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League One: Will clubs vote to continue or curtail 2019-20 season?
Coventry City and Rotherham United occupy the top two places in League One
A final decision about whether there will be any more matches played in League One's regular season is likely to be made on Tuesday.
It is almost three months since elite football in England was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Premier League and Championship teams are preparing for a mid-June restart, non-league sides have already had their campaigns curtailed, while ending League Two at its current point should be a formality as fourth-tier clubs indicated their wish to do so last month.
Reaching a consensus in League One, however, has proved to be much less straightforward.
Agreeing a framework
English Football League clubs are scheduled to vote on a framework of how to settle a curtailed season.
The EFL's recommendation would see final places decided by an unweighted points-per-game method, with promotion and relegation between divisions and play-offs going ahead.
Several clubs have put forward amendments and alternative frameworks which will also be considered:
Aside from trying to find a fair sporting outcome, there are further complexities to consider, including:
AFC Wimbledon (20th)
AFC Wimbledon are just outside the relegation zone and would be safe based on points per game.
On 23 May, chief executive Joe Palmer told BBC Sport: "We as a club don't want to do anything that is going to put us in a worse off situation and if playing out the rest of the season does that we would be against it.
"Given what we've learned in recent days in terms of the financial implications of playing on and where clubs are at the moment, we're quite happy with that scenario, that if it were to finish then we'd be quite happy with that."
Accrington Stanley (17th)
Accrington are eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Stanley chairman Andy Holt has spoken repeatedly of the financial implications of restarting the season and posted on Twitter on 19 May: "When the time comes, if ending the season now is on the list, we will be voting for it."
Blackpool (13th)
Mid-table Blackpool have not said publicly which way they are likely to vote, but chief executive Ben Mansford told BBC Radio Lancashire on 2 June: "The reality now is that I don't think League One can finish.
"If we decide to return, you need seven days to go through the testing protocols, probably 21 days to get the players in some degree of physical fitness, and then the EFL said you need 56 days to finish the season with play-offs.
"It's very difficult for League One and League Two clubs to extend contracts beyond 31 July, either financially or because of the overall contractual nexus in our country of how everything sits.
"I think 12 will vote in favour to end the season."
Bolton Wanderers (23rd)
Bolton, deducted 12 points at the start of the season after going into administration in May 2019, are 21 points from safety.
Wanderers' board said in a statement on 1 May: "Our focus is the safety of our staff and supporters and we would therefore only support a 'return to play' if protocols can be put in place, and adhered to, which ensure everyone's health is not compromised and there is no additional strain placed on the emergency services.
"We are in a situation where we have very little income coming into the club or (adjoining) hotel, this seems likely to remain for the foreseeable future. It is therefore imperative that we maintain as low a cost base as possible so that we can be in a position to rebuild at the earliest opportunity."
Bristol Rovers (14th)
Rovers, who are unlikely to be involved in promotion or relegation issues, have not publicly said how they plan to vote.
It was reported in the local media that they may decide in favour of carrying on to give boss Ben Garner, who was appointed in December, more time to assess players and gain more experience in what is his first senior managerial role.
Burton Albion (12th)
Nigel Clough stepped down as Burton manager on 18 May, with the financial implications of coronavirus cited one of the main reasons for his exit.
Soon afterwards, chairman Ben Robinson said continuing the season would be "financially suicidal" and he wanted the campaign to end at its current point.
"I don't want us to play nine games and fork out £140,000 [for testing] when we're having to pay our overheads over the coming months when not knowing when next season's going to start," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"And more pertinently, when it does start, are we going to get revenue from the fans and our season ticket holders?"
Coventry City (1st)
Coventry are five points clear at the top of League One with a game in hand on their rivals, meaning they would stay top if final places are decided on points per game.
They have not publicly said which way they will vote.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on 6 May, chief executive Dave Boddy said: "We've always supported the premise of finishing the season for sporting integrity, but as every day goes by, it's fair to say it's looking unlikely."
He added that a points-per-game method, similar to the ones adopted in countries such as France and Scotland, would be the "fairest route" to decide final positions if no more fixtures are possible.
Doncaster Rovers (9th)
Doncaster, who are five points off the play-offs, have not publicly confirmed which way they are likely to vote.
Manager Darren Moore told the Doncaster Free Press on 5 May that if the season is curtailed, he would prefer the campaign to be voided.
"If you're going down the points-per-game route, it's a real can of worms," he said. "As a club or player, would I feel like I deserved to be promoted? Would I be sitting in a false position because someone has decided that's how it should be sorted?"
Fleetwood Town (5th)
Fleetwood, who are two points below second-placed Rotherham, were one of six clubs that said on 14 May that they wanted the regular season to be completed on the field.
Posting on Twitter, chairman Andy Pilley said: "Sporting integrity is of paramount importance, we cannot accept points per game or any other conclusion without giving it our best shot in a safe environment."
Head coach Joey Barton replied, saying he "couldn't agree more" with Pilley.
Under the EFL's recommended framework for a curtailed season, Fleetwood would drop to sixth but retain their play-off place.
Gillingham (11th)
Gillingham are eight points off the play-offs.
On 21 May, manager Steve Evans said he hoped League One clubs would vote to continue the season after the EFL had demonstrated "clarity" with their recommended framework.
However, a week later, chairman Paul Scally told BBC Radio Kent: "Every chairman, manager, player and fan in the EFL wants to finish the season. That's not the issue - the issue is the cost of concluding or even going back training.
"It's going to cost between £250,000-£350,000 for every League One and League Two club to get through a training regime with all of the protocols, and that's not guaranteeing us playing the games, so the risk is huge.
"We would like to finish the season naturally, we felt we had an outside chance of the play-offs, and who knows after that? We were hanging onto that hope, but that hope is pretty much gone now."
League One: Will clubs vote to continue or curtail 2019-20 season?
Coventry City and Rotherham United occupy the top two places in League One
A final decision about whether there will be any more matches played in League One's regular season is likely to be made on Tuesday.
It is almost three months since elite football in England was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Premier League and Championship teams are preparing for a mid-June restart, non-league sides have already had their campaigns curtailed, while ending League Two at its current point should be a formality as fourth-tier clubs indicated their wish to do so last month.
Reaching a consensus in League One, however, has proved to be much less straightforward.
Agreeing a framework
English Football League clubs are scheduled to vote on a framework of how to settle a curtailed season.
The EFL's recommendation would see final places decided by an unweighted points-per-game method, with promotion and relegation between divisions and play-offs going ahead.
Several clubs have put forward amendments and alternative frameworks which will also be considered:
- Tranmere want a statistical margin for error applied to the points-per-game method
- Ipswich have suggested further consultation with clubs regarding an alternative play-off format
- Lincoln want points deductions taken into account in points-per-game calculations
- Barnsley want no teams to be relegated at the end of an uncompleted season
- Stevenage want relegation from League Two scrapped if the division votes to end the campaign
Aside from trying to find a fair sporting outcome, there are further complexities to consider, including:
- The financial implications of regularly testing players and staff for coronavirus, taking players off furlough and playing matches behind closed doors
- The issues surrounding players whose contracts are due to end on 30 June
- The time required in training for players to get back to full fitness and complete the outstanding 106 regular-season games
AFC Wimbledon (20th)
AFC Wimbledon are just outside the relegation zone and would be safe based on points per game.
On 23 May, chief executive Joe Palmer told BBC Sport: "We as a club don't want to do anything that is going to put us in a worse off situation and if playing out the rest of the season does that we would be against it.
"Given what we've learned in recent days in terms of the financial implications of playing on and where clubs are at the moment, we're quite happy with that scenario, that if it were to finish then we'd be quite happy with that."
Accrington Stanley (17th)
Accrington are eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Stanley chairman Andy Holt has spoken repeatedly of the financial implications of restarting the season and posted on Twitter on 19 May: "When the time comes, if ending the season now is on the list, we will be voting for it."
Blackpool (13th)
Mid-table Blackpool have not said publicly which way they are likely to vote, but chief executive Ben Mansford told BBC Radio Lancashire on 2 June: "The reality now is that I don't think League One can finish.
"If we decide to return, you need seven days to go through the testing protocols, probably 21 days to get the players in some degree of physical fitness, and then the EFL said you need 56 days to finish the season with play-offs.
"It's very difficult for League One and League Two clubs to extend contracts beyond 31 July, either financially or because of the overall contractual nexus in our country of how everything sits.
"I think 12 will vote in favour to end the season."
Bolton Wanderers (23rd)
Bolton, deducted 12 points at the start of the season after going into administration in May 2019, are 21 points from safety.
Wanderers' board said in a statement on 1 May: "Our focus is the safety of our staff and supporters and we would therefore only support a 'return to play' if protocols can be put in place, and adhered to, which ensure everyone's health is not compromised and there is no additional strain placed on the emergency services.
"We are in a situation where we have very little income coming into the club or (adjoining) hotel, this seems likely to remain for the foreseeable future. It is therefore imperative that we maintain as low a cost base as possible so that we can be in a position to rebuild at the earliest opportunity."
Bristol Rovers (14th)
Rovers, who are unlikely to be involved in promotion or relegation issues, have not publicly said how they plan to vote.
It was reported in the local media that they may decide in favour of carrying on to give boss Ben Garner, who was appointed in December, more time to assess players and gain more experience in what is his first senior managerial role.
Burton Albion (12th)
Nigel Clough stepped down as Burton manager on 18 May, with the financial implications of coronavirus cited one of the main reasons for his exit.
Soon afterwards, chairman Ben Robinson said continuing the season would be "financially suicidal" and he wanted the campaign to end at its current point.
"I don't want us to play nine games and fork out £140,000 [for testing] when we're having to pay our overheads over the coming months when not knowing when next season's going to start," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"And more pertinently, when it does start, are we going to get revenue from the fans and our season ticket holders?"
Coventry City (1st)
Coventry are five points clear at the top of League One with a game in hand on their rivals, meaning they would stay top if final places are decided on points per game.
They have not publicly said which way they will vote.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on 6 May, chief executive Dave Boddy said: "We've always supported the premise of finishing the season for sporting integrity, but as every day goes by, it's fair to say it's looking unlikely."
He added that a points-per-game method, similar to the ones adopted in countries such as France and Scotland, would be the "fairest route" to decide final positions if no more fixtures are possible.
Doncaster Rovers (9th)
Doncaster, who are five points off the play-offs, have not publicly confirmed which way they are likely to vote.
Manager Darren Moore told the Doncaster Free Press on 5 May that if the season is curtailed, he would prefer the campaign to be voided.
"If you're going down the points-per-game route, it's a real can of worms," he said. "As a club or player, would I feel like I deserved to be promoted? Would I be sitting in a false position because someone has decided that's how it should be sorted?"
Fleetwood Town (5th)
Fleetwood, who are two points below second-placed Rotherham, were one of six clubs that said on 14 May that they wanted the regular season to be completed on the field.
Posting on Twitter, chairman Andy Pilley said: "Sporting integrity is of paramount importance, we cannot accept points per game or any other conclusion without giving it our best shot in a safe environment."
Head coach Joey Barton replied, saying he "couldn't agree more" with Pilley.
Under the EFL's recommended framework for a curtailed season, Fleetwood would drop to sixth but retain their play-off place.
Gillingham (11th)
Gillingham are eight points off the play-offs.
On 21 May, manager Steve Evans said he hoped League One clubs would vote to continue the season after the EFL had demonstrated "clarity" with their recommended framework.
However, a week later, chairman Paul Scally told BBC Radio Kent: "Every chairman, manager, player and fan in the EFL wants to finish the season. That's not the issue - the issue is the cost of concluding or even going back training.
"It's going to cost between £250,000-£350,000 for every League One and League Two club to get through a training regime with all of the protocols, and that's not guaranteeing us playing the games, so the risk is huge.
"We would like to finish the season naturally, we felt we had an outside chance of the play-offs, and who knows after that? We were hanging onto that hope, but that hope is pretty much gone now."
