To play football in this country a club has to be registered with the FA. Competitions also have to be recognised by a valid FA. If a club sets up a competition recognised as valid nowhere in the world, or involves itself in such a competition I would imagine that is one of the few offences big enough for FA registration to be taken away. The big six will become the equivalent of "flapper tracks" in greyhound and horse racing.
Once a club is not recognised by the FA surely all its players become free agents? They do not need to be banned. An unattached player could be selected for an international side, but I imagine most would maintain solidarity by not-selecting them. Equally such players could sign a second contract with another club of their choice, because their first contract would be deemed null and void because that first contract was with a non-existent club? Rashford could play wednesdays for Utd and at the weekend for Villa or PSG.
Equally it is a great opportunity for many clubs. Six teams exit the Premier League, six have to be promoted from the Championship and relegation will be cancelled in 2021. And that will operate down the tiers, so my club, Chesterfield just have to become one of the best six Non-League teams to return to the EFL to fill the spaces. So I reckon 36 clubs at least will be natural fans of the proposal. But sadly the proposal itself doesn't seem to have included German, French, Portuguese or Dutch clubs and big names like Celtic and Rangers are so far off the radar they aren't even registering a bleep in the cold wastes of the North Sea ..... so you can bet that will go down like a cup of cold sick.
It's a brilliant concept. If European football's rulers oppose it they could for instance effectively block these clubs recruiting young players who will not want to develop into a first teamer, or worse a failed first-teamer, banned in every other competition. The clubs would effectively gelded. with player-bases getting older and less able and attractive with every new season. Past it Arse versus Ancient Juve?
Do it, show us all how little our support matters. Do it, keep WBA up, promote Reading and Brentford and get Chesterfield back into the EFL. Twelve geese a-laying, but will the eggs be golden or addled?
Of course European competitions need reforming, so does our lovely EFL, but these clubs think they are looking at a handful of sweets, but they may well be suicide pills. They'll have asked the question, what is a football club and discovered there are huge elements rich men can't buy.
Once a club is not recognised by the FA surely all its players become free agents? They do not need to be banned. An unattached player could be selected for an international side, but I imagine most would maintain solidarity by not-selecting them. Equally such players could sign a second contract with another club of their choice, because their first contract would be deemed null and void because that first contract was with a non-existent club? Rashford could play wednesdays for Utd and at the weekend for Villa or PSG.
Equally it is a great opportunity for many clubs. Six teams exit the Premier League, six have to be promoted from the Championship and relegation will be cancelled in 2021. And that will operate down the tiers, so my club, Chesterfield just have to become one of the best six Non-League teams to return to the EFL to fill the spaces. So I reckon 36 clubs at least will be natural fans of the proposal. But sadly the proposal itself doesn't seem to have included German, French, Portuguese or Dutch clubs and big names like Celtic and Rangers are so far off the radar they aren't even registering a bleep in the cold wastes of the North Sea ..... so you can bet that will go down like a cup of cold sick.
It's a brilliant concept. If European football's rulers oppose it they could for instance effectively block these clubs recruiting young players who will not want to develop into a first teamer, or worse a failed first-teamer, banned in every other competition. The clubs would effectively gelded. with player-bases getting older and less able and attractive with every new season. Past it Arse versus Ancient Juve?
Do it, show us all how little our support matters. Do it, keep WBA up, promote Reading and Brentford and get Chesterfield back into the EFL. Twelve geese a-laying, but will the eggs be golden or addled?
Of course European competitions need reforming, so does our lovely EFL, but these clubs think they are looking at a handful of sweets, but they may well be suicide pills. They'll have asked the question, what is a football club and discovered there are huge elements rich men can't buy.