Championship Clubs Discuss Possibility of Restarting Season in July When Lockdown Measures Relax

03 May 2020 10:52

Championship clubs have held discussions about how they could play out the remainder of the 2019/20 season, with a proposal to complete the campaign in July being mooted.


Just as with leagues across the world, the English second-tier is currently on indefinite postponement, with the current lockdown measures meaning playing squads are not even allowed to train in groups.


Concern over how to finish the season is universal, but Championship clubs have discussed waiting until July to play out the remaining fixtures, working on the basis that lockdown measures will be relaxed if not entirely lifted by that time.


According to the Telegraph, there is a feeling among clubs that returning to action in the middle of summer could work, with a quick turnaround before the 2020/21 season begins a possible course of action.


EFL chairman Rick Parry had insisted that clubs were determined to complete the season in full. The previously mentioned method of playing behind doors had been deemed to expensive for Championship clubs to handle, so this method has been put forward.


Parry previously said: "I personally don't believe that there will be a viable option. I just think that playing in front of no crowd whatsoever as an option is fading into the distance. As every week goes by, the chances of finishing the season get less and less for League One and League Two.


"What happens is the primacy of the sporting integrity of the competition gets overtaken by the primacy of the economics of it. The desire to finish the season sort of goes out the window because people are now looking at the cost of doing that."


West Bromwich Albion v Leeds United - Sky Bet Championship

As previously reported, the Football League stated that if the season couldn't be completed, then the preferred conclusion would be to promote Leeds and West Brom - currently first and second in the Championship table respectively - and play the playoffs as they are to determine the final promotion spot.


Meanwhile, if the season is curtailed, offering promotion to Leeds and West Brom and extending the Premier League to 22 teams has also been mentioned.



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Source: 90min