League Two clubs to hold talks on ending the season now

League Two clubs to hold talks on ending the season now when they come together in an emergency video call set for Tuesday.

If majority of the 24 teams push for the season to end as things stand, a vote on the decision is likely happen.

SunSport revealed last week that League Two chiefs are fearing they will not have enough funds to go ahead if the season restarts after the coronavirus lockdown, and Accrington’s Andy Holt threatened to boycott if forced to play.

Not only will the cost of playing on be too costly, but their will reportedly be extra wages to be paid and no revenue coming in due to the matches being played behind closed doors.

The Professional Footballers Association want a blanket deal on contract extensions, which would mean clubs cannot pick and choose what players to keep for the extra games.

Hundreds of League Two players are out of contract on the 30th of June, and by extending the season means handing out more deals, which will have a devastating impact on them, another reason as to why clubs will push for the season to end now.

Gary Neville launched a stinging verbal attack on League Two rival Peter Swann after the Scunthorpe United chairman called for footballers’ wages to be suspended until matches resume.

One club official told SunSport: “The numbers are growing. This was first brought up in calls to chairman Rick Parry after he came up with the emergency plan to finish the programme.

“Since then more and more have started talking about closing it down.”

Holt, owner of League One Accrington, said: ‘It will cost us half a million pounds to finish this season, if that’s what the EFL decide they want to do. I would rather use that money on rebuilding for next season instead of spending three more months now watching it die.

‘If it is a choice for us between playing dead rubber fixtures or surviving, we will be surviving. The main risk for Accrington Stanley is for the EFL to force us to spend money we have not got on games that do not matter to us.

‘I hope it doesn’t come to this but maybe it will get to the point where we are losing points because we have not fielded a team. Even if that gets us relegated, my job is to make sure Accrington Stanley stays afloat.’

Another unnamed EFL club owner said: “The walls are closing in because of the number of players who will be out of contract on June 30. Several club owners are saying they have no intention of paying those players beyond then [if the season were to run into August]. They haven’t got the money.

“And if some of the players have agreed to join other clubs, they’ll be reluctant to risk themselves for their current clubs. Whatever happens, the integrity of the competition will be compromised.”

Rob Couhig, chairman of League One club Wycombe, who sit 8th and are 3 points off the automatic spot, says he would rather start a new season in August than finish the current campaign behind closed doors.

He said: “I don’t understand how we finish the season.

“Would we not be better off saying ‘you know what, we’re done’ – let us pick up again in the middle of August when, by almost every estimate, 90% of the [coronavirus] problems will have been dealt with,” he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

He add that playing behind closed doors makes “no financial sense for a club like Wycombe”.

“I’m not going to stand up on my high horse and say I’m not gonna play, but it sure as heck makes no sense to me.

“Let’s have us a heck of a 2021 season from top to bottom with the sense of renewal.

“Nobody was more excited – April was going to be our biggest month ever.”

With a number of League Two clubs reported to hold talks on ending the season now, fans gave their thoughts on it via Twitter…

And so it begins………….

— Michael Baldwin (@mikeyccfc1990) April 19, 2020

Probably Stevenage being the main club behind this

— Zak Brown (@zakbrownz) April 19, 2020

No, they are owned by someone who made no effort to start the season. Has defaulted on his own CVA and the fans want nothing to do with him. It’s hardly the same as losing your main income stream and expecting to pay contracts indefinitely.

— Bacon Bantam (@BaconBantam) April 19, 2020

Good

— shez (@paulShe72684189) April 19, 2020

The season has to finish, to many implications if it doesn’t. It’s not right that teams don’t get to fight out the remainder be it bottom or top.
If anyone is curious I’m a Bolton fan and we firmly deserve to be in L2 next season! The season being ended would suit me but it’s ?

— Paul Davies (@PD_1972) April 19, 2020

End the season as in void the season or take current standings?

— John Janew (@JCJanew) April 19, 2020

Reality dawns…..

— Peter Coglan (@valderee53) April 19, 2020

The whole behind closed doors thing will work again first for a month or so but it’s not sustainable and it’s not necessary it’s ridiculous

— Ben stevens (@benstevens90) April 19, 2020

What would happen with teams that finish in play off positions?

— Shaun Edwards (@Lynx120785) April 20, 2020

Noooooooo!!!!

— chris barnard (@ctfc22) April 19, 2020