Championship Clubs

According to SSN there seems to be differing opinions between the top clubs and the rest about how to end the season.
There also seems to be a realisation that the high rollers are going to breach FFP rules (fancy that, nothing will be done to them) and that basically the arse is falling out of the market.
It also seems that most clubs are beginning to realise that we need a salary cap, wage restrictions and in general a levelling of the playing field. Teams will no longer be able to rely on selling players to survive (This will effect us via our spreadsheet mentality) but hopefully through the prudent nature of our board, and I don't always agree with their stance, we should be in a better position than most to ride out the storm.
Please discuss!

 

A lot of clubs will benefit from salary caps almost immediately, as they will have a lot of players out of contract on 30th Jun.

We however adopted a policy of signing players on long contracts, which we wont be able to get out of.

 

Tbf this is what we wanted as fans and no one saw this crisis coming. If it means we go back to having players for more than a season or so I personally would prefer this.

 

Our problem isn't the length of contracts, it's the number of players we have on those contracts.

 

Dane said in his last interview those contracts aren't a problem to the owners, they're small in monetary terms.

 

One thing this unforeseen crisis will throw up, is that those Clubs like Barnsley, who have
attempted to rigourously abide by the rules of FFP, will not suffer the same fiscal pressures
as those who chose to ride roughshod over the regulations and in the future, could at best
face receivership or at worst be forced into liquidation.

Any scheme that introduces a salary cap and goes some way to achieving a level playing field
surely has to be welcomed.?

 

One would hope. Unfortunately, and this is not in any way the club's fault, our ability to survive will depend on the regular payments we are owed from clubs who have bought but not yet paid for our players. But if they have no money, we're just one of many creditors.

 

If you are Chien Lee, what is the attraction of Barnsley if the arse does indeed fall out of the transfer market (which surely it must?)

Your whole buy-'em-cheap-and-sell-'em-relatively-high strategy is dead. The chances are that a season in the Premier League - and even another one in the Championship - is going to be worth a lot less as TV subscriptions take a hit.

So what next?

 

On the flip side those cluvs are happy to lose 10s of millions,it's only the ffp rules that are (slightly) limiting how much they're happy to lose. If they were happy to lose £20m last season then frankly they should be prepared to lose £25m this season with absolutely no sympathy and no real increased risk of going under

 

I've never got my head round this one. This might not be the best analogy, but if I go to buy a VW from Hayseldon, I have 2 options, ignoring part-exchange. I can pay up in full or borrow the money. If I borrow then it's a bank or a finance company. Hayseldon gets the full amount up front no matter what happens.

It seems nonsensical to allow this merry-go-round of players and never-ending cycle of credit arrangements between clubs. I can't see any good in it whatsoever.

 

If they were to call the season 'null and void' it would benefit clubs like us, who would, presumably, start again in the Championship next year along with Leeds and West Brom. Teams that have done particularly well this season and who look on course for promotion from Championship, Division One and Two would not be happy. Would a decent compromise be to start the new season (presuming that it does start in August, or September) with the equivalent negative points and positive points above and below the median line of mid-table. Similarly clubs like Leeds and West Brom would start with the equivalent positive points of their current position above the median. Goal difference could also start at the same point as now. It would just give a fairer feel to the new season, especially thinking of teams like Coventry, West Brom and Leeds, who wouldn't feel it justice to have to start all over again from zero points. We would start with -16 points (goal difference -20)and Leeds +21 points (goal difference +26).

In an insane situation, it might be that otherwise insane solutions might need to be tried.

Any thoughts?

 

It's a decent suggestion, but I believe any option, apart from playing out the season, will not sit well with some people / fans / clubs.

From a selfish point of view, I'd be happy if they played behind closed doors, as opposed to coming up with a "solution". Then again, living in San Francisco, most games are on iFollow for me.

I saw today that a junior Scottish club have been awarded the title, even though they are in third place. It was based on points-per-game and they had 9 games in hand. I'm sure they're happy, but I'm sure the two above are not. Shades of Barnsley / Arsenal in the twenties.

 

I get the thought behind the idea but from a Barnsley perspective think I would rather just be relegated than head into a season already adrift at the bottom of the table

 

No need. Wednesday, Derby, Birmingham relegated. Sorted.

 

The only fair way to end the season is to finish it imo .
It’s not a given that Leeds and West Brom would have been promoted not is it a given that teams in the playoffs would finish there also .snd it’s not a given that the bottom three would be relegated and in fact Boro had only just dropped in after Wigan had spent much of their time there .
If the season is not finished then every other way would be argued and fought over and rightly so imo .
There will be lawsuits and controversy over that seasons records .
Not finishing the season would be a Pandora’s box with every solution contended .

 

I agree the fairest way is to somehow finish the season.

If not and clubs are relegated/promoted there is the prospect of long drawn out legal battles by the aggrieved clubs.

There is also the prospect of disgruntled fans who will make their feelings known.

 

I agree it is the fairest sporting outcome.
The problem with that especially as you go down the leagues is the contract situation. Also while it would be viable financially for prem clubs to play behind closed doors probably not so much in league one and two.
So many problems whatever happens and at a certain point the finances may override the sporting element.

 

Middlesbrough aren’t in the bottom 3 it’s Charlton that’s joined us and Luton isn’t it.

 

I don’t think there’d be as many lawsuits if Season were finished despite contracts imo its the playing behind closed doors could also bring its problems . How many who have not got access to ifollow etc would obey the lockdown rules and not congregate at a friends or relatives.
So many ifs and buts but you can count on the Authorities to pick the most controversial and help the big boys .