Season could be over for EFL clubs - as Leeds United wait on Premier League news

Yesterday’s delaying of the Bundesliga’s planned resumption was a further blow to those who hope to see professional football resume in this country sooner rather than later.

It came on the back of unconfirmed reports League One and Two players have been told not to expect to finish the season, and fears this could extend to the second tier. As long as relegation from the top division is resolved, the Whites’ return after 14 years away should not be blocked.

Rotherham United’s hopes could rest on what the Football League do next if they are unable to fulfil their stated hope of completing the 2019-20 fixtures.

With its low infection rates and high testing, Germany hopes to lead the way for the return of European football. Its 18 clubs are back in training, and were working towards a May 9 date. But with the country considering tightening lockdown restrictions after a spike in cases, approval will not be granted until at least Wednesday, meaning nothing before May 16.

Five Premier League clubs, including Sheffield United, returned to training this week and the league’s chief executives will meet today to further discuss “Project Restart”. However, in yesterday’s Downing Street briefing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered no more than “a roadmap” next week towards an easing of social distancing guidelines.

It has been reported Football League captains and union representatives have been briefed there is a “very real possibility” Leagues One and Two will not be completed.

A huge number of coronavirus tests would be needed to facilitate matches, and there is a concern this would not sit well while some NHS and key workers are struggling to be tested. The cost for testing everyone needed to attend behind-closed-doors matches in the 20-team Premier League for this season’s remaining games has been estimated at £4m. The Championship and League Two have 24 teams, League One 23.

Playing would allow the Premier League to deliver on its television contracts, avoiding bills of up to £762m for matches not yet screened, but the economics are very different lower down the leagues, where broadcast deals are much lower and dependence on matchday revenue much higher.

Doncaster Rovers chief executive Dave Baldwin has revealed: “The chairman and I have been working with the finance director to plan for every eventuality, including the possibility of no football for the remainder of the calendar year.”

There was some positive news from the Keepmoat Stadium, however, with manager Darren Moore no longer furloughed.

Whether players would be prepared to play beyond contracts due to expire in June, and if clubs are willing to pay them too, is another difficult issue. Bradford City have 14 players out of contract in June. Fellow League Two side Stevenage say they have only two contracted beyond it.

Collectively, Championship clubs spend more on wages than they receive in income, and many are still to reach agreements over pay cuts or deferrals.

Barnsley coach Gerhard Struber expects the Championship to restart shortly after the Premier League, but sees the end of July as the cut-off. “This is only my feeling, but there is a big pressure that the Premier League starts and maybe the Championship starts a little bit later – one or two weeks,” he said.

“Maybe we have a best practice situation from the Premier League for when we start and we can learn from the practical situation from the Premier League.

“I think when (if) we cannot end the season until the end of July, then we must end it.”

Any league finishing its season early would have to decide whether to void it, or if not how to decide final league placings. The National League is expected to make a decision on its divisions today.

Rotherham are in League One’s second automatic promotion place, and would remain there if points-per-game decided final positions. Barnsley are bottom of the Championship, and would swap places with them if promotion and relegation went ahead.

All permutations would see Leeds finish in the automatic promotion places, so the issue is if space can be made for them by the Premier League relegation places being decided.

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