Jeff Stelling reveals his plan for finishing the 2019/20 season after expressing his dismay at seeing majority of the non league pyramid null and void.
The Sky Sports presenter and Hartlepool United club president was interviewed by The Athletic recently, and has come up with a solution to please a lot more teams as well as fans.
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“I don’t think it is right for the season to be null and void as Liverpool would be denied the title, or Leeds, West Brom and Coventry would be denied promotion,” said Stelling.
“Lower down, South Shields are 12 points clear in their division. To declare the season null and void is not only unfair but also leaves the football authorities open to all sorts of legal action. I would rule that out. How about playing to a finish? It might possibly work for the Premier League but to me, all the leagues need to be in synchronisation. This is a pyramid.
“My overall view is that it should be decided on a points-per-game model. The sides who have done the best so far are rewarded. Promotion and relegation on that basis is as fair as it is going to be.”
He admits that there is no perfect solution, but feels that promotion and relegation should be decided on a points-per-game ratio, which will prove a fair alternative to completing the season – even if it would mean his beloved Hartlepool United missing out on a return to the EFL. It is also something that majority of football fans are wanting the FA to consider.
“How about playing to a finish? It might possibly work for the Premier League but to me, all the leagues need to be in synchronisation. This is a pyramid.
“My overall view is that it should be decided on a points-per-game model. The sides who have done the best so far are rewarded. Promotion and relegation on that basis is as fair as it is going to be.”
“Hartlepool have four of our final seven games against bottom six teams,” he continued.
“We could make an argument we would have a field day in those games, so, yes, some people would be upset. I don’t see any playoffs happening in the Championship, so maybe third place goes up instead.
“In the Premier League, Watford are one goal better off than Bournemouth and it would mean Bournemouth are relegated. There is no perfect system but this would give a clean break.”
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