[Albionic]

Barry, Barry, Mick and Murphy went to Cheltenham,....

[johnny Cash]

If they're going down this road, can't they just postpone the season until the virus is under control?

That must surely be better than playing behind closed doors.

I guess the FA and Premier League are only caring about themselves and have not taken into account the lower league clubs who depend on income from matchdays to survive.

I dont know if suspending the season will neccesarily help. Cash flow issues are one of the big reasons companies fail, and even if you suspend the games, the staff who still have mortgages to play will still want paying.  The fact the cash may come in a few months doesnt neccesarily help the hear and now.

[ttree30]

I don't think we're heading for a case of "behind closed doors" for long, if we even get that far. Not now.

Once players are getting infected the whole thing will shut down very soon. Everything will be suspended, and it's hard to say for how long.

Who knows what that will that mean for the finances of struggling clubs and for the league season. How they'll resolve things with around 20% of the programme left is anyone's guess, especially as the FA, EPL and EFL are hardly famed for their co-ordinated approach.

Many clubs just about exist week-to-week as it is, and would also be hoping for a short-term cash flow boost from early season ticket sales in the next few weeks.

This is a really serious situation. But we're talking about lives being at stake - football and sport have to come a distant second.

[alex1]

Think how many pubs show games illegally now , nothing will change some pubs will still show the games

Depends how high the fines will be, or whether some may lose their licence. 

[alex1]

I pretty sure that even playing games behind closed doors will attract 1,000's of fans to the stadium

In Germany the Ruhr derby, Borussia Dortmund v Schalke is to be played behind close doors, and the police have warned fans to keep away from the stadium.

[AlbionFan]

Pessimist that I am, I think the season will be void and the consequence of that for us would be dire.

If that is the case, one option could be, that next season every club should start with the same squads, managers et al at the date the season was void, with no summer transfers, everything should be frozen for 12 months including players contracts that expire in the summer. I would allow a January transfer window.

These are extraordinary times that require extraordinary measures.

[Critical Baggie]

Pessimist that I am, I think the season will be void and the consequence of that for us would be dire.

If that is the case, one option could be, that next season every club should start with the same squads, managers et al at the date the season was void, with no summer transfers, everything should be frozen for 12 months including players contracts that expire in the summer. I would allow a January transfer window.

These are extraordinary times that require extraordinary measures.

How about promote the teams occupying the top three spots but void any relegations from the PL and play next season with 23 teams. 6 teams for relegation next season 

[Foster#1]

Going by this the Boris statement we will see the weekend throufhz

Joke tbh, shut it all down ATM. Reported up to 10k infected ATM

[liverbaggie]

If companies all paid their bills on time it would solve a lot of problems.
Chase their debtors and don't accept any excuses for not paying their invoices on time.
A jobs not finished until its paid for.

[adamw1109]

No merge the two divisions for one season only. The top 20 get to be the premiership the year after, the other 24 get relegated

The ultimate blood bath season

Can we combine the refs and the worst 24 get sacked too? 

[Baggy nerd]

If this season is void, at least let the teams start with the points totals they are currently on.

[baggiejohn]

Pessimist that I am, I think the season will be void and the consequence of that for us would be dire.

IMO it's unlikely that the season will be voided.

In terms of priority for uk football, because of the EPL &EFL promotion & relegation mechanisms, it's likely that the league programmes will be completed, even if there has to be a two month shutdown.
It's possible that the 2019/20 FA cup competition could be abandoned.
UEFA has called a meeting next week to discuss European knock-out competitions and Euro 2020.

[elmo_in_swansea]

If as seems probable, some games may be played behind closed doors, Birmingham & Brentford next up, how do we feel this will affect us and others in the mix. Is it the same for all or will some teams actually gain some advantage from it? I don't know if I can imagine playing a competitive game in a near empty stadium.

[gazberg]

Just need to be professional and get on with it. Shouldnt make a difference to the players in my eyes. Stick the ball in the onion bag more than the other lot over 90 minutes.

[BalisPen]

My wife was supposed to be attending an Albion Foundation thing this evening which was cancelled and she was told "Albion were on lockdown" and she would be told if the Blose game would go ahead soon.

As a the worse case scenario it could be that a player or member of staff has got it or been in contact with someone who has coronavirus.

I hope it's just a precaution and the game is on and nothing has happened behind the scenes.

On a general note, I have read the euros are going to be postponed for a year and that will be announced by uefa next Tuesday after discussions with fifa who apparently have a world club championship next summer.

[baggiejohn]

Perhaps something to do with this

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/2020/march/albion-introduce-measures-to-tackle-coronavirus/

[BalisPen]

It maybe that, but the mention of the game potentially being off was what surprised me this late in the day.

Apparently there is a government meeting tomorrow about this issue amidst suggestions the government haven't done enough and a Boris knee jerk reaction could be to postpone games like the majority of Europe.

[EastYorksAlbion]

Behind Closed Doors? Sounds like a late night Channel 4 documentary.

[wbarenno]

Behind closed doors shouldn’t even be an option especially for league 1 and league 2 clubs . Could see them go bust.

Euros will be cancelled which gives a lot of time in the summer to catch up on games if needed

Who wants to watch behind closed doors football anyway and your still putting the players and staff at risk

[WBArgo]

Arsenal manager Arteta has tested positive for the virus.

I imagine Arsenal could now avoid playing until he recovers due to it affecting the games so badly? It's a strange situation but could lead to the temporary (or permanent) end of the season.

[BalisPen]

I've got England vs Croatia and a second round game on 27/6/20 at Wembley for the euros and will lose a little bit of money on booked travel, but it could have been worse if it had been abroad trying get refunds from hotels.

This disease was the absolute worst thing that could have happened to the multi city platini euros, and I just cannot see it going ahead.

Rumours are all the European finals will be delayed as long as it takes into the summer, so I don't see why domestic games cannot be postponed until a later date.

I definitely don't want to have games behind closed doors. And if we are lucky to win promotion not going on the pitch to celebrate will be gutting.

[Standaman]

The news has just broken that Mikel Arteta has tested positive. The whole Arsenal squad is in isolation. The Government has for whatever reason decided against banning large scale events but football can't keep going. Wolves are returning from Olympiakos today where there has already been an outbreak centred on the club and which might even be the origin of the Arsenal outbreak.

My initial thoughts that maybe football could limp on maybe playing out fixtures behind closed doors as the least bad option but that looks unlikely now. With regard to the economics of football postponement in the short term is the same as playing behind closed doors i.e. an abrupt interruption to club's cash flow. They will not cope well with this just as many SME's in the real economy won't either if there is significant demand or supply disruption.

[chipperclark]

  No one knows "What goes on behind Closed Doors" ...ask Charlie Rich  . I will grab my coat

[Baggy nerd]

The news has just broken that Mikel Arteta has tested positive. The whole Arsenal squad is in isolation. The Government has for whatever reason decided against banning large scale events but football can't keep going. Wolves are returning from Olympiakos today where there has already been an outbreak centred on the club and which might even be the origin of the Arsenal outbreak.

My initial thoughts that maybe football could limp on maybe playing out fixtures behind closed doors as the least bad option but that looks unlikely now. With regard to the economics of football postponement in the short term is the same as playing behind closed doors i.e. an abrupt interruption to club's cash flow. They will not cope well with this just as many SME's in the real economy won't either if there is significant demand or supply disruption.

Yes I too was thinking the season would definitely finish, but have doubts now. I think matches will now be cancelled with the hope of catching up later, but the suggestion is that the peak of this virus is quite a way off yet and the season being voided does not seem so daft as it first appeared. It would be a disaster for us in sporting terms but obviously sport is nothing with something like this happening.

[chipperclark]

If as seems probable, some games may be played behind closed doors, Birmingham & Brentford next up, how do we feel this will affect us and others in the mix. Is it the same for all or will some teams actually gain some advantage from it? I don't know if I can imagine playing a competitive game in a near empty stadium.

The "Great Freeze of 1963" made the season extend into May and after the FA Cup. We must also think Euros may be affected.