Championship to return

[Sutekh]

Official statement from the FL states the intention is to resume Championship fixtures behind closed doors on 20th June subject to the usual government requirements etc.

The restart will also see match day squads increased to 20 and up to 5 substitutes allowed.

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/spor ... ip-return/

Discussions are ongoing with tv companies over the broadcasting of matches

No decision yet on the other divisions although L2 members have a preference to curtail the season while L1 clubs are undecided.

Reading are therefore currently due to resume at home to Stoke City on 20th June behind closed doors (although the FL have not confirmed whether the remaining fixtures will remain in the Oder they were originally scheduled.

[WestYorksRoyal]

QPR don't sound happy....I wonder if we agree with their sentiments.

Overall I think it'll be great to have football back, but it's clearly important for players to be consulted properly and feel safe.

[The Royal Forester]

Among the first fixtures (if they are played in the same order) are Cardiff v Leeds Utd. and Middlesbrough v Swansea. Have the EFL confirmed with the Welsh Government that teams can cross the border by then? At the moment restrictions are different in the Countries, Wales only permitting travel up to five miles. So, if the restrictions are not altered, Cardiff won't even be able to play Swansea!

[Pepe the Horseman]

Among the first fixtures (if they are played in the same order) are Cardiff v Leeds Utd. and Middlesbrough v Swansea. Have the EFL confirmed with the Welsh Government that teams can cross the border by then? At the moment restrictions are different in the Countries, Wales only permitting travel up to five miles. So, if the restrictions are not altered, Cardiff won't even be able to play Swansea!

If they can't fulfill their fixtures, they should be made to play in the Welsh league.

[Silver Fox]

They should never have been allowed in in the first place

[Sutekh]

QPR don't sound happy....I wonder if we agree with their sentiments.

Overall I think it'll be great to have football back, but it's clearly important for players to be consulted properly and feel safe.

Not entirely sure why they’re whingeing. PL games are currently set to resume on the Wednesday before 20th so as long as the Championship follows that example in terms of safety etc. then that should be fine.

As to training, clubs were asked to resume training a week or two ago with full contact training resuming today. Personally, at the moment, I think that players shouldn’t be that much out of condition that they can’t resume playing with 4 weeks notice after just 5/6 weeks away a good portion of which they’d have been asked to look after themselves (think Reading may have given each a fitness regime to follow as well).

If they can’t then I wonder what havoc any proposed winter break would cause...

[royal_rumble]

Just look at the Charlton situation for another reason why the resumption of the PL and Champ are a sham. Players will not play that are out of contract, some players may not even play if they don't feel safe. What happens if lock down is reintroduced? How can this season really conclude under that basis? Will it be fair? No. Is it driven by money? Yes.

[Zip]

They should never have been allowed in in the first place

It wasn’t a question of whether they should have been allowed in. They were invited to join.

[sandman]

Ahh shit. Does it have to?

[Hound]

QPR don't sound happy....I wonder if we agree with their sentiments.

Overall I think it'll be great to have football back, but it's clearly important for players to be consulted properly and feel safe.

Not entirely sure why they’re whingeing. PL games are currently set to resume on the Wednesday before 20th so as long as the Championship follows that example in terms of safety etc. then that should be fine.

As to training, clubs were asked to resume training a week or two ago with full contact training resuming today. Personally, at the moment, I think that players shouldn’t be that much out of condition that they can’t resume playing with 4 weeks notice after just 5/6 weeks away a good portion of which they’d have been asked to look after themselves (think Reading may have given each a fitness regime to follow as well).

If they can’t then I wonder what havoc any proposed winter break would cause...

No likewise really. They knew full well when it was likely to return. Yeah it might not be the most sensible decision depending on your viewpoint, but the date is hardly as surprise

Saw the Bowen/Moore interview on youtube and they were both raring to go on there

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Among the first fixtures (if they are played in the same order) are Cardiff v Leeds Utd. and Middlesbrough v Swansea. Have the EFL confirmed with the Welsh Government that teams can cross the border by then? At the moment restrictions are different in the Countries, Wales only permitting travel up to five miles. So, if the restrictions are not altered, Cardiff won't even be able to play Swansea!

If they can't fulfill their fixtures, they should be made to play in the Welsh league.

[10539.4 Miles Away]

I don't understand QPRs complaints at all, June 20th has been talked about for at least a couple of weeks hasn't it? And if their players have been sat on their arses not keeping up their fitness during lockdown then tough IMO. Some teams will excel in the return, some are going to drop like stones. Think the final table is going to look quite different to how it does now (please let Leeds choke)

[Westwood52]

Being a cynic I believe a teams attitude to a restart,depends on their league position.Those at the top don’t want a null and void season;while those at the bottom do.We still have a “live” season at least for a couple of games.Reading being Reading,I suspect will start slowly,then hit a groove.With Ejaria,Swift,Meite and Olise we are not an atypical run and chase Championship team.Playing in 25 degree plus heat,may well suit us.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Being a cynic I believe a teams attitude to a restart,depends on their league position.Those at the top don’t want a null and void season;while those at the bottom do.

+1

[Ascotexgunner]

They should never have been allowed in in the first place

They were invited.

[Silver Fox]

So? They're not vampires

[Nameless]

Among the first fixtures (if they are played in the same order) are Cardiff v Leeds Utd. and Middlesbrough v Swansea. Have the EFL confirmed with the Welsh Government that teams can cross the border by then? At the moment restrictions are different in the Countries, Wales only permitting travel up to five miles. So, if the restrictions are not altered, Cardiff won't even be able to play Swansea!

If they can't fulfill their fixtures, they should be made to play in the Welsh league.

Those restrictions arefor social purposes, not work.
I doubt very much Welsh supermarkets aren’t getting restocked because lorries can’t get further than 5 miles inside the border.

[Snowflake Royal]

I don't understand QPRs complaints at all, June 20th has been talked about for at least a couple of weeks hasn't it? And if their players have been sat on their arses not keeping up their fitness during lockdown then tough IMO. Some teams will excel in the return, some are going to drop like stones. Think the final table is going to look quite different to how it does now (please let Leeds choke)

Sadly, a rest is exactly what Leeds needed and there's no way Bielsa will have let them just go and sit on their arses.

Their problem is running out of steam.

[10539.4 Miles Away]

I don't understand QPRs complaints at all, June 20th has been talked about for at least a couple of weeks hasn't it? And if their players have been sat on their arses not keeping up their fitness during lockdown then tough IMO. Some teams will excel in the return, some are going to drop like stones. Think the final table is going to look quite different to how it does now (please let Leeds choke)

Sadly, a rest is exactly what Leeds needed and there's no way Bielsa will have let them just go and sit on their arses.

Their problem is running out of steam.

Allow me to hope man. At least until HT on the 20th when they're3-0 up with a Bamford hattrick.

[Sutekh]

The FL has said the following re out of contract players...

1. A club can offer a short term deal to its out of contract players to enable them to complete the 19/20 season
2. Clubs have until 23 June to put new offers to out of contract players they wish to retain next season
3. No club can approach another club’s out of contract player until 24 June
4. Any out of contract player moving to another club will not be allowed to play for their new club until season 20/21