They have started planning for next season even before finishing the current campaign.
That probably underlines the growing confidence in Project Restart and being able to play out the remaining 92 Premier League fixtures.
And the 20 clubs gave the green light at Thursday’s meeting to start next season in the second weekend of September, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13th.
It will mean that August remains blank for Premier League games, players will only get a three-week summer break after finishing the current season with a mini two-week pre-season factored in before kicking off the 2020/21 campaign.
But there is now a real determination to get football up and running again as suddenly there is real optimism of getting a limited number of fans into stadiums next season.
There is a growing belief that England games will also be factored into next season with UEFA refusing to give up on the Nations League and there could be a triple header of internationals in October and November.
The mood has changed to optimism and determination to get the season done and that was borne out in Thursday’s Premier League meeting.
The extra substitutes rule was voted through by 16-4 in favour of having five subs and nine players on the bench after FIFA gave domestic leagues permission to use more players amid fears of injury with the extra games.
It is understood that even some of the bigger clubs had reservations about this because not everyone has a deep wealth of talent in their squad.
“Can you imagine keeping it tight against Liverpool for 70 minutes, the game is 0-0 and then they send for the cavalry?” said one club executive.
Despite that being an ominous prospect for any opponent, it was voted through but is worth remembering the game can only be stopped on three occasions to bring on subs while there is also a move for drinks breaks in the hot summer weather.
Sign up to the Mirror Football email here for the latest news and transfer gossip.
