A WhatsApp message leaked from an EFL meeting suggests football fans may not return until the New Year due to coronavirus.
Coronavirus: Leaked WhatsApp Message Suggests Fans Unlikely to Return Until Next Year
Behind Closed Doors Until New Year
Various methods for completing the season have been speculated; the EFL are yet to confirm the outcome of the campaign.
And football fans may have to wait until January 2021 before being allowed back into stadiums.
The news comes after a voice message believed to be from Alex Rodman was heard by Last Word On Football.
In the leaked WhatsApp message, the Bristol Rovers representative says the EFL would require 66,000 coronavirus tests if they wanted to resume playing anytime soon.
Rodman is one of several player representatives working alongside the EFL, the PFA and club owners during the crisis.
Speaking in the message, Rodman asks his team-mates to “vote” about severance pay in their contracts before discussing other topics.
He says: “The chief executive of the EFL said it would be very optimistic to even be playing games in June, so he doesn’t really think we’ll be playing games then.
“Gary Neville and one of the other club owners doesn’t even think we’ll be playing anywhere near then.
“We definitely won’t be playing any games with fans – that’s come from the EFL – this year, they don’t think. We’ll be looking at January 2021 unless a cure pops up.”
EFL Require 66,000 Tests Before Restarting Football
He adds that requesting thousands of tests would cause a publicity backlash; key workers are struggling to be tested in the current climate.
Rodman says: “Given the NHS are struggling for tests and general people are struggling up to now for tests, from a PR point of view I don’t think any of the football bosses could sell footballers needing to finish a season with that many tests.
“Unless that changes drastically, they’re talking about us not getting the season finished and the season being decided on sporting merit.
“So three promotions from every league. The Premiership would have another three clubs and it would filter down the pyramid. No relegations, and that would obviously have to be absorbed the season after so there’d be more relegations etc etc.”
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