Celtic will be recognised as Scottish champions, Aberdeen will be awarded the country’s spare Europa League place, there will be no expansion of the SPFL Premiership, but the winter break would be axed, for next season at least, according to soundings taken by Telegraph Sport.
The SPFL has yet to resolve the many issues created by the truncation of its league schedules because of the Covid-19 lockdown and, as always, there are contending points of view amongst clubs, but a desperate need for income is now driving the agenda for many.
Hearts have already flagged a 50% wage reduction for staff and players, while Dundee United have placed almost all staff and players on furlough. This week, Celtic too placed some staff on furlough and promised to top up salaries after administration of the Government’s contribution of 80% of monthly income up to a limit of £2500.
Even had the campaign been proceeding normally, this would be the stage where cash flow is thinnest but, given the state of uncertainty about how and when next season will begin, most clubs badly need the money which is allotted according to final placings in the league tables. Nor can they afford to have their prospect of season ticket sales hindered by debates about league reconstruction.
Revenue from final placings would normally be distributed in May but that cannot be done for as long as the 2019-20 season is kept in abeyance, so there is a strong motive for those unaffected by title races and relegation struggles to move for the league campaign to be declared to be finished. That view has been reinforced by the decision of the Belgian Pro League to stop their competition now, with Club Brugge recognised as champions by virtue of their 15-point lead over KAA Gent, although Uefa still want national leagues to attempt to play to a finish – behind closed doors, if necessary – in July or even August.
The closed doors option has been ruled out unofficially in Scotland because, even in the event of lockdown being eased, it would require the co-operation of emergency services who are likely still to be overstretched or exhausted. There are differences between the views of the UK and Scottish governments about how long the lockdown is likely to be in place, with the Holyrood administration less inclined to contemplate a shortened quarantine.
As far as possible, clubs want to get on with selling season tickets for a set-up as close to the norm as possible, which is a barrier to those proposing league of three divisions with 14 in each. Another difficulty presented by any proposal for a truncated campaign is that those who paid for 2019-20 season tickets will not have had full value for their outlay.
One solution is to expand the scope of next season’s offers to include Scottish Cup and League Cup ties, or to issue vouchers for holders to bring along a guest for free for the equivalent of the missed games. That outcome would be beneficial for clubs with spare capacity at their grounds and would generate greater catering and merchandising revenues, but would be difficult for the likes of Celtic and Rangers, the bulk of whose spectators are season ticket holders, although they could be offered free or discounted tickets for European matches.
This season’s Scottish Cup semi-finals and semi-finals have been postponed indefinitely but could be played before December to yield a 2020 winner. The two Hampden semis– Hearts vs Hibs and Celtic vs Aberdeen – are money-spinning occasions which the contending clubs want to be played. Traditionally, the competition provides a European place for the winner or beaten finalist but, if the tournament is deferred, an entry to the Europa League would become available to the next available SPFL club – in this case Aberdeen, who are fourth in the table.
The fact that three of the four semi-finalists are SPFL clubs plus the likelihood that Hearts, even if relegated, would not be involved before the fourth round of the 2020-21 Scottish Cup - to be played next January - clears the way for a deferred finale to this season’s tournament to be played before the end of the year.
The extra fixtures would, however, add to congestion which will be created if next season starts later than the first week in August, meaning that the winter break would almost certainly have to be cancelled. Much to-and-fro will occur over the next few weeks but, barring a near-miraculous early end to the Covid-19 shutdown, the chance of a fulfilled SPFL schedule is remote.
The possibility of a wartime-style season – in which the title would have unofficial status – is adamantly opposed by most clubs sounded by Telegraph Sport. “There were no TV deals and large-scale commercial contracts during the war,” said one source. “It’s just not going to happen.”
www.telegraph.co.uk
