Premier League could be declared null and void warns West Ham chief

[rooster59]

Premier League could be declared null and void warns West Ham chief

 

FILE PHOTO - Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Huddersfield Town - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - May 6, 2018 The Premier League trophy is displayed before the match Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine

 

LONDON (Reuters) - West Ham United vice-chairman Karen Brady says hopes of re-starting the Premier League in three weeks are "dreamland" and believes this season could be declared null and void.

 

England's top-flight soccer league, like the rest of world sport, finds itself in unprecedented peace-time territory as it attempts to react to the coronavirus pandemic which has infected nearly 800 people so far in Britain.

 

The Premier League moved to shut down until at least April 4 on Friday, joining top leagues in Spain, Italy, Germany and France where fixtures have also been suspended.

 

With no certainty as to when things will return to normal, it has left the 20 clubs in limbo, with Liverpool tantalisingly close to a first title in 30 years and several clubs - including West Ham - in the thick of a relegation battle.

 

"The Premier League hopes that an interlude of three weeks from today will enable it to restart but that may well be dreamland," Brady said in her column in The Sun.

 

"There is no dodging the possibility that all levels in the English Football League (EFL) as well as the Premier League will have to be cancelled and this season declared null and void because if the players can't play the games can't go ahead."

 

Brady says cancelling the Euro 2020 championships could allow more time for the Premier League season to be completed.

 

West Ham, like most teams in the Premier League, have nine games remaining, which even if the suspension is limited to three weeks presents a huge challenge with the season originally scheduled to finish on May 17. There are also FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League matches to factor in.

 

Premier League chiefs and the clubs will meet to discuss the options next week. They are not numerous, though.

 

Stopping the season and declaring the current standings as final would be hugely controversial. While few would begrudge Liverpool a first title in 30 years - they are 25 points ahead of their nearest rivals - the relegation places are too close to call.

 

Six points separate bottom club Norwich City from West Ham who are in 16th spot, two places above the drop zone.

 

Likewise, nothing is yet decided in the second-tier Championship's promotion race.

 

"So what if the league cannot be finished?" Brady says. "As games in both the Premier League and Football League are affected, the only fair and reasonable thing to do is declare the whole season null and void.

 

"Who knows who would have gone down or come up if the games have not actually been played in full?

"A huge blow to Liverpool who might be robbed of their first title in 30 years."

 

Brighton and Hove Albion's chief executive Paul Barber said the decision to suspend the league was the only option.

 

"Our priority is to play out the remainder of the season but we have to be realistic in that we do not know where this virus is heading," he told BB Sport.

 

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Tony Lawrence)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-15

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[Andrew65]

Relegated clubs would probably have a strong case for legal action if the season is abandoned with 9 games remaining.

[Bluespunk]

46 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

West Ham United vice-chairman Karen Brady says hopes of re-starting the Premier League in three weeks are "dreamland" and believes this season could be declared null and void.

Nothing to do with the fact your club is going down the toilet and is going to struggle to recover, especially with that monstrosity of a ground you have. 
 

The bubbles popped and your club is ******. 

[nev]

Better to call it all off and start again all null and void, and in August if the virus is tamed ßtart a new season by then.

[alien365]

Why can't they just play their remaining games later? I find it hard to believe that they can't play 9 football matches in a few weeks. It's not as if they're playing a contact sport where their bodies need more time for recovery.

[Wiggy]

I heard third hand that the two top teams from the Championship would come up. The PL would have 22 teams next season with five being relegated at the end of 20/21 season. Then the top clubs of other divisions can come up but with nobody being relegated. The League Cup would not be played next year to make way for the extra fixtures. 

[Bluespunk]

59 minutes ago, nev said:

Better to call it all off and start again all null and void, and in August if the virus is tamed ßtart a new season by then.

No chance. Everyone challenging for titles and promotions would quite rightly sue. 
 

Cancel the euro 2020 tournament and finish the leagues. 

[Sametboy2019]

Talk of Euros being played next year. Hard to say if the remaining games can be played. When would it be safe? China is 4 months into this virus at the moment.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

Relegated clubs would probably have a strong case for legal action if the season is abandoned with 9 games remaining.

 

That would depend on what their agreement with the FA, Premier league, actually is. And what the Force Majeure clause says.

 

Have you seen the agreements?

[Almer]

Wake up everybody this will only get worse in the coming months why do you think Boris is trying to delay the inevitable spike until the summer months when the NHS is more ready, we will be lucky to see cricket in 2020 let alone football 

[sanuk711]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"A huge blow to Liverpool who might be robbed of their first title in 30 years."

Oh no don't do that.....we are still hearing about 96.......if they don't get given the title, there wont be enough cheese in the world to go with the whine........

[sanuk711]

2 hours ago, Wiggy said:

I heard third hand that the two top teams from the Championship would come up. The PL would have 22 teams next season with five being relegated at the end of 20/21 season. Then the top clubs of other divisions can come up but with nobody being relegated. The League Cup would not be played next year to make way for the extra fixtures. 

Yes some UK newspapers are running with that story....... it does make some sense , only 1 team from the championship misses out ---(and they do not know who out of the 4 that is so its difficult to sue).... also the league cup does get woeful crowds with many top clubs playing their 2nd teams.

[trainman34014]

Cancel all Cup games both Domestic and European with immediate effect and also Euro 2020.   Get the League games finished even if it takes until October; don't um and ah, just get it done !

[Steps]

3 hours ago, nev said:

Better to call it all off and start again all null and void, and in August if the virus is tamed ßtart a new season by then.

Shut up!! UFC has just held and event in Brasil without fans. I suggest the PL does the same. Give the folks sitting at home some enjoyment and entertainment. Get the season over and done with in empty stadiums.

[sanemax]

2 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

No chance. Everyone challenging for titles and promotions would quite rightly sue. 
 

Cancel the euro 2020 tournament and finish the leagues. 

Who would they "sue" and for what legal reasons could they sue ?

[sanemax]

6 minutes ago, Steps said:

Shut up!! UFC has just held and event in Brasil without fans. I suggest the PL does the same. Give the folks sitting at home some enjoyment and entertainment. Get the season over and done with in empty stadiums.

Three Premier leagues teams players are currently in self isolation due to team members getting the virus

[nahkit]

How about cancelling all those meaningless tournaments they play in July/August in places like the USA, Australia and Japan and use that time to finish the league games?

[Bluespunk]

8 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Who would they "sue" and for what legal reasons could they sue ?

Money

Money

Money

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-8112813/amp/Coronavirus-UK-Premier-League-face-legal-action-season-ends.html

 

https://abc14news.com/2020/03/14/coronavirus-uk-premier-league-could-face-legal-action-if-season-ends/
 

Do some research. 

 

[spiekerjozef]

West Ham have only women playing football.

[sanemax]

4 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Money

Money

Money

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-8112813/amp/Coronavirus-UK-Premier-League-face-legal-action-season-ends.html

 

https://abc14news.com/2020/03/14/coronavirus-uk-premier-league-could-face-legal-action-if-season-ends/
 

Do some research. 

 

That is only if teams get relegated without the seasons games being completed

No legal reason for suing if the teams are not relegated .

[Nyezhov]

West Ham? Waaaah, waaah

 

Hello, Hello, we are the Millwall Boyz
Hello, Hello, we are the Millwall Boyz
And if you are a west ham fan
Surrender or you'll die
We all follow the Millwall
 

See ya in the Championship 

[sanemax]

Cancel the Premier league and make this season null and void and then we can spend the rest of out lives laughing at Liverpool

[Bluespunk]

40 minutes ago, sanemax said:

That is only if teams get relegated without the seasons games being completed

No legal reason for suing if the teams are not relegated .

Did you read the articles?

 

There is ample room for legal action if the season is cancelled. 
 

“'It would leave the Premier League open to claims, in my view, from a relegated club in particular who would have an arguable claim against them on the ground that they have breached their own rules by ending a season before all the fixtures have been fulfilled,' James Severn, sports and litigation partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper.”

 

Legal actionable to end a season before all fixtures completed. 

Edited March 15, 2020 by Bluespunk

[sanuk711]

42 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

See ya in the Championship

So you don't think The Loins can make..... it out of the championship...........

[evadgib]

1 hour ago, Almer said:

Wake up everybody this will only get worse in the coming months why do you think Boris is trying to delay the inevitable spike until the summer months when the NHS is more ready, we will be lucky to see cricket in 2020 let alone football 

Nobody will miss that ????

(Summer temps will eradicate the virus anyway)

[Jonnapat]

Not an unexpected comment from West Ham as they are currently in great danger of relegation .

[evadgib]

44 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Cancel the Premier league and make this season null and void and then we can spend the rest of out lives laughing at Liverpool

It would get Gerard off the hook ????

[Nyezhov]

5 minutes ago, sanuk711 said:

So you don't think The Loins can make..... it out of the championship...........

Hey! Want me to put on my Doc Martens on and go full and utter Yob on you? You a Hammer 

 

(I love the entire Yoblike concept, I have a shaved head but I am like fat and cowardly so I would like put on my Docs and go finds some big dude to stand behind while I screamed at folks. I have been practicing verbal chavness, British cursing is so bloody creative!)

 

And no, I think the LIONS are a year away. But we are still the greatest!

[roo860]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Cancel the Premier league and make this season null and void and then we can spend the rest of out lives laughing at Liverpool

Would be music to my ears!!!!!!!

????????????

[twocatsmac]

The tv networks that own football have said there’ll be no refunding of subscriptions, so they can damn well finish the seasons and cup competitions off without recharging subscribers. All this whenever possible of course, no matter how long the wait.

Completely unfair to scrap the effort put in by so many teams already.