Former EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey gives projection on when Portsmouth's season could end

And the former chief executive outlined an 11-week period running into the summer is required to ensure that can happen.

The global pandemic meant the decision was made that no elite-level games will take place in England until April 4 at the earliest.

But it could be extended further with the EFL due to meet later this week to discuss developments in tackling Covid-19 amid government updates.

Although there’s no indication the season will be declared void and it could run into June or July to ensure fixtures are fulfilled, it’s a sentiment West Ham vice-chairman Karen Brady aired at the weekend.

Pompey sit fourth in the table and are two points outside the automatic promotion places with nine fixtures remaining.

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Given they’re well positioned to enjoy a Championship return, the Blues would undoubtedly want to complete the campaign.

And that’s what Harvey – who stepped down from his role as CEO last year – reckons the EFL must endeavour towards.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Debate, he said: ‘What we have always done is try to make sure the 46-game season fits into a set period of time with spare dates.

‘The league always try to get games dated as quickly as possible and you don’t leave it until the last date in case you get a late postponement.

‘The plan is to always get finished by the last game of the season, but it’s completely unprecedented.

‘Getting 46 games into a fixture schedule is a challenge in its own right. If you can’t finish - and we’re not at that stage, nowhere near that stage – because ultimately everyone is believing this season should be played to a finish.

‘We don't know when it’s going to be yet but that has to be the principal that league football is based upon.

‘This isn’t franchise football in American where there is no promotion or no relegation and it doesn’t matter if you cut it three-quarters of the way through.

‘Actually, the competition is who gets the best of the opposition over the full 46-game period in the EFL and obviously 38 games in the Premier League.’

Prime minister Boris Johnson advised against all mass gatherings yesterday.

That means if fixtures were to go ahead from April 4 then they’d have to be played behind closed doors.

However, Harvey reckons the EFL should now wait until it's safe for fans to again attend.

And by his calculations, the ex-Leeds chief executive feels 11 weeks would then be required to finish the season.

He added: ‘Actually, depending on when you start, which has got to be driven by professionals which say “We think it would be safe to continue playing with fans in the ground”.

‘Now we have stopped, we might as well wait until we can get fans in the ground.

‘The point is, if we are accepting that we have got to finish the season, it does not actually matter when it is because when it is we can work out then how do you finish that season and how long does that take?

‘I think you need 11 weeks to finish our domestic season.

‘Next season starts when we determine, collectively, it is going to start. It cannot start in August if you are not playing football by the middle of April, if my 11-week projection is right.’