BREAKING: SPFL chief Neil Doncaster warns coronavirus outbreak could threaten entire league season

[KingKirk 25,754]

Just now, The Dude said:

Is it illegal? If clubs are unable to fulfil their fixtures, they can't just wait forever to pick them up again.

It happened in Chile a couple of months ago with the title being awarded to the team at the top.

Right and how can you award something without it being mathematically secure. Hearts getting relegated because the league has shut down. 

Rangers should be all over this if it happens. 

[SeparateEntityMyArse 54,051]

5 minutes ago, KingKirk said:

It'll only take 1player or match official to catch it mate

Already examples of that in europe.

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/italian-serie-c1-a/story/4061739/coronavirus-footballer-at-italian-third-tier-side-pianese-diagnosed%3Fplatform%3Damp&ved=2ahUKEwic-eq-5YXoAhUpUhUIHbNjAJcQ0PADMAR6BAgJEBY&usg=AOvVaw2qiSitKOZBWK-7JMr6LkfQ

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cityam.com/coronavirus-four-danish-footballers-in-quarantine-as-premier-league-bans-pre-match-handshakes/amp/%3Futm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dcoronavirus-four-danish-footballers-in-quarantine-as-premier-league-bans-pre-match-handshakes&ved=2ahUKEwic-eq-5YXoAhUpUhUIHbNjAJcQ0PADMAJ6BAgJEA4&usg=AOvVaw1Q_fkG7AOBzZXzl6A8lDXr&ampcf=1

[Howsitgoing 4,281]

The biggest if is if Rangers can start winning but if they can and they’ve shown already that they have the ability to beat them, win the two games against them then the deficit would only be 4 points.  The talk that the league should automatically go to a team with only that amount ahead is a mute one, at least it should be.

[.Williamson. 83,129]

Hoping they don't win the league because of coronavirus

Cringy as fuck

[The Dude 20,026]

3 minutes ago, SeparateEntityMyArse said:

What do our own regulations say though?

Very little. There's nothing specific, although everything is ultimately at the discretion of the SPFL board. The only bit that comes close to covering it is simply saying that clubs wont be punished for failing to fulfil fixtures in circumstances beyond their control. There's also a bit in their definition of 'Season*' where it says that the season ends after the final game - or "otherwise determined by the board." Whoever is in the relevant positions at the end of the Season are champions, promoted, relegated etc.

There's nothing specific on any sort of force majeure scenario where the league itself has to be postponed.

Season* - Season means the period of the year commencing on the date of the first League Match in a Season and ending on the date of the last League Match in the same Season or otherwise as determined by the Board and which excludes the Close Season;

https://spfl.co.uk/admin/filemanager/files/shares/SPFL Rules and Regulations 22-Jul-19.pdf

[The Dude 20,026]

Infact, the more I read that the more I think that's exactly how they would do it.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,753]

1 hour ago, The Dude said:

There is no chance that the season ends without a champion, Especially not with 28/29 of 38 games played, Do you think if it's cancelled it'll be resumed or that next season would start with the same teams as 19/20 in place?

Not voiding the season would get them into trouble with teams down the bottom

If they voided it today, hearts would go down, but being only two points off hamilton, they'd surely fight like fuck against the decision, and likely sue the spfl given the financial costs of going down

[The Dude 20,026]

1 minute ago, Jimbeamjunior said:

Not voiding the season would get them into trouble with teams down the bottom

If they voided it today, hearts would go down, but being only two points off hamilton, they'd surely fight like fuck against the decision, and likely sue the spfl given the financial costs of going down

Who would compete in Europe?

What about teams that are on the brink of promotion? There's no chance it gets voided

[rangersross 6,538]

I wonder how many clubs it would kill to end the season this early. 

[SeparateEntityMyArse 54,051]

4 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Infact, the more I read that the more I think that's exactly how they would do it.

It's all hypothetical and may well not come to anything. But it would have to be a universal approach throughout all the leagues.

If we assume nothing is finalised prior to postponement then theres legal action would be taken through all divisions. If we consider the current positions, it's a can of worms being opened.

Hearts currently 2 points adrift but with a game in hand being relegated? Similar with thistle 3 points adrift with game in hand.  Falkirk and Raith only 2 points in it.

Theres no easy solution, but voiding all competitions may cause less litigation than deeming them as fulfilled at the time of permanent postponement.

[The Dude 20,026]

Just now, SeparateEntityMyArse said:

It's all hypothetical and may well not come to anything. But it would have to be a universal approach throughout all the leagues.

If we assume nothing is finalised prior to postponement then theres legal action would be taken through all divisions. If we consider the current positions, it's a can of worms being opened.

Hearts currently 2 points adrift but with a game in hand being relegated? Similar with thistle 3 points adrift with game in hand.  Falkirk and Raith only 2 points in it.

Theres no easy solution, but voiding all competitions may cause less litigation than deeming them as fulfilled at the time of permanent postponement.

I didnt think it would be anything other than a universal approach. They're not going to stop the Premiership and leave League One going. That's just mental. It hadn't even crossed my mind as a possibility.

I'd expect they'd look to get to the split (or a level number of games for everyone) before pulling the plug, but they'll argue it's a situation out of their control and government advice was to stop playing for public heath reasons.

 

[The Dude 20,026]

5 minutes ago, rangersross said:

I wonder how many clubs it would kill to end the season this early. 

Closed doors footall would be just as damaging. Could seriously harm football at lower levels everywhere

[rangersross 6,538]

1 minute ago, The Dude said:

Closed doors footall would be just as damaging. Could seriously harm football at lower levels everywhere

I imagine some SPL sides would be in a bad way too. Wages going out without ticket revenues coming in. 

[SeparateEntityMyArse 54,051]

1 minute ago, The Dude said:

I didnt think it would be anything other than a universal approach. They're not going to stop the Premiership and leave League One going. That's just mental. It hadn't even crossed my mind as a possibility.

I'd expect they'd look to get to the split (or a level number of games for everyone) before pulling the plug, but they'll argue it's a situation out of their control and government advice was to stop playing for public heath reasons.

 

No all I'm saying is that it may be easier for them to justify or more convenient to award the title or relegation if they deemed it as being as good as done. Ie the scum winning our league.  It being far from clear cut in other leagues is an added complication if they were to make decisions based on snapshot league positions at any given date.

Absolutely spot on re the reasons for postponing, that still doesnt determine their decision making at that point re voiding leagues or otherwise.

Imo European leagues would likely come together to determine a universal approach. Right now, voiding seems more likely. As the games get ticked off and titles are won or teams get into relegation positions they cant get enough points to leave, that's when I think they'll be likelier to end leagues and go with league positions at that point.

[The Dude 20,026]

7 minutes ago, rangersross said:

I imagine some SPL sides would be in a bad way too. Wages going out without ticket revenues coming in. 

Aye, I'm trying to speak to clubs about it just now for something I'm working on. Can't imagine there are many clubs won't be worried.

[rangersross 6,538]

4 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Aye, I'm trying to speak to clubs about it just now for something I'm working on. Can't imagine there are many clubs won't be worried.

I'd definitely be interested to hear more about the (likely) financial fallout from any decision so look forward to reading whatever you uncover. 

[graeme_4 34,870]

30 minutes ago, rangersross said:

I wonder how many clubs it would kill to end the season this early. 

Bite your hand off for it personally. 

[HG5 11,288]

9 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Aye, I'm trying to speak to clubs about it just now for something I'm working on. Can't imagine there are many clubs won't be worried.

What about the likes of ourselves, where we’ve paid a lot of ST money, but strictly speaking, we’ve made a prepayment, which only passes to the club as revenue once the fixtures elapse, with the club treating the balance as deferred income, which would (normally) reduce as each home game ticks over.

Not got ST terms & conditions to hand, but would ST holders be due a refund for the unfulfilled fixtures?

Obviously, I’d expect a fair number would let the club keep it as a gesture of goodwill, but people may be entering harder times because of the virus & may need to demand it back.

[bluenoz 31,073]

I cannae wait until we are drawn out of the hat as Europa champions.

[MK Dumfries 94]

If this happened it would be marvellous... unfortunately I don't think it will and it's just the press being knobs! I've learned my lesson from when I was young and got all excited because the media came out and said zenit st Petersburg may get stripped of their UEFA cup title and it handed to us due to them being cheating Russian bastards but nothing came of it

[johanhentze 14,293]

23 hours ago, .Williamson. said:

I get your point but it's not like they aren't winning this one fairly

I get your point but I cannot see how they can award the title to anyone when its not mathematically won. I would also expect the bottom teams to kick up a fuss.. Imagine getting relegated when you still have a chance to survive? Nah, this is a fucking dumb idea. Postpone or void. Only options that should be considered.

[Colin Traive 22,978]

1 hour ago, KingKirk said:

Really would be tainted if this happened

The SPFL are prepared to crown celtic champions if the coronavirus grinds Scottish football to a halt, according to a report.

Relegation to the Championship could also be decided by the powers that be should a worst case scenario develop, it's claimed.

A statement from the joint SPFL and SFA taskforce on Thursday insisted there was no immediate threat to fixtures.

Plans, however, have been put in place if the situation worsens.

According to The Daily Mail, that may include playing games behind closed doors or declaring league title winners, promotions and relegations as an absolute last resort.

It’s understood any such drastic action would only be taken if the football authorities receive instructions to do so either by from Holyrood or No.10.

If they are mathematically uncatchable, then give them the title.

If there is even the most remote, mathematical possibility of someone overtaking them, they could not be awarded the title. Lawyers would make a fortune.

And if someone says “no chance they would collapse on that scale”, then get that person to look at OUR results since Christmas.

There is also very little free space in the calendar to extend the season and the Euro qualifiers seem to get earlier each year.

If (and its a fucking huge “if”) there were players diagnosed, then the season would be ended and all results declared void.

 

[Colin Traive 22,978]

19 minutes ago, MK Dumfries said:

If this happened it would be marvellous... unfortunately I don't think it will and it's just the press being knobs! I've learned my lesson from when I was young and got all excited because the media came out and said zenit st Petersburg may get stripped of their UEFA cup title and it handed to us due to them being cheating Russian bastards but nothing came of it

Or Marseille when the Bernard Tapie scandal broke. Don’t think we’ve ever had a break, no matter the corruption we face.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,753]

The only thing they could actually award without causing hassle is the premier title if the tarriers are mathematically out of reach

But even if the first division was settled champions wise, what if the other places arent, theres playoffs in all divisions

They would either need to finish every league right there and then, leaving themselves open to teams hammering them for financial losses occured from relegation or possible non promotion

Or the simply void everything, and simply start the season again in august as it was last august, teams might moan that they have played a lot of this season already, player contracts etc, but the argument for financial loss the following season is less as teams are already set up for the current season and can therefore repeat said current season 

[Teamgers 1,214]

Let the fuckers who punted us to the bottom division fuckin die, especially those arab cunts!