Peterborough chairman insists no-one 'wanted to play us' as Portsmouth, Oxford, Wycombe and Fleetwood prepare for play-offs

And the Posh chairman implied that might have played a part in this week’s historic vote.

On Wednesday, the majority of clubs in the third tier decided that the 2019-20 season should be cancelled following the coronavirus outbreak.

That followed a vote involving all EFL clubs on a framework put forward by the league regarding promotion, a traditional four-team play-off format and relegation under an unweighted points-per-game formula.

Pompey, who sat fourth in the table when matches were initially suspended in March, were guaranteed a play-off spot using that system, finishing fifth.

But they remained committed to seeing out the season on the pitch and were part of a six-club collective that included Peterborough, Oxford, Sunderland, Fleetwood and Ipswich who wanted a natural conclusion to the season.

The Blues were one of ‘four to five’ clubs who voted for all remaining fixtures to be played out.

However, as they now prepare to face Oxford in their two-legged semi-final, with Fleetwood and Wycombe to contest the other tie, MacAnthony said clubs knew their chances of promotion would be enhanced without Peterborough’s involvement in either a title run-in or the play-offs.

In fact, he claimed the Posh would have been promoted automatically if the season had been allowed to reach a natural conclusion.

Instead, Coventry and Rotherham can now prepare for the Championship after they finished first and second respectively.

Speaking to Sky Sports, MacAnthony said: ‘All day long, I‘d bet my life we would have finished in the top two.

‘I’m telling you right now, looking at our remaining nine fixtures, the goals we score, we have the best player outside the Championship and Premier League in Ivan Toney, he was on fire, we’d just battered Portsmouth at home, and they’re a very good team.

‘We’d battered Oxford a couple of weeks ago, I think we battered Wycombe out of sight a week before that .

‘Trust me, no-one in that top six wanted to play us.

‘Probably when the vote went the way it went, at the end of the day, I don’t want to sound cynical, but Peterborough aren’t the team you want to face in that run-in or in the play-offs.’

The Posh’s last game before matches were brought to a halt was a 2-0 victory over Pompey on Saturday, March 7, at London Road.

They won six straight games between January and February – including 4-0 wins against both Wycombe and Oxford – but lost to Fleetwood and drew with Burton prior to their victory against the Blues.

Seven of their nine remaining games were against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Kenny Jackett’s side drew with Fleetwood three days after their Posh defeat.

Earlier this calendar year they set a new club record for consecutive wins – nine.

Four of their nine remaining fixtures involved clubs in the bottom half of the standings.

No dates have been confirmed for the respective play-offs.