What if playoffs cannot be played?

When I think back a few months ago when there were around half in the camp saying let's go up and see where that takes us (myself included) to half in the camp saying nooooooo we are not ready for this...yet in the reading of some of the posts today I shudder to think that Wycombe could if the whole shebang did get abandoned they could go up from 8th (and at the time were on the way down further) in the curtailed season to the championship in one foul swoop!

I think the half in our let's stay down camp should actually now take a look at how this somehow ridiculous scenario could in fact unfold. I haven't heard anything from that shower some 28 miles down the road saying ooohh let's stay down for another season as we are not ready. They are ready to step up in true Chippy Wilder word's - whether we like it or not. Let's hope KR and the Cameron Brannagan's of the OUFC team want this as much as I want this and I believe they do.

WW punching above their weight?...I can assure you judging from their minute fan base that they fancy a 46 game bout with relegation a probability at the end. We should at a minimum club and supporters fancy a bout too...and hope we edge the judges decision at the end of the 46 game bout and finish at a minimum in 21st place!
 
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I think it's much easier to be objective and level-headed about not over-investing and coming straight back down (in all likelihood being the league's whipping boys, I'm afraid) when we aren't even there yet. Based on the comments (and, let's be honest, general intense frustration bordering on fury) on here last summer and in January regarding Tiger's perceived lack of investment and 'money-grabbing' from the club, I doubt the majority of the fan base would accept our being 'financially prudent' for very long.

Obviously I hope we go up, and it WOULD be a financial windfall for the club. But this forum was a pretty unpleasant and divided place at times over the past 12 months, and it would be a shame if, after the potential euphoria of a promotion to the Championship, we were to revert to that degree of in-fighting.
 
PottersRightBoot said:
Jumping ahead rather here but who’s to say we can’t be competitive in the Championship?
Click to expand...


It will take either significant funding or over-achievement by the staff to be competitive.

A reality check should be that last season's league 1 promoted trio currently fill the championship relegation spots.

Not to say that we don't want promotion, there's not a lot of point to it all otherwise!!
 
ttg17 said:
I think it's much easier to be objective and level-headed about not over-investing and coming straight back down (in all likelihood being the league's whipping boys, I'm afraid) when we aren't even there yet. Based on the comments (and, let's be honest, general intense frustration bordering on fury) on here last summer and in January regarding Tiger's perceived lack of investment and 'money-grabbing' from the club, I doubt the majority of the fan base would accept our being 'financially prudent' for very long.
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It all comes down to honesty and openness. If we were investing a sensible amount to give staying up a go but ultimately holding a bit back to give us the best chance of a ‘pogo’ effect a year later, and to not gamble the club’s future financially for good measure, I think a lot of people would welcome that. A number of clubs used to do this with the Premier League in terms of sheer principle. What people don’t and won’t put up with are conflicting statements and actions that don’t back up the promises, which certainly appeared to be the case in January. Under promising and over delivering is a hell of a lot better than the other way around, and I’m sure a lesson or two was learned there.

I also wouldn’t underestimate the quality of loan players we could attract if we were to go up versus some of the other clubs in the playoffs. We have very good contacts with a few PL clubs, and because we would no longer need to sell players (at least for a season or two) to offset the losses, we would be able to keep the likes of Dickie and Brannagan even if they chose to walk for free a year later. We’d also stand a very good chance of securing Taylor and possibly even getting Browne on a permanent deal. Now throw in five quality loan signings and remember we’ve already got the likes of Gorrin and Henry under contract. Why not take it on and give it a damn good crack? Dream big.

Lastly - we still don’t know what the next year or so holds. It could be an absolute godsend to get into the Championship for a year and get the money that comes with that just for being a member, given spectator revenues could well plummet across the board. Getting multi-millions just for being a part of it could be critical, and may also see us in a position where even if we came straight back down, we would be numerous steps ahead of most clubs who have had to live below the line.
 
Free hit next season if we get promoted, going up through the play offs in this strange situation if we stay up on goal difference that’s a good season, if we go down we have made a lot of money and can strengthen for league one.
 
We may be in a better position than many Championship clubs next season. Excellent Academy and will have a much lower budget than all of the current Championship clubs for whom most will have to slash their playing budget.
 
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Jason N said:
We may be in a better position than many Championship clubs next season. Excellent Academy and will have a much lower budget than all of the current Championship clubs for whom most will have to slash their playing budget.
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Absolutely. There is going to be lots of fire sales in the Championship. There won’t be a better time to get there between teams already at that level buckling under the weight of their incredible debt, and teams remaining at this level facing crippling revenue drops. Being able to float up for a season and then float back down (if we couldn’t stay up, that is) could actually end up being quite the sweet spot.
 
Whats Karl talked about today? Hes become a go to contributor for talksport and you can see why hes very articulate without being a prat. Im proud to hear him on!
 
Agree with @RyanioBirdio about going up and not overspending even if it does mean relegation. But to avoid relegation from the championship you only have to not be one of the three worst teams whereas to get up from league one you need to the one of the three best and one of those slots is a bit of a lottery.

For what it's worth, my view is take promotion (if we are good enough) then use the extra tv money to stabilise the club - especially in these uncertain times.
 
If Sunderland Till I Die taught us one thing (aside from SGs unsuitabilility as a football chairman and the hilarity of the salmon-trousered one) it's the absolutely whopping gulf in class between L1 and the Championship.

That said, I'm still convinced that this squad could survive for at least a season.
 
All this talk of Championship football is a bit presumptuous, but we can all dream I guess.

What I would say however is to not underestimate Tiger’s ambition for the club. Whether he has access to the funds to match his ambition is another question.
 
outsidethebox said:
But to avoid relegation from the championship you only have to not be one of the three worst teams...
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Bingo.... Would imagine that at least some of the current incumbents will be hit far worse than we will be, so no reason to assume we wouldn't be up to surviving.... and if we did, then who is to say we couldn't maybe kick on into mid table from there?
 
Essexyellows said:
Here we go with, possibly, the first of many legal challenges..........
www.chroniclelive.co.uk

League One club in talks to sue EFL in move that could impact points per game decision

They estimate they will suffer £1m lost revenue due to the decision
www.chroniclelive.co.uk www.chroniclelive.co.uk
Click to expand...

He talks of the "football family":

" “It can’t be right that clubs are pitted against clubs when nobody voting including ourselves is able to take a purely dispassionate view,” he said.


"Perhaps it exposes the fable of the football family.


“A number of chairmen voiced their sympathy for our plight but still voted for it. I am certain we would have stayed up if we had been allowed to play on."


The football family still involves relegation and promotion. So you are happy to stop others coming up and/or take money from other clubs so that same point can be chucked right back at you.
 
Essexyellows said:
Here we go with, possibly, the first of many legal challenges..........
www.chroniclelive.co.uk

League One club in talks to sue EFL in move that could impact points per game decision

They estimate they will suffer £1m lost revenue due to the decision
www.chroniclelive.co.uk www.chroniclelive.co.uk
Click to expand...
I have great sympathy for those teams relegated by PPG, particularly those still in with a serious shout at staying up such as Tranmere, plus Charlton, Villa, Bournemouth had their divisions not voted to play on.
Those teams just missing out on promotion still have the playoffs and at worst don't end up any worse off than they started, but the relegated sides have no playoff option to save themselves and are plunged into a lower league with all of the financial implications that involves.
I certainly think his 'margin of error' concept had a lot of merit, although the finer details would obviously be difficult to quantify, but some sort of extended playoff tournament including clubs in their position should certainly be discussed for the future.
 
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