Promotion and relegation 2019/20 season

[Zeuss]

I know this has been discussed to some extent on earlier threads but I haven’t managed to trace back to read all the views expressed,so apologies if this constitutes too much repetition.
It’s now fair to say that this season cannot get finished (even games behind closed doors is unacceptable).
Fortunately,the current league tables (do consult them) lend themselves to reasonably fair conclusions:
1. Only Liverpool and Barrow were far enough ahead to be crowned Champions.
2.No promotion via play-offs—no team in any division had even definitely secured a play-off place.
3.No relegation—no team in any division,not even us,Bolton,Stevenage were mathematically down.
4.Promotion for all teams clearly(and less clearly) sitting in an automatic promotion place :

Leeds
WBA

Coventry
Rotherham

Crewe
Swindon
Plymouth

Barrow

With Bury gone,this keeps it at 92 clubs for next season...with a
22–24–24–22 set-up. That could easily be restored to the current 20–24–24–24 situation in the 2020/21 season eg 4 down/2 up Premiership/Championship.

I’d be pleased to hear whether others agree that this reasonably obvious solution is a fair one...

 

[C C Csiders]

No very unfair. Assumptions should not be made. I think the only fair way is to play to conclusion whenever that may be. A pragmatic solution regards 30 June contracts should be achievable.

Then the 2020/21 season can either start late or be adapted based upon when it starts. Maybe with no promotions or relegations in that season - just champions of the individual leagues with some sort of reward for winning.

 

[Mick]

I know this has been discussed to some extent on earlier threads but I haven’t managed to trace back to read all the views expressed,so apologies if this constitutes too much repetition.
It’s now fair to say that this season cannot get finished (even games behind closed doors is unacceptable).
Fortunately,the current league tables (do consult them) lend themselves to reasonably fair conclusions:
1. Only Liverpool and Barrow were far enough ahead to be crowned Champions.
2.No promotion via play-offs—no team in any division had even definitely secured a play-off place.
3.No relegation—no team in any division,not even us,Bolton,Stevenage were mathematically down.
4.Promotion for all teams clearly(and less clearly) sitting in an automatic promotion place :

Leeds
WBA

Coventry
Rotherham

Crewe
Swindon
Plymouth

Barrow

With Bury gone,this keeps it at 92 clubs for next season...with a
22–24–24–22 set-up. That could easily be restored to the current 20–24–24–24 situation in the 2020/21 season eg 4 down/2 up Premiership/Championship.

I’d be pleased to hear whether others agree that this reasonably obvious solution is a fair one...

So far so good (with the places being exactly the same as if it were done on a points per game basis).

However football doesn't stop at League Two and that leaves the National League with an odd number (23 or 25 if you apply the no relegation and reduced promotion to 1 club) then it gets more complicated the further down you go !

 

[Blueronron]

Totally agree Mick with you post

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

With the virus taking more hold every day and a not brilliant lockdown in place. There is chance of Football not returning for a very long while.
It may not even return in its current format.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I know this has been discussed to some extent on earlier threads but I haven’t managed to trace back to read all the views expressed,so apologies if this constitutes too much repetition.
It’s now fair to say that this season cannot get finished (even games behind closed doors is unacceptable).
Fortunately,the current league tables (do consult them) lend themselves to reasonably fair conclusions:
1. Only Liverpool and Barrow were far enough ahead to be crowned Champions.
2.No promotion via play-offs—no team in any division had even definitely secured a play-off place.
3.No relegation—no team in any division,not even us,Bolton,Stevenage were mathematically down.
4.Promotion for all teams clearly(and less clearly) sitting in an automatic promotion place :

Leeds
WBA

Coventry
Rotherham

Crewe
Swindon
Plymouth

Barrow

With Bury gone,this keeps it at 92 clubs for next season...with a
22–24–24–22 set-up. That could easily be restored to the current 20–24–24–24 situation in the 2020/21 season eg 4 down/2 up Premiership/Championship.

I’d be pleased to hear whether others agree that this reasonably obvious solution is a fair one...

 

[old leigh shrimper]

I really think that the whole 19/20 season will be voided/expunged and all teams will restart in the divisions that they are now in......that Restart may not be till August 2021...….

 

[Mick]

So far so good (with the places being exactly the same as if it were done on a points per game basis).

However football doesn't stop at League Two and that leaves the National League with an odd number (23 or 25 if you apply the no relegation and reduced promotion to 1 club) then it gets more complicated the further down you go !

Steps 5 and 6 Leagues have been advised that their season is over. No decision yet on void or PPG.

That's Essex Senior League level and the level below !

 

[Mick]

Steps 5 and 6 Leagues have been advised that their season is over. No decision yet on void or PPG.

That's Essex Senior League level and the level below !

Steps 3 and 4 have commenced the process to terminate the season.

The National League’s position is that they wish to be able to resume the 2019-20 season at some point. The feeder Leagues do not support this.

 

[kaymac]

I’d doubt the Conf Nat’l / North / South clubs would be in a hurry to resume the season also player contracts tend to run until end of their league season, not to end June as in the Prem + EFL.

 

[fbm]

Steps 3 and 4 have commenced the process to terminate the season.

The National League’s position is that they wish to be able to resume the 2019-20 season at some point. The feeder Leagues do not support this.

The Prem also want to try and conclude the season, I would think that is probably based on the broadcasting contracts and obligations and wonder if that is also a driver behind the National League's view.

For me, as I have said for some time - this season will not be concluded. There is precedent - when WW2 broke out - and whether it starts next August or not is debatable. But whenever it is, a restart with the same leagues and clubs actually depends on the same clubs surviving, which is far from a given.

This will be a reset for football and for the game to survive, it has to look very hard at itself, the money in the game and distribution of funds through to the lower reaches of the sport. It could look very different in the future.

 

[C C Csiders]

The Prem also want to try and conclude the season, I would think that is probably based on the broadcasting contracts and obligations and wonder if that is also a driver behind the National League's view.

For me, as I have said for some time - this season will not be concluded. There is precedent - when WW2 broke out - and whether it starts next August or not is debatable. But whenever it is, a restart with the same leagues and clubs actually depends on the same clubs surviving, which is far from a given.

This will be a reset for football and for the game to survive, it has to look very hard at itself, the money in the game and distribution of funds through to the lower reaches of the sport. It could look very different in the future.

Not really a precedent as WWII broke out in September so the season was about 5 games old.

 

[Chrisb]

This will be a reset for football and for the game to survive, it has to look very hard at itself, the money in the game and distribution of funds through to the lower reaches of the sport. It could look very different in the future.

A change absolutely has to happen with the money - the difference is so great now.

 

[C C Csiders]

A change absolutely has to happen with the money - the difference is so great now.

Oh yeah that'll happen.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Barrow are 4 points ahead of Harrogate Town. They are (were) due to play each other.

Let us say that Harrogate won that game then the top 2 teams could be 1 point apart with it all to play for.

 

[Zeuss]

Barrow are 4 points ahead of Harrogate Town. They are (were) due to play each other.

Let us say that Harrogate won that game then the top 2 teams could be 1 point apart with it all to play for.

Yes,that’s correct.Similarly Plymouth were only 3 points (+ much better goal difference) above Exeter but what I’m saying is they should go by what has actually happened,not what might have happened subsequently.

 

[Mad Cyril]

It's a shame but these things happen.

Look at all the teams that missed out on European football for instance.

Coventry will probably get promoted again but it's doubtful they will qualify for Europe for a while. Ditto Oxford, Luton, West Ham...

Voiding the season is the only fair option.

 

[kaymac]

"The Prem also want to try and conclude the season, I would think that is probably based on the broadcasting contracts and obligations and wonder if that is also a driver behind the National League's view".

Asides the occasional live broadcast there are no great sums of tv money involved at National League level, which also covers the Conf South and Conf North (both untelevised) and not just the National league.

 

[Shrimper]

It should be done on a PPG basis for automatic positions. Same number of relegation spots.

Liverpool champions

Bottom two relegated, Leeds WBA promoted

Us and Bolton relegated, Crewe, Swindon, Plymouth promoted.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

It all depends when we can start again. Things could look a lot different (good or bad) by the end of April. Most leagues only have 9 or 10 games left, and after such a long break, this could be condensed into 4 weeks, playing 3 games a week.

If this can be done in say July, then have a small break and start the next season in say mid September? Would mean a little congested next season, but at least that’s fair?