Increasingly I can see using a virtual table, which on the face of it should be easy to do. Say a team has four home games left and six away, work out their average points per game in each category and add to the current total.

No the football authorities need to sit down with broadcasters etc and talk through the options

Football doesn't really matter at the moment when you see what's going on

Putting to one side the scale of the human tragedy we face I think it does matter. It matters to those who's income depends upon it. But more than that I think organised sport in general matters in terms of morale/distraction from our current crisis. I can see how there will be support from many quarters (some with significant influence over the government) for a solution.

I still reckon an eventual 'normal' conclusion to this season, followed by cannibalised North/South leagues for 20/21 comprising 22 matches.

JonD wrote:Putting to one side the scale of the human tragedy we face I think it does matter. It matters to those who's income depends upon it. But more than that I think organised sport in general matters in terms of morale/distraction from our current crisis. I can see how there will be support from many quarters (some with significant influence over the government) for a solution.

Agree with this entirely.

excessbee wrote:I still reckon an eventual 'normal' conclusion to this season, followed by cannibalised North/South leagues for 20/21 comprising 22 matches.

Yes, perhaps it's also time to bring back League 1 North & South with 5 relegations from Championship, 2 up automatically from each league and one via playoffs?

Championship would never agree to five relegation places. The normal three could be replaced by League One North/South winners and the third from a playoff incorporating second and third from each.

I think they should give Liverpool the title, and then just decide the other 91 league places at random like the FA Cup.

If you get jumped a few leagues, then you start with a points deduction, if you get dropped a few you start with a points advantage.

Would make it interesting for the first time in a long time, and crowds would be HUUUUGE.

Newport County could finish season in 56 days - behind closed doors

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport ... sed-doors/

Some thought provoking stuff in there. God idea to ask players who have not been furloughed yet to take their annual leave now as it doesn't look like they will get much of a Summer break if things go the way the EFL are hoping.

I would still hope that if they do go ahead with behind closed doors games they will relax the restrictions of iFollow.

Amberexile wrote:Newport County could finish season in 56 days - behind closed doors

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport ... sed-doors/

Some thought provoking stuff in there. God idea to ask players who have not been furloughed yet to take their annual leave now as it doesn't look like they will get much of a Summer break if things go the way the EFL are hoping.

I would still hope that if they do go ahead with behind closed doors games they will relax the restrictions of iFollow.

Oh great take annual leave when you can't leave the house

UPTHEPORT wrote:

Amberexile wrote:Newport County could finish season in 56 days - behind closed doors

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport ... sed-doors/

Some thought provoking stuff in there. God idea to ask players who have not been furloughed yet to take their annual leave now as it doesn't look like they will get much of a Summer break if things go the way the EFL are hoping.

I would still hope that if they do go ahead with behind closed doors games they will relax the restrictions of iFollow.

Oh great take annual leave when you can't leave the house

Yes but their contract of employment entitles them to 5 weeks' paid holiday in each holiday year which runs to 30th June

I didn't understand that bit about asking the players to take annual leave. I've seen a few professional contracts (some years ago, needed for work I was doing at the time) and no-one ever got any annual leave.

How would that work then? Podge to MF in March, "Boss, can I have the next 2 weeks off please? I'm taking the wife and kids to Centre Parks".

Yes, they can get compassionate or emergency leave, if a family member is I'll, and most managers will be considerate if a player lives a fair distance away from the club and will let them have occasional days off.

But, annual leave per player? No, can't see it happening unless what they really mean is unpaid leave.

DeePeeNCAFC wrote:I didn't understand that bit about asking the players to take annual leave. I've seen a few professional contracts (some years ago, needed for work I was doing at the time) and no-one ever got any annual leave.

How would that work then? Podge to MF in March, "Boss, can I have the next 2 weeks off please? I'm taking the wife and kids to Centre Parks".

Yes, they can get compassionate or emergency leave, if a family member is I'll, and most managers will be considerate if a player lives a fair distance away from the club and will let them have occasional days off.

But, annual leave per player? No, can't see it happening unless what they really mean is unpaid leave.

This is the standard wording for this season -

Holidays
For each Holiday Year the Player shall be entitled to take in the aggregate the equivalent of five weeks paid holiday to be taken at a time or times and for such days during the Holiday Year as shall be determined by the Club but so that (subject to the Club’s first team and any international commitments) the Club shall not unreasonably refuse to permit the Player to take three of such weeks consecutively. Holidays not taken during any Holiday Year (or subject to agreement by the Club within one month of the end of such Holiday Year) may not be carried forward into any subsequent Holiday Year.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52 ... _138850427

Null and void winning poll at the moment

Thing is you can't take medics away from NHS for next few months

Good point. One ambulance crew diverted to a football injury is one too many. Some of the pressure to get started will be coming from Sky who will want to reactivate paused subscriptions ASAP.