Celtic & Coronavirus and competitions!

SCOTTISH clubs are braced for Boris Johnson to officially declare the 2019/20 season OVER.

And that could lead to Celtic being crowned Premiership champions — and Hearts relegated.


SunSport understands SPFL chiefs expect the Prime Minister to intervene this week as the coronavirus crisis grows.

BoJo is likely to order an immediate end to professional leagues across Britain, killing off the current uncertainty.


The SPFL — in line with their English counterparts — would then decide on ratifying final positions in all four divisions as they stand.

Crucially, doing this would enable the SPFL to distribute prize money early to help clubs survive the coming months.




It’s understood the nuclear option of voiding the season could have severe legal and financial ramifications.

Season-ticket money, sponsorship cash and multi-million pound TV deals for this term would all come under threat.



SPFL board member and Hamilton Accies vice-chairman Les Gray confirmed that position during a TV interview.

He said: “I don’t think the season can ever be made null and void.

“After 30 games, if you make the season null and void — season-ticket holders are entitled to their money back for a start.

“The broadcaster could say the season never happened and want their money back


From a financial perspective you can’t make the season void, what you can do is look at what alternatives there are.”

Celtic, Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers could all now be declared title winners for the 2019/20 season.

Hearts, Partick Thistle, Stranraer and Brechin would drop down, though it’s unclear who would be promoted to League Two.

The regular play-offs for places in the Premiership, Championship and League One would likely be scrapped for the season.

To soften the financial blow for all relegated clubs, the SPFL could look at the distribution model and hand out extra cash due to the unique circumstances.

Celtic, Rangers, Motherwell and Aberdeen would also claim the Champions League and Europa League places.

Leaving the current campaign in cold storage is viewed as a complete non-starter, with clubs struggling to stay afloat.

There is an acceptance across Scottish football that this current season is finished. But Johnson’s intervention in a period of national crisis could allow some clubs to trigger protection insurance.

That could soften the financial Armageddon facing Scottish football.

Several clubs, most notably Hearts, are likely to argue for an alternative way forward, while some lower-league figures have floated a plan of NO relegation this season, with every league accepting two promoted teams.

Yet it’s understood top-flight clubs believe the idea of a 14-team Premiership next season is simply unworkable.

SPFL and SFA chiefs are in constant contact — with an emergency meeting set to be held on Monday.

SFA President Ian Maxwell will take part in a Europe-wide Uefa conference call at 9am on Tuesday morning.

Euro 2020 is set to be pushed back a year until next summer as Europe goes into lockdown.

A decision is also expected on this season’s remaining Champions and Europa League ties.

 

On the one hand, the absolute seethe from them would be hilarious, on the other I think we'd win it fairly comfortably if the games went ahead, but with another 8 games left i'd be shocked if we were able to complete the season.

 

Does the fat albino Etonian buffoon have the authority to tell sports governing bodies how to manage their season?

 

Wouldn't take 8 game's though..

We'd wrap it up in a couple week's if we played every few day's..

The diets and Accies could play a home and away leg if it was tight after those fortnight of fixtures..

We don't need to make everyone play the full quota left in my opinion most if not all will be sorted before the final day..

 

There are also players who have downed tools and shat the bed and buckled like a belt at the slightest hint of pressure they should be * punished not rewarded

 

Aye that could work, play the games behind closed doors and try and get them out the way, no chance the SPFL does that tho. What i think will happen is they'll award us the title and declare relegation void this season, larger season next year and an extra relegation spot, would really just prefer to get the games done if we could mind you.

 

Same, I don't want any excuses..

Everyone knew we were waltzing towards the 9 and now there's this bollocks about null and void..

I'd rather just play it out. Other's will be hoping that we don't carry it on and we all know why..

 

Even if they beat us at Ibrox I am 100% sure we would win the title comfortably, but if they do give us the title they'll use it against us every chance.

Now i don't give a * what huns think, and they'd be quite hypocritical to mock us over it, but i'd still much rather win it the proper way.

 

We'll win it by a bigger margin than it is now for me..

Aye it just saves listening to the * from everywhere about being handed a league. We all know and so do they that the league was over before this. All we're waiting for is the inevitable of rubber stamping it ourselves..

 

Tbh after seeing how disgusting they were yesterday making tshirts and all I would * love to be awarded this way now

 

just play the games behind close doors ffs

could show the games on freeview for the fans just change kick off times and spread games out more over the days

dont think we needed to cancel games in the lower divisions with the crowds so low

 

it's not so much the crowds, more to do with having medical staff and ambulances on site

 

That not been reported by the sun

 

Don't want a title we have not won fairly. Win it on the park with no side letters, no under table payments or incorrectly registered players.

If we could not be overtaken then fair enough but that is not the case. The league games (and the cup games) must be completed before any new season starts without provision in place for these games to be played.

Many other leagues will be looking at this problem, and postponing the Euros until next year makes the most sense. Maybe we have to cancel next years winter break. Maybe the League cup needs to go back to knock out rounds (as all cup games should be). There are many things to be looked at and our officials should come out now and say if they are going to decide by themselves or hang on the coat tails of the EPL.

We are talking about a dozen games , SIX Weeks. Well in our case we have a 3 week break so we are talking about finding 3 weeks to play these postponed games. If our game cannot handle finding 3 weeks then perhaps our season is too long and we should look at reducing the amount of games played per season.

CL & EL are what are eating up the fixture list with the league type format in cup competitions. Cups should always be knockout. No entering at later rounds, play your youth team if you don't think the opposition is worth the effort.

IF these outstanding games are not played then it creates more problems for everyone and the fallout will rumble on for years to come. Next season is not underway so the only logical thing to do is finish this season before starting a new one.

Logic and common sense is in short supply when it comes to those running ( ruining ) our game. Next years Cup game seedings are based on this years league finishing positions so how are they going to calculate that ?

The simplest way out of this mess is to complete these games as soon as football can resume. It causes the least disruption and no court cases further down the line ( except for one club .. who i think are going for 55 appearances )

 

There was still flights coming in from Italy on Friday. Madness.

 

Imagine being a Hearts fan and they actually went ahead with that. You would be livid.

Much as I hate the *, it would be a * way to end the season.

 

At the end of the day if this goes ahead with the league declared over and league positions as they are it is probably the sensible thing to do amongst all the uncertainty. Teams get prize money, champions, relegation, promotion and European places all sorted and teams and supporters can look forward to next season.

Nobody in the UK has officially won their respective leagues yet but i am sure the record books for all league winners will not say title won but season ended early...IF we are declared champions we march on to 10...

 

Not just about the fans and tv though, now that managers and players have started to test positive. Clubs have a responsibility to all their staff, front and back

 

The league will be ours regardless. I'm more concerned about The Scottish cup getting played out. A possible quadruple treble at stake. Won't happen again.