The 'devastating' legal view which would torpedo Cardiff Cit
Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:18 am
The 'devastating' legal view which would torpedo Cardiff City, Swansea City, Leeds United and West Brom's promotion hopes
EFL chiefs are set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the next course of action
By Mathew Davies
Monday 16th March 2020
A lawyer has warned that the season could be cancelled entirely if matches don't resume soon - denying Cardiff City and Swansea City a shot at play-off final promotion
Championship sides with Premier League ambitions have been warned about their promotion prospects this season.
With football on hold until the first weekend of April due to the coronavirus outbreak, a lawyer has told Sky Sports that if the season doesn't start again soon we are facing a complete cancellation of the 2019-20 campaign.
Cardiff City were due to face Leeds United last weekend, with Swansea City set for a trip to Teesside and a game against Middlesbrough.
But an announcement last Friday saw EFL and Premier League matches postponed until next month. Privately there is a feeling that further games will be called off with the virus reportedly set to peak in future weeks.
Lawyer Richard Cramer says the whole term is likely to be terminated if more ties are halted.
“Get the games going in April and I think we should be all right,” he told Sky Sports.
“But if we go through to May or June then I think it's almost inevitable that, it's almost the equivalent of what happened in the world wars, the season just has to be cancelled.
“Then we start all over again, which is obviously devastating for the likes of Leeds United and West Brom, both those clubs are on the verge of promotion.
“It's not a great thought, but they'll just have to abide by what the majority say and what decision is made by the board of directors.”
Leading sides Leeds United and West Brom would obviously be hit hard and be denied automatic promotion but the play-off pack would also be prevented from making a shot at the big time.
Cardiff and Swansea are just two and three points off the top six respectively and missing out on Premier League riches could have a huge knock-on effect for all clubs chasing promotion.
Over the weekend, Brighton CEO Paul Barber suggested that Leeds and West Brom should be promoted to the top flight to form a 22-team league, with no team relegated to the Championship this season.
"To leave the 20 Premier League teams as is would obviously help us and others," stated the Brighton CEO on BBC's Football Focus .
"But to bring the two top teams [Leeds & West Brom] from the Championship up gives us a larger Premier League next season, perhaps four relegation places and then two promotion spots in the Championship to return the league back to 20 teams the season after.
"It has some merit."
EFL chiefs are set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the next course of action.
EFL chiefs are set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the next course of action
By Mathew Davies
Monday 16th March 2020
A lawyer has warned that the season could be cancelled entirely if matches don't resume soon - denying Cardiff City and Swansea City a shot at play-off final promotion
Championship sides with Premier League ambitions have been warned about their promotion prospects this season.
With football on hold until the first weekend of April due to the coronavirus outbreak, a lawyer has told Sky Sports that if the season doesn't start again soon we are facing a complete cancellation of the 2019-20 campaign.
Cardiff City were due to face Leeds United last weekend, with Swansea City set for a trip to Teesside and a game against Middlesbrough.
But an announcement last Friday saw EFL and Premier League matches postponed until next month. Privately there is a feeling that further games will be called off with the virus reportedly set to peak in future weeks.
Lawyer Richard Cramer says the whole term is likely to be terminated if more ties are halted.
“Get the games going in April and I think we should be all right,” he told Sky Sports.
“But if we go through to May or June then I think it's almost inevitable that, it's almost the equivalent of what happened in the world wars, the season just has to be cancelled.
“Then we start all over again, which is obviously devastating for the likes of Leeds United and West Brom, both those clubs are on the verge of promotion.
“It's not a great thought, but they'll just have to abide by what the majority say and what decision is made by the board of directors.”
Leading sides Leeds United and West Brom would obviously be hit hard and be denied automatic promotion but the play-off pack would also be prevented from making a shot at the big time.
Cardiff and Swansea are just two and three points off the top six respectively and missing out on Premier League riches could have a huge knock-on effect for all clubs chasing promotion.
Over the weekend, Brighton CEO Paul Barber suggested that Leeds and West Brom should be promoted to the top flight to form a 22-team league, with no team relegated to the Championship this season.
"To leave the 20 Premier League teams as is would obviously help us and others," stated the Brighton CEO on BBC's Football Focus .
"But to bring the two top teams [Leeds & West Brom] from the Championship up gives us a larger Premier League next season, perhaps four relegation places and then two promotion spots in the Championship to return the league back to 20 teams the season after.
"It has some merit."
EFL chiefs are set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the next course of action.
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Re: The 'devastating' legal view which would torpedo Cardiff
Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:04 am
If its not gonna happen for us this season I'm not that bothered.You won't find me being one of the it's not fair bleating brigade.I don't think theres a resolution available thats equally fair to all.
Re: The 'devastating' legal view which would torpedo Cardiff
Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:06 am
Annis in my opinion the season has to be played out, otherwise in all the leagues those in the promotion playoff places and in the relegation ones are going to be taking legal action. Who is to say with 27 points to play for that these teams could not improve their positions. All this about letting teams get promoted and not relegated with all these points to play for is really not an option. The same applies if they try and cancel the season, big lawsuits will follow 
Re: The 'devastating' legal view which would torpedo Cardiff
Wed Mar 18, 2020 4:45 pm
Igovernor wrote:Annis in my opinion the season has to be played out, otherwise in all the leagues those in the promotion playoff places and in the relegation ones are going to be taking legal action. Who is to say with 27 points to play for that these teams could not improve their positions. All this about letting teams get promoted and not relegated with all these points to play for is really not an option. The same applies if they try and cancel the season, big lawsuits will follow
Some good points raised here.
There’s also the fact that clubs have easier or harder run ins which is dictated by the teams they’ve already played (meaning some are higher or lower than they could have been), therefore the current league standings paint a false representation of the season in its entirety.
I’m still optimistic we’ll resume in April, however reality dictates it’s unlikely.