The Hootsman: "Record books remiss without an asterisk"

I don't agree with that at all. Yes, the season was disrupted, but it was disrupted for every club. If the EPL gets played to a finish Liverpool certainly don't deserve an asterisk next to them.

I think you’re attaching too much importance to the function of an asterisk.

All it really does is draw attention to the fact that there is extra information to be noted that is out of the ordinary.

With regards to football records this could simply be a game going to extra time or penalties, or perhaps one that was disrupted or abandoned. In the case of entire seasons, it may be there was a shared title (Rangers & Dumbarton) or a season where there was no champion (Italy in 2005) or indeed one that was aborted due to a global crisis (1939/40 and WW2).

So it‘s inconceivable that this global pandemic which has disrupted every league on the planet for months with some failing to resume should not be recorded in some way.
 
Of course it does and it's a non-argument for anyone to state otherwise. The season didn't complete, therefore asterisk.
 
There needs to be some acknowledgement of how the season ended whether by using an asterisk or something explained in brackets. This has not been a normal season.
 
It shouldn’t really be up for debate.

If the EPL resumes and Liverpool clinch the title, albeit behind closed doors, I think everyone, Liverpool fans included, would expect to see an asterisk beside the season and their victory.

It’s just a reasonable assumption that these unique events we’re living through should be recorded for posterity.

To not do so strays into the realms of something much more invidious.
No I do not agree, leagues that finished on the park have been won fair and square.
The asterix is for leagues awarded off the field, makes no sense to award it otherwise.

can’t just go firing asterix all over the place, why not give everyone one.
 
You need in asterisk for the asterisk in Scotland ffs.

19/20 SPFL Season*

*Competition incomplete. League title awarded by vote.**

**Vote rigged by authorities to achieve desired outcome.
 
No I do not agree, leagues that finished on the park have been won fair and square.
The asterix is for leagues awarded off the field, makes no sense to award it otherwise.

can’t just go firing asterix all over the place, why not give everyone one.

As said elsewhere, I think there’s a basic misunderstanding of an asterisks use, particularly in the case of sporting records.

It’s not solely for the awarding of titles off the pitch - it’s to draw attention to the fact that something anomalous occurred that is felt to be noteworthy for recorded history.

Surely you must agree that a season disrupted for months by a global pandemic that was then either played to a finish behind closed doors or not concluded at all is deserving of that?

What the Yahoos and their apologists are trying to do is suggest that this season and the title they’ve been gifted don’t need to be flagged as anything out of the ordinary, which is just absurd.
 
You need in asterisk for the asterisk in Scotland ffs.

19/20 SPFL Season*

*Competition incomplete. League title awarded by vote.**

**Vote rigged by authorities to achieve desired outcome.

Wikipedia uses a small (c) for citation, which is effectively the same function as an asterisk, that when clicked reads:

[c] The 2019–20 Scottish Premiership was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. The season was subsequently curtailed on 18 May 2020 and a points per game average was used to calculate a final table.

I’d prefer a great big f**k off flaming neon star of an asterisk, but ultimately there’s the blurb that tells you this was a very unique season and a title awarded under very unusual (dubious) and tragic circumstances.
 
Wikipedia uses a small (c) for citation, which is effectively the same function as an asterisk, that when clicked reads:

[c] The 2019–20 Scottish Premiership was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. The season was subsequently curtailed on 18 May 2020 and a points per game average was used to calculate a final table.

I’d prefer a great big f**k off flaming neon star of an asterisk, but ultimately there’s the blurb that tells you this was a very unique season and a title awarded under very unusual (dubious) and tragic circumstances.
Strictly speaking it should say “points per game average of the games played to the point of suspension......”
 
Last edited:
The fact that the EPL will now be played to a conclusion highlights the "Asterisk factor" of the mentally challengeds league handout. I would love SG to congratulate Liverpool when they win it by pointing out they actually won it on the park.
 
Of course.

There should be an asterisk in the record books of every league in every country in the world whether it’s played to a finish or not to acknowledge the disruption caused by the pandemic.

I’d expect that if the SPFL resumed and we went on to win the title.

When you think about it, celtics title shouldn’t have an asterisk because the6 shouldn’t have a title with which to place an asterisk.

Its the same with calling it tainted. Calling it tainted implies that they won it.

Thats the key issue. They didnt actually win it.
 
Asterisks should only apply to leagues not played out on the pitch.
Liverpool will play all the required games, and win legitimately.
Behind closed doors is a minor inconvenience, compared to gifting the league with a quarter of games left to play.
 
I think you’re attaching too much importance to the function of an asterisk.

All it really does is draw attention to the fact that there is extra information to be noted that is out of the ordinary.

With regards to football records this could simply be a game going to extra time or penalties, or perhaps one that was disrupted or abandoned. In the case of entire seasons, it may be there was a shared title (Rangers & Dumbarton) or a season where there was no champion (Italy in 2005) or indeed one that was aborted due to a global crisis (1939/40 and WW2).

So it‘s inconceivable that this global pandemic which has disrupted every league on the planet for months with some failing to resume should not be recorded in some way.
Long winded pish. Liverpool will win their title fair and square by being the best team after all the fixtures are completed. It's not too difficult to understand so take your asterisk and stick it elsewhere, preferably next to Celtic.
 
Even when football starts up again, it's just not going to be the real thing.

It will never be back to normal till the crowds are back. That was my first live game I watched last night since football started back, the whole thing just seems false.

I wonder if there wasnt the reliance on tv money, if the football would start up again.
 
It will become even more of an issue if they win the league next season. They’ll be screaming 10iar from the rooftops but people will rightly be asking if that should have an asterisk too. Same goes for 11 12 etc, if they get that far.

We'll win the league next and they'll come out with it can't be taken properly due to empty stadiums starting season etc, and they'll take the asterisk chatter for themselves despite the blatant hypocrisy and ignorance, cos that's what they're like.
 
The mentally challenged filth don’t like it but most know, in the cold light of day, it’s not a real title and is fully deserving of the *
 
Back
Top