay quiet? Will Liverpool?
Do you start the CL with the same teams who started last time?
It's just not practical to do that. There would be legal writs flying everywhere.
What can be done, is that this season gets delayed but finished.
Next season can be amended so, perhaps, each team only plays each other home OR away not both. That would cut 23 league games for us, 19 in the Prem and allow league programmes to fit into 5/6 months not 9 easily. The CL group stages would be halved in time as well. It's not ideal but then, at least, we all know that in advance.

comment by Best Fans - ¡Leeds Carajo! (U2196)
posted 1 hour, 4 minutes ago
We finish this season whenever, we work out what to do with next season later.
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This. Got to prioritise current season over future ones.
Be harsh on so many teams, not just Leeds and Liverpool. Sheff Utd missing out on European football, Coventry top of League One finally enjoying some success, Leicester in top 4.

Then the injustice of Spurs getting another crack at CL or Arsenal back in the Europa League. Norwich with jusy 21 points from 29 games getting another 38 games in the top flight.
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What do you mean "just 21 points"

comment by HebridesRam (U2909)
posted 41 minutes ago
comment by Best Fans - ¡Leeds Carajo! (U2196)
posted 1 hour, 4 minutes ago
We finish this season whenever, we work out what to do with next season later.
----
This. Got to prioritise current season over future ones.
Be harsh on so many teams, not just Leeds and Liverpool. Sheff Utd missing out on European football, Coventry top of League One finally enjoying some success, Leicester in top 4.

Then the injustice of Spurs getting another crack at CL or Arsenal back in the Europa League. Norwich with jusy 21 points from 29 games getting another 38 games in the top flight.
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What do you mean "just 21 points"
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Mmm 🤔
I wonder is this virus had happened in "that" year whether my view would be different??

For a number of financial and legal reasons the current season has to be completed. Depending on the timing of that, each league, as determined by its member clubs, can structure the 20/21 season.

It’s the only workable solution, despite the numerous complications of doing so.

comment by JonnyLosAngeles (My Dad was made in Leeds) עם ישראל חי (U9756)
posted 11 minutes ago
For a number of financial and legal reasons the current season has to be completed. Depending on the timing of that, each league, as determined by its member clubs, can structure the 20/21 season.

It’s the only workable solution, despite the numerous complications of doing so.
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I agree in theory, but there has to be a cut off date surely? Whilst I'll definitely hold my hand up and say that my personal feelings would most likely be very different were we sat in 1st, and not 18th, I don't think anything should be done this season that would negatively impact next season. For me and fans of at least 70 other teams, there's very little to play for this season, and I doubt many want a broken season to affect another when it all starts up again. I would do everything we can to get this season done and dusted but if all matters promotion and relegation aren't completed by the standard contract expiry date of 30th June then rip it up and start again. If that means cancelling the play offs and only two coming up or down, so be it. But a line simply has to be drawn somewhere.

I fully appreciate this will be an unpopular opinion, but it's how I feel.

There may well be legal ramifications no matter which option is chosen. Large numbers of players will be out of contract before the season is completed. Teams that lose players will be weaker. You can draft a rule that no new players can be signed or can play until the season finishes but you can’t force clubs to keep paying players when their contract finishes, nor force players to continue to turn out for their former employer. If the season is declared null and void then clubs could try to sue, but if there is international agreement amongst the footballing bodies that this should occur, and if this is supported by government (and why wouldn’t it be?) then it is likely that any legal action would fail.

Keep seeing the words Legal Action being bandied around everywhere but can you even take legal action to recover something you haven't lost? If the season was hypothetically cancelled then nobody is promoted or relegated yet so what would they be claiming for when there's no mathematical certainty of anything yet? Genuine questions as legal matters aren't really my thing, but surely any decent lawyer would destroy that case, especially if the league was cancelled against a backdrop of serious illness and death? Surely promoting or relegating teams that haven't actually achieved it would open up a far more dangerous legal minefield for the authorities?

comment by Champers - Pow! Right in the kisser (U6859)
posted 21 minutes ago

Keep seeing the words Legal Action being bandied around everywhere but can you even take legal action to recover something you haven't lost?

----------------------------------------------------------

Yes civil cases are judged on reasonable probability not like criminal cases which are judged beyond reasonable doubt.

comment by Spart-Derby really are the best says red dog. (U4603)
posted 22 minutes ago
comment by Champers - Pow! Right in the kisser (U6859)
posted 21 minutes ago

Keep seeing the words Legal Action being bandied around everywhere but can you even take legal action to recover something you haven't lost?

----------------------------------------------------------

Yes civil cases are judged on reasonable probability not like criminal cases which are judged beyond reasonable doubt.
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Ah right, yeah. Like the Leeds keeper thing. Should have sussed that myself really

Andrew McGregor, a senior associate at the sports law firm Brabners said “I think a full cancellation or early cancellation would be way down the list of possible actions, just simply because of financial or integrity issues that are unfathomable in terms of what they might look like.”

comment by JonnyLosAngeles (My Dad was made in Leeds) עם ישראל חי (U9756)
posted 18 seconds ago
Andrew McGregor, a senior associate at the sports law firm Brabners said “I think a full cancellation or early cancellation would be way down the list of possible actions, just simply because of financial or integrity issues that are unfathomable in terms of what they might look like.”
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It's way down the list, as well it should be, but it will be on the list as we can't keep this season going forever. The authorities need to make a decision on contingency plans as a matter of urgency and whatever they choose people will need to accept. There stands to be losers no matter what on this.

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 18 hours, 13 minutes ago


It’s a tough one: on the one hand, there is a global pandemic bringing the world to a standstill, affecting billions and threatening the lives of millions. On the other hand, a few thickos from Leeds are going to be a bit peeved because they might not go from one division of football to another division of football.

See you next season lads.


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We have been waiting 16 years to get back to the Premiership. I object to being called a “thicko”. To promote the teams who are in the top positions (and have been all season!) seems sensible to me.

It is not that I aren’t worrying about or empathising with everyone who is ill or has lost loved ones. May I add that I am the same age as Eddie Gray - my 72nd birthday will be on 7 April - so I am of the group of people who have more cause to worry than most. I am also hoping my beloved club Leeds United gains promotion before I shed this mortal coil!

Of course this situation is an emergency and was completely unforeseen, so we can only wait and see what happens and trust, when the time eventually comes, the football authorities will make sensible decisions regarding this season and the tables as they currently stand.

play games behind closed doors, it is so simple

I think because of player contracts and loans usually expiring by the end of June then I reckon the season will have to end then whether or not all the games have been completed and promotion and relegation issues decided by final league placings. If there's no time for Play offs then top 3 go up.
If no games happen before end of June then I think there will probably be no relegation but only the top 2 from the league below would be promoted as the table stands.
The clubs that miss out on play offs would have to be compensated financially by the league.
Everyone saying this virus is going to get worse in a month so it's not looking likely games will resume til May at the earliest. Just have to wait and see.

thinking on it, end season now as if all games played, and play the requisite games behind closed doors, each league playoff winners play the losers of the above league?

comment by Kamara's left foot (U21862)
posted 31 minutes ago
play games behind closed doors, it is so simple
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How many clubs would go bust incurring the costs and getting nothing back? A good few. And then, subtracting all points gained against bankrupt clubs would be very difficult and arbitrary. The best solution is just to end the competitions - leagues and cups - and start anew next September, planning the season according to circumstances at the time.

comment by Macca: Emily Bishop's love child (U8194)
posted 42 minutes ago
I think because of player contracts and loans usually expiring by the end of June then I reckon the season will have to end then whether or not all the games have been completed and promotion and relegation issues decided by final league placings. If there's no time for Play offs then top 3 go up.
If no games happen before end of June then I think there will probably be no relegation but only the top 2 from the league below would be promoted as the table stands.
The clubs that miss out on play offs would have to be compensated financially by the league.
Everyone saying this virus is going to get worse in a month so it's not looking likely games will resume til May at the earliest. Just have to wait and see.
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So you'd increase the number of clubs in each league by 2. Sounds unmanageable to me.

Whatever is done will be unfair. There will be winners and losers. And it is nobody's fault. Just abandon the competitions and start again as soon as the next season has become obvious.

No only Premier league would have extra 2 as 2 from championship would be replaced by 2 from league one and same in leagues below. Iistening to Brighton chairman on football focus he said this was one of the options that could happen in a worse case scenario of no more games being played

In a few weeks we are likely to have had thousands of deaths. People will feel very differently then. For the great majority of fans, the idea of completing the season will become unthinkable. Apart from the few like Leeds that are on the verge of achieving something, most won’t want to play.

If there was a vote amongst the Premier clubs, what would they do? I just read that a majority of 14 out of the 20 are needed to confirm a decision. If the question was: do we write off this season? then would 14 vote for that? Liverpool wouldn’t, nor would those who didn’t qualify for Champions League this season but still have a chance as things stand. Are there five more clubs other than Liverpool?

What about a vote in the EFL? Those still with a chance of promotion or play-offs would rather continue, the rest wouldn’t. I don’t know what the rules are for votes are in the EFL but it could come to that.

comment by Champers - Pow! Right in the kisser (U6859)
posted 3 hours, 16 minutes ago
comment by JonnyLosAngeles (My Dad was made in Leeds) עם ישראל חי (U9756)
posted 18 seconds ago
Andrew McGregor, a senior associate at the sports law firm Brabners said “I think a full cancellation or early cancellation would be way down the list of possible actions, just simply because of financial or integrity issues that are unfathomable in terms of what they might look like.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's way down the list, as well it should be, but it will be on the list as we can't keep this season going forever. The authorities need to make a decision on contingency plans as a matter of urgency and whatever they choose people will need to accept. There stands to be losers no matter what on this.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, perhaps the 20/21 season also cannot begin on schedule and will have to be a truncated season.

There is considerable more risk to everyone from not finishing the season than making up different rules for the next season.

Funny how all the cancel the season lot are fans of clubs that have had disappointing years. Of course clubs like Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham, Norwich etc. will vote to cancel as they'd benefit with avoiding relegation or qualifying for European competition.

The only sporting decision is finishing the season. When the situation is okay to play again, they will finish the season and then adapt the following one. I'm not sure how the number of deaths caused by the virus comes into it - if you're proposing to start a new season after all those deaths, why would finishing the current one be so bad?

Of course all fans will go for the option that best suits their club.

The relevance of the number of deaths is also to do with a gradual realisation that will take place of the length of time before things get back to nearer normal. If we are talking about, say, August or September before football starts again then it becomes harder to justify completing the season and more tempting or even more sensible to want to start afresh.

It’s telling that almost all of the calls for the season to continue are from Liverpool and Leeds fans. Nobody is being objective about this.

It’s mid-March right now - this pandemic is unlikely to be over for at least a couple of months, possibly longer. At that point we could make a decision. My personal opinion is that it is unlikely we will be able to play the postponed games from this season. So this season is effectively done. Then it will be up to the respective leagues and international organizations to determine the repercussions.