The big COVID-19 Shutdown


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2 hours ago, Cagey said:

I think Hamilton will beat them as they are on a roll just now & they are used to being in relegation fight.

The season might be brought to a premature end & in some way save Hearts. After all they are one of the big 4.

This could get tricky. For example, if the season ended now and Hearts are saved relegation, I expect Dundee Utd could go to Fifa and potentially sue the SFA for loss of earnings by not being promoted. Some clubs won't financially survive the loss of income from not playing the rest of the season anyway, so when we restart, there might not be much point continuing. Apparently we're the country with the highest reliance on gate receipts in Europe.

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8 hours ago, Linky said:

This could get tricky. For example, if the season ended now and Hearts are saved relegation, I expect Dundee Utd could go to Fifa and potentially sue the SFA for loss of earnings by not being promoted. Some clubs won't financially survive the loss of income from not playing the rest of the season anyway, so when we restart, there might not be much point continuing. Apparently we're the country with the highest reliance on gate receipts in Europe.

And Saints have arguably the lowest reliance on home gates to balance the books in the SPL. It's going to be a mess either way. I'd have thought that UEFA would be determined to keep leagues going behind closed doors as otherwise there could potentially be a legal minefield.  UEFA and member associations would likely win regardless, as it's difficult to argue against public health. A compensation package would be the likely outcome,  but that's incredibly complicated. Thank god we're not majorly  affected. 

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13 hours ago, Melbourne Saint said:

And Saints have arguably the lowest reliance on home gates to balance the books in the SPL. It's going to be a mess either way. I'd have thought that UEFA would be determined to keep leagues going behind closed doors as otherwise there could potentially be a legal minefield.  UEFA and member associations would likely win regardless, as it's difficult to argue against public health. A compensation package would be the likely outcome,  but that's incredibly complicated. Thank god we're not majorly  affected. 

Behind closed doors would at least mean the clubs may receive something through TV money (perhaps more games would be shown). It may be a case of the club that best isolates their players (& therefore has fewer players ill) will win the most games! 

You could find a situation where, for example, half the Celtic team are ill, and so have to play youth players, with Rangers going on to win the SPL (which is why Brown was suggesting the season should just stop now!)

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Thought I might as well start a thread!... 

 

With the English Leagues shutting down until at least 3rd April, I’d assume we’d be looking at a similar earliest date. 
 

Will this come close to putting any clubs out of business? 
 

what will happen with players out of contract this season if we overrun into the summer months?

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This might end up being the "rainy day" that Saints have that £2 million in the bank for.

I can't see us playing the remaining matches any time soon, or possibly at all.

I wonder if the SPFL actually has rules in place for what happens with promotion and relegation in the event of a season being cancelled.

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7 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

This might end up being the "rainy day" that Saints have that £2 million in the bank for.

I can't see us playing the remaining matches any time soon, or possibly at all.

I wonder if the SPFL actually has rules in place for what happens with promotion and relegation in the event of a season being cancelled.

I believe the rule is that the league placings could stand as final once 33 games are played.

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5 minutes ago, Abernethy Saint said:

There is talk of the Euros being postponed for a year, and using the space to finish the EL and CL. Presumably national authorities could organise play-offs or whatever in the same space. If the UK is not due to have peak virus until May or June, I can’t see even this being possible for us,

There's also the issue that the play-offs for the Euros haven't happened yet (is Scotland v Israel included in the SFA shutdown?) - so even if the situation's looking clearer by June, we might not have a full list of countries who have actually qualified.

I wonder if the SPFL would consider cancelling next season's League Cup to create more time over the summer to play this season's remaining matches. At the moment, though, my guess would be that this season will just get wiped out completely and those matches will never get played. Even if they consider playing them behind closed doors, it's possible that the players might not be willing to put themselves at risk by continuing to train and play.

Every club's plans and finances are going to be up in the air... Drey Wright might end up wanting to sign that contract with us after all.

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Cash in bank on last report and accounts:

Hamilton 120k

Livi 206k

County 266k

Well 476k

Fake saints 502k

Jam tarts 591k

New rangers 1.03m

Killie 1.15m

Dons 2.01m

Our wee team 2.17m

Hibees 4.2m

Green monster bulging biscuit tin overflowing with cash. 

With substantial running costs, off field income will be critical, can't see banks being allowed to keep clubs going, can see redundancies happening quickly at some clubs in both playing and non playing staff. 

Much as I slag of the Brown's for lack of communication you can't help but thank them with their financial prudence. 

There's 9 SPFL clubs in a worse cash position than ours. 

Scarry times for Scottish football. 

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50 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

There's also the issue that the play-offs for the Euros haven't happened yet (is Scotland v Israel included in the SFA shutdown?) - so even if the situation's looking clearer by June, we might not have a full list of countries who have actually qualified.

 

It couldn’t be played in Scotland with a crowd. There is some talk of proceeding with a 20-team tournament and ditching the play-offs. Alternatively there are pre-Euros warm-up friendlies slots which could be used, but they might go to the EL/CL. Frankly the problem isn’t dates and fiddling with the rules - if no one can (or will) travel, and teams continue losing players to isolation, all that is immaterial. There’s a UEFA phone conference on Tuesday I think. My money would be on postponement of the Euros, with the possibility of using the time for club football if and where possible.

The decent thing to do would be to put any available prize money (not a lot because the TV contracts will be voided) into hardship funds for wee clubs. So that won’t happen.

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22 minutes ago, garydavidson said:

Was there any need for Kirsten Robertson's comments on this statement?

https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/news/post/club-statement-suspension-matches

Not sure why but it annoys me to see the club saying they are 'disappointed' fairly echoing the Jim Traynor line from Ibrox.

I don't see what the problem is - aren't we all disappointed?

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42 minutes ago, garydavidson said:

Was there any need for Kirsten Robertson's comments on this statement?

https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/news/post/club-statement-suspension-matches

Not sure why but it annoys me to see the club saying they are 'disappointed' fairly echoing the Jim Traynor line from Ibrox.

Are you not disappointed the Hibs game is not going ahead,I am. That's all she is saying. Not that she is disappointed with the decision.

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3 hours ago, Cagey said:

Will we have enough signed players if the season ever resumes.

Take a wild guess.

We'll be absolutely fine, every chance we could play Hibs with Shaun Rooney in the starting line up though...

Clubs who will suffer as the part time ones. Zero income coming in yet still paying wages. This could devastate the lower tiers if it goes on too long.

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1 hour ago, blueheaven said:

I don't see what the problem is - aren't we all disappointed?

 

1 hour ago, Cagey said:

Are you not disappointed the Hibs game is not going ahead,I am. That's all she is saying. Not that she is disappointed with the decision.

Contrast it with this statement: https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/390397-jurgen-klopp-message-to-supporters

When there are such grave consequences I don't think disappointment about a football match comes into it. 

Maybe we just have different priorities at this time.

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Perhaps Saints are one of the fortunate teams in Scotland.

Money in the bank and out of our next 4 matches until split we have only one home match against Hamilton.

I would imagine that most of the crowd at this match would be season ticket holders with little walk up and pay attendees and little away support. 

Little effect on meeting ongoing expenses during this period.

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