Karren Brady's 'null and void' call would see Portsmouth remain in League One for fourth season

West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has called for the Premier League and EFL seasons to be made ‘null and void’.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

And if her recommendations were to be carried, it would mean a fourth season in League One for Pompey.

Football across the world has ground to a halt due to the outbreak of coronavirus, with the Premier League and EFL suspended until at least April 3.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Top-tier clubs are due to convene for an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss what happens next, and Brady – whose club are in a relegation fight – wants the campaign to be scrapped.

‘There is no dodging the possibility that all levels in the EFL as well as the Premier League will have to be cancelled and this season declared null and void because if the players can't play the games can't go ahead,’ she wrote in her column in The Sun.

‘The Premier League hopes that an interlude of three weeks from now will enable it to restart but that may well be dreamland.

‘Perhaps scrubbing the European Championship could provide more time to complete the season into the summer but that is also a giant “if”.

‘What if the league cannot be finished?

Karren Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham United.  Picture: Catherine Ivill/Getty ImagesKarren Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham United.  Picture: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
Karren Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham United. Picture: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘As games in both the Premier League and in the EFL are affected, the only fair and reasonable thing to do is declare the whole season null and void.

‘Who knows who would have gone down or come up if the games have not actually been played in full?

‘A huge blow to Liverpool who might be robbed of their first title in 30 years.’

The implications of cancelling the season would be huge, with large financial issues as well as possible legal battles over European, promotion and relegation places.

But Brady insisted it is a price worth paying.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

See added: ‘There are, of course, financial implications, wages and transfer debts must be paid and there is lost broadcast revenue, lost match-day income, but this pales into insignificance as the health and well-being of everyone must come first.

‘Further down the EFL, right down to the pyramid, the greater the threat to future existence. But I suspect that by hook or by crook most will survive.

‘The virus has a long way to travel yet.

‘On Monday all games were going ahead and by Friday all 20 Premier League clubs had voted in an emergency shareholder meeting call to suspend the league.

‘A week is a long time at the moment.’

Pompey currently sit fourth in the League One table with nine games of the season remaining.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.