English Football Breakaway Proposal 2020

Report

A backroom deal brokered by Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC has been criticised by the Premier League and the British Government. The deal put on the table would see the number of teams in the Premier League reduced to 18, and a cash offer to the other clubs not in the top flight. Under the deal, worked out with the English Football League (EFL) – currently in charge of the Championship, League 1 and League 2 – the other teams in the big 6 – Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal would rejoin the English Football League and keep their places in Europe.

It is unclear, however, if this applies to the other two in the Big 6 – Liverpool FC and Manchester United – or what would happen to the other 14 teams in the English Premier League. Is it an attempt to become more like an American League – with an EPL and EFL rather than a NFC and AFC as in American Football, or is it the English Football League taking over the reigns again.

Under a two-league scenario it might look like this:

EPLEFL
Liverpool FCChelsea
Manchester UnitedArsenal
Aston VillaTottenham Hotspur
EvertonManchester City
Leicester CityWest Bromwich Albion
Leeds UnitedBurnley FC
Newcastle UnitedSheffield United
West Ham UnitedFulham FC
SouthamptonLuton Town
Crystal PalaceWatford
Wolverhampton WanderersBlackburn Rovers
Brighton & Hove AlbionBirmingham City
Bristol CityQueens Park Rangers
ReadingMiddlesbrough
Swansea CityMillwall
AFC BournemouthRotherham United
English Football Breakaway Proposal 2020 [Reference: 1-3]

Note: Places in possible new EPL and EFL set-up based on current position in the two Leagues, with the bottom four EPL relegated and top four EFL promoted. A possible Super Bowl-like Playoff to decide the English Champions would be needed.

References

Websites

[1] James Whaling (2020) Daily Mirror, 12 October 2020 “Arsenal, Man City, Tottenham and Chelsea ‘offered chance to rejoin EFL’ amid revamp” [Internet] Available from: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-man-city-tottenham-chelsea-22829703?fbclid=IwAR143eECWubUgRv94bg2aRymbLbcPMCV14zz_HuAAqm_1jBM8pOeJ2zkXfE [Accessed 12 October 2020]

[2] English Premier League (2020) Premier League Table [Internet] Available from: https://www.premierleague.com/tables [Accessed 12 October 2020]

[3] English Football League (2020) Championship League Table [Internet] Available from: https://www.efl.com/clubs-and-competitions/sky-bet-championship/league-table/ [Accessed 12 October 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Nora Mulcahy, Richard Mulcahy, Dervla Mulcahy, Conor Connoly-Mulcahy, Dara Connoly-Mulcahy, Aodhan Connolly-Mulcahy.

About this document

Researched, Compiled and Written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish, North American & World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 12 October 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

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