Open letter from Maidenhead Utd to FA and Premier League
Maidenhead Utd have written to the above proposing the following : 1/ The current season be cancelled 2/ All league positions be decided on a PPG basis. 3/ Promotion to take place to reward those teams who have done well but no relegation. 3/ 3 teams promoted from The Championship and League 1, 4 from League 2 and the National League to make up for Burys absence. 4/ The same approach throughout the pyramid to give consitancy 5/. PL to relegate one extra team over the next 3 seasons with a ripple effect lower down They argue these proposals would be the correct way to act in the current crisis when football should not be thinking of finishing the current season and it enables 20/21 to start in a logical way and at hopefully around the normal time.
Comments
Re. points 2&3. Sounds like a great idea to me - I've always liked Maidenhead.
Fact that they are in a relegation position has, in no way, coloured their thinking.
I think Perfidious Albion is spot on. There’s a hint of the Karen Brady/West Ham philosophy at play here.
I would hope not I think we need to give them the benefit of the doubt.
What @perfidious_albion says.
Be interesting to see other clubs who have no axe to grind think.
Whatever their many faults, the football authorities are stuck in a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation, where any achievements are tainted forever or they're faced with endless legal suits. No wonder they want to hold on as long as possible before making a final decision.
Embarrassingly transparent.
And you'll never have some aspects of a league declared and not others. That really does take away this "integrity" or a league people keep mentioning.
Ultimately there will be 3 choices. 1/ Declare the season null and void. 2/ Adopt some process along the lines of Maidenheads suggestion 3/ Try to squeeze a season and a quarter into about 9 months when nearly normal service might be resumed. In my mind a version of option 2 might be the least worst although all 3 are thrawt with complications and possible lawsuits
There's realistically only two options.
Cancel or continue.
It's right to give it every chance to play out.
But at some stage it'll have to be written off.
We can debate when that would be.
At the risk of sounding like a certain poster, have there really been any good reasons for cancelling this season at this point before we have any real idea when we might see the next start?
Sounds like a bit of self interest, bored hacks and some impatient fans.
No reason at this stage.
More reason the longer it drags on.
I still think it's too early to void at the moment, needs giving every chance, if we had only played 9 or 10 games then fair enough, but with not many to go, no.
If they decide in a few months time they xant go on then I'd be more than happy with the sort of proposal that Maidenhead have come up with, people who should go up, go up, and.people dont get relegated so they will be happy as well. In my opinion the best possible outcome if there is to be no more football this season.
What about those below, that get promoted. If you promote from one division/league, how do you make the space for them?
Also, what if next season is virus shortened too? You could end up with a 31 team League One!
You promote 4 to your league you lose 4 promoted to the league above The only league that increases slightly is The PL.
I didn't think it was possible to have a promotion party less enjoyable than Peter Taylor's, but this will surely beat it.
The premier league would increase by 3 clubs to 23 teams requiring eight more match days in a year with Euro 21 at the end and every chance sadly of more disruption due to this virus. It doesn't seem a practical solution to me - even if it does keep Maidenhead in the Conference top division.
Oddly the Yeovil chairman is arguing for the season to be finished regardless - by Jan 2021 if necessary - an opinion entirely unrelated to the fact they have a realistic shot at promotion but wouldn't quite make it on PPG......
Surely with no Euro 2020, they may be able to finish the leagues...even if it drifts into the summer. Then shorter holiday or a slightly later start. I'm all for finishing the league once it's safe to drink beer and eat pies in the company of fellow fans again. Optimistic I know.
A radical suggestion, if we end up trying to play the remaining fixtures in a short time fame, would be to play matches of 2x 30min halves so as not to overstress the players quite so much.
Could it happen?
If stuff like behind closed doors, all at some neutral camp are seriously being considered, then why not. 30min halves, kick ins, indoor...where would you draw the line?
Why not go the whole hog and just settle it on penalties on one day at one venue!
100 pens per team.
Most scored gets 1st, least scored gets last.
Easy
Big 5 a side tournament at Wembley?
Jumpers down for goalposts & one team in skins. Like it were in my day!
Rush keepers? Home for tea.
It will be more like breakfast the next day if Allsop is ours!
Rush keepers and Allsop. Four words that don't sit well together.