‘Encouraging development’ – Kinnear delivers major boost to Leeds fans after Ligue 1 bombshell
Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear has delivered news of an “encouraging development” in the bid to get the remaining nine games in the Championship season played.
In a week when Ligue 1 decided to end the season early – news which “may have dismayed many Leeds United fans” according to Kinnear – the UK government is still looking at ways of ensuring the Premier League and the EFL can play on.
Writing in his alternative program notes in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Kinnear said, “In the same week [as Ligue 1 ending], the UK Government have stated the importance of a return to professional sport as a key pillar in part of a return to a ‘new normal’.
“The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are now leading regular meetings with the larger governing bodies [of which the Premier League and EFL are central] on the operational specifics of how this can be delivered whilst minimising the risk to health.
“This encouraging development comes with the broader positive context of the Government finally softening their stance that the UK populous would be too easily confused, by visibility of the principles of an eventual lockdown exit strategy, to not remember to stay at home in the interim.”
Kinnear went on to say that if schools are to open and construction resumes, then surely football could be played in a much more controlled environment where “regular testing, rigorous medical supervision and environmental control are all significantly easier to implement.”
The narrative behind getting games started again has shifted among Leeds fans.
There had been hope that they would be able to see Leeds get promoted in person.
That has completely gone now, replaced with hope that the Championship season will simply get finished.
This update from Kinnear is a major boost in that regard and the comparison with construction is a very valid one, and one where football stacks up well.
However, all signs are that if the season isn’t finished on the pitch, it will still end up with Leeds getting promoted.
Ligue 1 announced that they are ending their season on a points-per-game basis, which would see Leeds go up as champions if the same model was used to end the Championship.
This also fits into UEFA’s insistence that seasons are finished on ‘sporting merit‘.
However you interpret that, Leeds will surely be heading to the Premier League.
In other Leeds United news, ‘The more I’m hearing’ – If Redknapp & Neville are right, Leeds won’t win promotion on the pitch