League One clubs have voted by an ‘overwhelming majority’ to end the season early, meaning Coventry have been confirmed as champions on a points-per-game method, while Tranmere, Southend, and Bolton will be relegated.
Rotherham have secured automatic promotion to the Championship in second place, while Wycombe Wanderers, Oxford United, Portsmouth, and Fleetwood Town will contest in the play-offs for the remaining promotion spots.
In a similar move, Swindon, Crewe and Plymouth have been promoted from League Two, with Stevenage set to suffer relegation, pending a decision on an ongoing disciplinary matter.
LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFFS
1st Legs – June 18
Colchester United v Exeter City – 5.15
Northampton Town v Cheltenham Town – 7.45
2nd Legs – June 22
Exeter City v Colchester United – 5.15
Cheltenham Town v Northampton Town – 8.00
Final (Wembley Stadium) – June 29
A rule change decided on at an extraordinary general meeting – held on Tuesday morning – decided how final placings would be decided – with the clubs settling on unweighted points-per-game.
And a further vote on Tuesday afternoon saw League Two confirm they would be curtailing the campaign, which means Swindon, Crewe and Plymouth, who were in the automatic promotion slots, have gone up. League One have voted along the same lines, relegating Tranmere, Southend and Bolton at the same time.
Swindon confirmed they had been crowned champions in a tweet on Tuesday afternoon.
The cost of playing behind closed doors means it is not likely to be financially viable for teams from the bottom two tiers of the Football League to play on.
Play-offs involving four teams from each division will also take place in the event that the leagues vote to confirm curtailment.
A statement from the EFL confirmed that proposals submitted by Barnsley and Tranmere along with amendments from Lincoln, Stevenage and Ipswich were not passed.
The statement added that the following had been agreed:
‘Final divisional placings will be determined on unweighted points per game (if required).
Promotion and relegation should be retained.
Play-Offs will be played in all circumstances but will not be extended (beyond four teams).’
The Championship are expected to finish the campaign and announced a raft of fixtures on Monday ahead of their own restart on June 20.
Coventry and Rotherham were automatically promoted from League One into the Championship when they held their vote this afternoon.
Stevenage are likely to drop out of the fourth tier, although that depends on pending disciplinary action facing Macclesfield.
A statement added: ‘Under the proposals agreed by Clubs, the 24th placed club in the League Two will be relegated to the National League provided the board receives the necessary assurances that the National League will start Season 2020/21 (i.e. the relegated Club in League Two has somewhere to play). Due to ongoing disciplinary matters, the final placings cannot yet be confirmed.’
The League One play-offs will involve Wycombe, Oxford, Portsmouth and Fleetwood, with the schedule to be announced at a later time.
The League Two play-offs will include Northampton, Cheltenham, Exeter and Colchester – culminating in the final at Wembley Stadium on June 29.
EFL chairman Rick Parry said: ‘Whilst it has always remained the board’s position to play the remainder of the season where possible, the decision reached at today’s meeting follows a full and considered consultation period with our member clubs.
‘The board has endeavoured to listen to all views and alternative approaches but understands that the decisions taken will not be met with universal satisfaction from all clubs.
‘Today’s outcome ensures that the league and its clubs remains as faithful as possible to the previously agreed regulations and that there is consistency in the approach adopted across the EFL in all divisions if required.
‘It is clear that the challenges facing the League from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic are unprecedented and I thank the contribution of EFL clubs in making this important determination.’
Based on the points-per-game method of deciding the season, Coventry ended on 86.71 points, with a clear gap to Rotherham with 77.94. Peterborough United just missed out on a playoff spot with 74.17 points compared to the 75.43 of Fleetwood, Oxford, and Portsmouth.
Swindon are top of League Two with 88.17 points, pulling away from Crewe Alexandra, who they were level with on 69 points when the season was suspended.
Source: ThePledge
