Mark Catlin's view on Portsmouth's season being completed following crunch EFL meeting today

And the Pompey chief executive highlighted the return of the Bundesliga this weekend as potentially key to deciding the way forward in the English game.

Catlin joined the 70 other league members for a two-and-a-half hour meeting today to decide the way forward for the suspended campaign.

That followed on from the Blues last night forming a six-strong League One group who publicly united in their belief the season should be completed in the usual manner.

No vote was taken at the end of the video conference call with more discussions expected to take place in the coming days.

Although Pompeys position is unchanged, Catlin underlined there has to be an understanding of the many varied positions members find themselves in amid the coronavirus crisis.

He said: ‘The EFL position has always been to try to finish the season on the pitch - and that continues to be the case. It was very constructive, positive and there was an appreciation of each viewpoint and the financial impact on each club.’

‘That varies depending on your sponsorship deals, fan base, whether season-ticket holders get a refund or not and whether sponsors get a refund or not.

‘We have to accept every club is in a different situation. The over-riding factor has to be we can only start to play when it’s safe to do so.

‘Who have we been guided by all the way through this? The government.

‘The government say from June 1 it’s safe through certain circumstances to commence sport behind closed doors, so we will explore every opportunity to complete the season.

‘The over-riding mood was to respect each other’s position in terms of what you feel carries integrity and each individual club’s financial position may be.

‘No one wants to send a club bust because of a decision, no matter how small or big a club is.

‘Every club is different and we have to come together and work together to get over this.

‘It was a calm meeting. There’s a general realisation and sobering thought over what could happen.

‘While we’re in the camp of trying to get the season finished and I remain positive in that - I’m not necessarily confident in that, because there’s so many things outside of our control.’

All eyes will now be on German football and how that returns this weekend as the Bundesliga recommences.

The government this week announced it’s position on elite sport with more detail on the pathway to doing so emerging on Wednesday.

Catlin feels what happens in the Bundesliga could prove to be significant.

He added: ‘The Bundesliga could start Saturday, there’s a load of new cases and their government decided to shut it down. Although that’s not in our country that would knock everything back.

‘But if the Bundlesliga can pull it off so could the Premier League and if they can do it, so can League One and League Two - but we know every club is different.’