Premier League clubs facing ‘summer of chaos’ without season restart, says club owner

A Premier League club owner warns teams are facing “a summer of chaos” if the season is not restarted and says there is a “40 per cent” chance the campaign will be cancelled.

The owner, who did not want to be named, says many players do not want to go back to work yet and believes relegated clubs will sue no matter what mathematical formula is used to work out the final league table if the season is not finished.

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He believes there is a “40 per cent” chance the campaign will be cancelled, and says it would lead to a “summer of chaos”.

“Nobody knows how to settle things if we don’t play again,” he added. “I still believe no relegation would be the best solution and we can go with having a 22-team league for one season with Leeds and West Brom coming up.”

The prospect of the season being cancelled was discussed at the Premier League shareholders’ meeting for the first time on Monday.

The FA has made it clear they would not sanction the season being voided or allow relegation to be scrapped. In that scenario, the only solution would be a points-per-game formula.

A simple points-per-game formula would see Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Norwich relegated but a formula weighted to take into account home and away games could mean different teams going down.

“Whatever happens relegated teams would sue, that’s why I favour no relegation,” the club owner said.

A majority of clubs in the bottom half of the table wanted relegation to be scrapped if games were going to be played at neutral venues, but the Premier League has agreed to talk to the government to see if it would be possible for clubs to play all their home games at their own grounds.

Clubs in favour of scrapping relegation did not bring it up at Monday’s meeting because they succeeded in their primary objective which was to force a rethink on the proposal to play at neutral venues.

The clubs had only wanted the threat of relegation removed if they were going to have to finish the season playing at neutral venues.

The Premier League are due to start talking to senior players at clubs on Tuesday about the medical protocols which would be in place before training resumes but many players have reservations about returning to work too soon.

One senior figure at a Premier League club echoed their sentiments saying he would probably not go to games if the season restarts.

“I would love to go but I won’t if I am compelled or advised to stay at home,” he said.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said yesterday he did not expect players to refuse to return to training.

(c) Sky Sports 2020: Premier League clubs facing ‘summer of chaos’ without season restart, says club owner