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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Tom Leach

Nottingham Forest's Championship rivals raise concerns over restart in EFL letter

Nottingham Forest's Championship rivals Barnsley have written to the EFL explaining their concerns surround the league's big restart.

The Yorkshire club, currently bottom of the second division, want to see relegation scrapped in the Championship, League One and League Two this season if games are not completed.

But they have also called for a one-off parachute payment if they do drop into League One this term to help them survive the fall without the matchday income.

The letter reads: "If the 19/20 season is completed, it will be completed with a lack of sporting integrity. Some clubs will have unbalanced squads compared to competitors due to ending player contracts.

"Some clubs will lose home-field advantage for matches behind closed doors in respect to the reverse fixture earlier this season. This is especially true with big rivalries and the loss of the respective revenue.

"Those clubs unfairly and unlawfully relegated to a lower division would face further uncertainty and potential failure of their enterprise.

The EFL is trying to juggle the demands of 71 clubs. (Chris Vaughan - CameraSport via Getty Images)

"The only way to secure against innumerable damages in the case of relegation would be a one-time parachute payment to the affected clubs representing the loss of one season of television revenue."

Queens Park Rangers have already expressed their concerns over the Championship's big restart.

QPR chief executive Lee Hoos says he is “vehemently opposed” to the planned schedule - and adds that former Forest boss Mark Warburton, as well as director of football Les Ferdinand, share his views.

“The players haven’t even returned to full-contact training at this moment and yet they are now expected to be in a position to play at a competitive level in just three weeks’ time.

“I have made our feelings known to the EFL and, having spoken with a number of CEOs at other Championship clubs, I am not a lone voice on this matter.

“We are absolutely appalled," he said.

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