Wow what to make of this one. Announcement today that Macclesfield have been docked 10 points with 4 of them suspended for all the mucking about they have done so far this season. They are now from mid table to 3 points above the relegation spot. Not that the points total would have any affect on how good or bad they are playing currently. The second part of the announcements is that it is possible this will be a behind closed doors if it goes ahead due to lack of a safety certificate for their ground. 1000 plus green army travellers will be mightily pee'd off if this is to be the case and boy, won't Macclesfield dip out of a shed load of revenue when they are already in the **** money wise. So, with all of this swilling around what are our chances this Saturday? Macclesfield seem to be the draw specialists in this league with a whole load of them so far. We aren't exactly banging them in the net for fun so it would seem on paper to be a definate maybe for a draw. I am not feint hearted though and I think we will nick it. If the troops can put in half the performance they did on Tuesday night and include a goal or two as a bonus then we should be a shoe in. I'm going for 3 points as a prediction. COYG
Friday evening and no report yet that they have a safety certificate for the match to be played......with hundreds of greens travelling tomorrow someone needs to get their finger out.
Looking like Macclesfield are in the crap again with the FA so probably more punishment on the way. Derek Adams will be pleased. Only way his lot are going to stay up this season in my opinion.
Previous postponement against Crewe is to be played at a later date so presume the original decision for this will be the same. However the way Macclesfield are going it begins to look like the end for them so they may not be in business to another date. If that happens I would guess the seasons fixtures so far would be struck from the records and that would affect those that have already played them and won or lost. What gets me is the late calling off and how that affects the travelling fans some of whom might well have paid for accommodation overnight to watch this. Pre-booked train tickets and the like. Also the Club have forked out once for the team to travel. They are there already so that's a hotel and a bit more for all the staff and players. As much as I sympathise with clubs in financial trouble it is just not right to allow this to carry on like they did with Bury previously.
Despite any claims to the contrary the match is 100% equivalently off. At this stage the fixture will be rearranged. It has been a very long day, and very little, if any, of the 'blame' lies with the EFL-ultimately, they only apply the rules agreed by the 71 club collective.
just to add, the club costs will be recovered through the existing regulations and we will be exploring the possibilities of reimbursing non recoverable individual supporter's cost (without any guarantees at this stage)
Maybe it isn't much to do with them but in my opinion they, whoever they are, should look at the Bury experience and all the messing about there was to finally come to a conclusion. That decision being goodbye Bury. It took into another season when fixtures had been in doubt and one not played and if they had done their thing in the first place Argyle for example would still be in league one. They have allowed another saga to drag on and on with fixtures not being played and now they start docking points probably left right and centre as a punishment. This is messing about with plans and the season of other clubs and more their supporters who spend money to follow their own. I had always been led to believe that you HAD to fulfill your league programme and if you didn't then that was the end for you. Bury didn't and after so many let offs they folded. Bolton didn't and stayed in business. They were even allowed to play behind closed doors I believe. Not being afforded to Macclesfield. Now it's Macclesfield and still the toothless rules are not enforced. Whoever the panel are who make these rules for the 71 need to get their act together and learn to bite properly. It becomes a farce if they don't.
As it stands, all the rules are made by the 71 clubs in the EFL collective and the EFL Board simply apply the rules. There is obviously an argument that some of the rules are not fit for purpose or we need more rules to cover instances like yesterday, but it is sometimes very difficult to introduce new rules when a majority vote is needed , or in some cases 75% of the clubs need to vote in favour.
It's a case of continually bolting one stable door after another after various horses have bolted. The rules need to be tightened and then enforced proactively. For a start, all clubs should be required to produce a cash flow statement and have it audited even if they are otherwise exempt. It's the one accounting statement that gives a clue what's really going on.
All I know is it's bollox once again having a Saturday afternoon with no football to follow and it's not the same in fact worse watching other scores come in.
