Six weeks have surpassed since coronavirus shut down all footballing activity in England, and it could be another six weeks before Oxford United return to action.
Numerous ideas have been bouncing around lately, including declaring the season null and void, awarding it as the table suggests, or even a mini-league with the top eight teams from League One and Two.
However, U’s Managing Director Niall McWilliams is one of the members that sit in on the leagues’ weekly conference calls, along with 70 other Football League clubs.
He, like many, believe the best scenario is to finish the current season when it is safe to do so, and he believes the majority of those involved want that too.
He told the Oxford Mail: “The overwhelming opinion behind those meetings is the majority want to finish the season, as long as it’s safe. It makes sure it finishes with integrity.
“In League One we’ve only had a couple of dissenting voices. (Overall) it’s not changed in the last few weeks.”
The U’s sit third in League One, but while they have more to lose than some of the other clubs in the division, McWilliams insists they would be rooting for the same outcome if they were elsewhere in the table.
He added: “Honestly, hand on my heart if we were third bottom or just outside the relegation zone I would still be saying it needs to be finished.
“It would cause so many ructions otherwise. You can see what’s happening in Scotland, Holland and Belgium where they’ve done it. It would cause so many threats of legal battles.”
One other idea was to regionalise League One and Two, put forward by Fleetwood Town owner Andy Pilley. While the move would reduce expenses, such as travel cost and accommodation, the U’s Managing Director dismissed the idea.
He said: “Personally I think it would be a backwards step. In terms of costs, it’s not significant.
“At different times Leeds have been in this division, as have Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn. Are we saying we’ll never get to go there to play?
“There’s nothing wrong with the structure and it’s not been mentioned on the EFL calls. For us, we just want the status quo really and to finish the season.”
Uncertainty continues to reign over the division, with the EFL yet to make a decision. One thing is for sure, whichever decision is made, many fans, clubs and owners will still be upset with the outcome.
