Season's suspended *Update* - possible training May 16

[up the line]

The EFL must have some legislation/protocol on season 'curtailment' if that's what it comes to. I can't believe they wouldn't have written up some rules to be used if something like this or war etc curtails a season with no realistic chance of completing the remaining fixtures fairly.. Its just finding that in writing?

 

[djg145]

I know I am probably missing something here, but here goes.

What is the difference between football, rugby and horse racing (besides the OBVIOUS).

WHY wasn't Cheltenham abandoned, why is Rugby at Club level allowed to continue?

Why havent Concert's been cancelled?

Why is football the only one?

 

[Devongreenowl]

I'm no expert so I won't offer an opinion but.......
My father in law is a paramedic of 35 years and said its a load of nonsense, more people will die as a consequence of standard flu than this and a radiographer I know in Banbury was told he had to shave his beard or else the masks won't work. He's kept his beard.

If that's the view of NHS employees, I'll stick with their advice and just wash hands until I'm legally not allowed to enjoy life.

From a football point of view, if it gets too late to restart the season, I would abandon it completely in the interest of fairness. I know at this stage of the season teams are in and around their deserved place, but you can't have a true result until every team has played each other twice

Average deaths from flu per annum in the Uk are about 650. Peak years were 2009 and 2013 when 13,000 and 9,000 died respectively. Hardly anybody noticed, except (with respect) the nearest and dearest of those unfortunate enough. Between 1700-1800 people die on our roads EVERY year.

Re beards, in the military it was an absolute incontrovertible fact that a beard would render your anti gas respirator useless.

 

[edengreen]

This is ad news for Argyle and our long journeys
It's likely to mean that we will be playing grimsby leyton orient on tuesday nights

Now whilst I know everyone is in the same boat we have already had this situation and our form dropped off as a result

I know it cant be helped but I cant see the football league adding 4 weeks onto the end of the season so that it really is fair to everyone
Also Sawyers ban maybe longer than Cantonas at this rate !!!

 

[RochdaleGreen]

Unfortunately, I see little prospect of any of the Leagues being completed.

So, for League 2, I would say that the EFL should declare that the season is now over, as at 37 games.

The Only issue is that 8 clubs have only played 36 games. BUT, looking at the table on 37 games, Stevenage down, even if it won its missing game. Likewise Crewe, Swindon and Argyle promoted, even if Cheltenham won its missing game.

Playoffs behind closed doors for Exeter, Cheltenham, Colchester and Northampton, since no club below them on 36 games can catch them and none of these can catch Argyle in 3rd place.

Simples!

Anyone know who I should forward this suggestion to at EFL/Downing Street?

By the way, the same common sense principles could apply to the other Leagues, so that Liverpool, who I dislike ,would be crowned champs, as they deserve.

 

[IJN]

I reckon play offs should be abandoned this season and the 4th team should be automatically promoted.

 

[RochdaleGreen]

I reckon play offs should be abandoned this season and the 4th team should be automatically promoted.

Fine IJN, but who is 4th? Exeter on 37 games, or Cheltenham on 36 games?

 

[justanotherfan]

I'm no expert so I won't offer an opinion but.......
My father in law is a paramedic of 35 years and said its a load of nonsense, more people will die as a consequence of standard flu than this and a radiographer I know in Banbury was told he had to shave his beard or else the masks won't work. He's kept his beard.

If that's the view of NHS employees, I'll stick with their advice and just wash hands until I'm legally not allowed to enjoy life.

From a football point of view, if it gets too late to restart the season, I would abandon it completely in the interest of fairness. I know at this stage of the season teams are in and around their deserved place, but you can't have a true result until every team has played each other twice

Imagine a scenario where Mr Lowe has an offer from a bigger fish, he goes and takes some very influential players/staff with him, we haven`t been promoted and would have to start from scratch. A team which is floundering at the bottom of their respective league, perhaps through financial misconduct, attracts an investor with bottomless pockets and romps to success in our place next year. Not to mention the non league team being denied its place in the football league. Fairness like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[RochdaleGreen]

Sorry IJN - should have said who is 4th on my above scenario where season ends today, give differential in games between Exeter and Cheltenham?

 

[Pogleswoody]

Sorry IJN - should have said who is 4th on my above scenario where season ends today, give differential in games between Exeter and Cheltenham?

Well Cheltenham have scored more points per game and have a better goal difference.
So, in my totally unbiased view :twisted: , Cheltenham should go up. Poor old Hex-eter! :twisted:

 

[third earl of jean]

There's effectively three options, (a) we finish the season when we can, if that means in the summer and 2020-21 start time is affected so be it, (b) we abandon the season and start again in August afresh as if 2019-20 never happened or (c) we finish now and current places stand.

I am sure each will be argued. For me, I can't see (c) being accepted. It might work with the current maths in league two but what about the Premier League relegation for example, and I am sure there's other examples. (b) is incredibly harsh on teams like Argyle, Liverpool and others. The best option is surely (a). Player contracts would need to be adjusted but I would think the authorities could move the transfer window, and make a strong recommendation that any contract scheduled to end on 30 June be extended on the same terms for say two months. Players could probably opt to walk but be banned from signing for anyone else for that period and so would just be without pay for two months to what end. There's also no reason 2020-21 has to start in August, it could be delayed until later and something done to pack the fixtures in.

 

[up the line]

Average points and goals for and against per game can be used to extrapolate the end result in a calculation that doesn't consider the unpredictable nature of football

 

[simon1argyle]

I'm no expert so I won't offer an opinion but.......
My father in law is a paramedic of 35 years and said its a load of nonsense, more people will die as a consequence of standard flu than this and a radiographer I know in Banbury was told he had to shave his beard or else the masks won't work. He's kept his beard.

If that's the view of NHS employees, I'll stick with their advice and just wash hands until I'm legally not allowed to enjoy life.

From a football point of view, if it gets too late to restart the season, I would abandon it completely in the interest of fairness. I know at this stage of the season teams are in and around their deserved place, but you can't have a true result until every team has played each other twice

Imagine a scenario where Mr Lowe has an offer from a bigger fish, he goes and takes some very influential players/staff with him, we haven`t been promoted and would have to start from scratch. A team which is floundering at the bottom of their respective league, perhaps through financial misconduct, attracts an investor with bottomless pockets and romps to success in our place next year. Not to mention the non league team being denied its place in the football league. Fairness like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I think that would just fall into the "sh*t happens" category and we would have to go again.
Obviously like all argyle fans I'm desperate for us to go back up immediately but if it's taken out of our own hands? Whinge on here yes, complain no

 

[Heathrow Green]

There is another option is for a “pools panel” type system. Where experts look at remaining fixtures and assign a win, draw, loss.

Not the best idea but maybe something that could be used.

 

[Nobby]

There is another option is for a “pools panel” type system. Where experts look at remaining fixtures and assign a win, draw, loss.

Not the best idea but maybe something that could be used.

The thing is with the amount of data available to us, predicting the outcome of the season on paper is easier then ever. Unfortunately, the last 5/6 weeks of a season throw up so many anomaly's that it just wouldn't be right to do it that way.

There's three options, as I see it:

1. Season abandoned, go again next year with same leagues.

2. Season is restarted later in the year and next season starts later with a shorter pre-season and we do away with the likes of the JPT and Carling Cup to fit extra leagues game in to make the time back throughout the season.

3. The current table is the final league table and teams are promoted/relegated on that basis.

Option 2 is the only one that seems remotely fair, even if the third is in our best interest.

What a crazy situation.