The points from the Bolton game

[RugbyRover]

I know this is the FAI but hopefully the EFL will be thinking along the same lines.

https://www.extratime.ie/articles/16856/fai-severely-punish-athlone-for-failure-to-fulfill-fixture/

[wing commander]

     The correct thing to do would be to award us the points and a 3-0 win,a precedent was set with the Brentford game that they also couldn't fulfil...

      However I have little faith in the EFL,i suspect they will use the excuse that the league had finished and they weren't able to rearrange the game in time.They will make us replay it but deduct further points from Bolton (my guess 4) as a token gesture of punishment..

      I hope I'm wrong but that's what I suspect the outcome will be.We will revisit this when the outcome is decided to see wether the EFL have grown a set or not....

[idler]

There are 23 teams in the league.
1 team wants the points in respect of the cavalier way in which it was postponed against all rules.
1 team wants it replayed when they have a stronger side.
21 teams want it replayed to deny us three free points in their own interest.
I wonder who the EFL will disappoint?
There's only one team going to be disappointed. Us, as it's the easiest option with the least fall out.

The other 21 teams were not scheduled to play them that night.
The other 21 teams were not preparing in training to play them.
The other 21 teams had not made travel arrangements to go to Bolton.
The other 21 teams were not inconvenienced and had to cancel those arrangements.
The other 21 teams did not have to contact the EFL urgently to find out what the hell was going on.

I know this DBR but the other 21 teams will be three points less in front or further behind us if we get the points. They won't want this to happen under any circumstances. It is self preservation, that's all.
If Bolton take any points from us later in the season it helps the rest as they are still likely to go down. We on the other hand could be near promotion or fighting relegation, three free points could be crucial to us to the detriment of others. That is all that they will be selfishly looking at.

[Campsall rover]

I know this is the FAI but hopefully the EFL will be thinking along the same lines.

https://www.extratime.ie/articles/16856/fai-severely-punish-athlone-for-failure-to-fulfill-fixture/

So they might make Bolton play the game at the Keepmoat.
That would be a novelty 2 home league games against the same team in the same season.
Can’t see it myself but hey, what the heck do i know.

Dutch has that happened before, maybe in different circumstances of course?

[Campsall rover]

There are 23 teams in the league.
1 team wants the points in respect of the cavalier way in which it was postponed against all rules.
1 team wants it replayed when they have a stronger side.
21 teams want it replayed to deny us three free points in their own interest.
I wonder who the EFL will disappoint?
There's only one team going to be disappointed. Us, as it's the easiest option with the least fall out.

The other 21 teams were not scheduled to play them that night.
The other 21 teams were not preparing in training to play them.
The other 21 teams had not made travel arrangements to go to Bolton.
The other 21 teams were not inconvenienced and had to cancel those arrangements.
The other 21 teams did not have to contact the EFL urgently to find out what the hell was going on.

I know this DBR but the other 21 teams will be three points less in front or further behind us if we get the points. They won't want this to happen under any circumstances. It is self preservation, that's all.
If Bolton take any points from us later in the season it helps the rest as they are still likely to go down. We on the other hand could be near promotion or fighting relegation, three free points could be crucial to us to the detriment of others. That is all that they will be selfishly looking at.

And they are from what i was told Idler.  If it was on the other foot though they would all be screaming for the points. AS THEY SHOULD BE.

Hypocrites the lot of them. Whinging children throwing their toys across the room.

[Campsall rover]

David v Goliath. Who won that one. We need to fight this one to the bitter end because future chaos is possible if Bolton are not forfeiting the game and 3 points given to the opposition

It’s not because it’s us that has been wronged. Football’s credibility is at stake.
I am now getting fed up of repeating myself.
Are the EFL listening to me, or any of us. No of course they are not. 
They will do whatever they want. But that’s where the club needs to stand firm. Do not bow down to other clubs whinging.
Legally i would have thought we had a very strong case.

[Bessie Red]

There are 23 teams in the league.
1 team wants the points in respect of the cavalier way in which it was postponed against all rules.
1 team wants it replayed when they have a stronger side.
21 teams want it replayed to deny us three free points in their own interest.
I wonder who the EFL will disappoint?
There's only one team going to be disappointed. Us, as it's the easiest option with the least fall out.

The other 21 teams were not scheduled to play them that night.
The other 21 teams were not preparing in training to play them.
The other 21 teams had not made travel arrangements to go to Bolton.
The other 21 teams were not inconvenienced and had to cancel those arrangements.
The other 21 teams did not have to contact the EFL urgently to find out what the hell was going on.

Surely the other 21 teams knew the rules before the season started and failure to fulfil a fixture is 3 points and a 3-0 win to the opponents according to the rules is it not?

[drfchound]

There are 23 teams in the league.
1 team wants the points in respect of the cavalier way in which it was postponed against all rules.
1 team wants it replayed when they have a stronger side.
21 teams want it replayed to deny us three free points in their own interest.
I wonder who the EFL will disappoint?
There's only one team going to be disappointed. Us, as it's the easiest option with the least fall out.

The other 21 teams were not scheduled to play them that night.
The other 21 teams were not preparing in training to play them.
The other 21 teams had not made travel arrangements to go to Bolton.
The other 21 teams were not inconvenienced and had to cancel those arrangements.
The other 21 teams did not have to contact the EFL urgently to find out what the hell was going on.

Surely the other 21 teams knew the rules before the season started and failure to fulfil a fixture is 3 points and a 3-0 win to the opponents according to the rules is it not?

Is that the rule though.

Does anyone on here actually know that?

[eastender]

The precedent was set last season with the Brentford v Bolton game, as everyone knows.

So surely the EFL can't change the rule they themselves set , just to suit the situation .

It's cut and dried , what are they messing about for, just get on with it, dragging it out isn't going to make it go away

[dickos1]

Think the situations were slightly different.
As it was the last game of the season all games have to be played within 4 days of the season ending.
Bolton said they couldn’t do that so win was awarded to Brentford.

[eastender]

Think the situations were slightly different.
As it was the last game of the season all games have to be played within 4 days of the season ending.
Bolton said they couldn’t do that so win was awarded to Brentford.

It wasn't the last game of the season though, they played Forrest on the last day at Home.

[drfc1951]

There are 23 teams in the league.
1 team wants the points in respect of the cavalier way in which it was postponed against all rules.
1 team wants it replayed when they have a stronger side.
21 teams want it replayed to deny us three free points in their own interest.
I wonder who the EFL will disappoint?
There's only one team going to be disappointed. Us, as it's the easiest option with the least fall out.

The other 21 teams were not scheduled to play them that night.
The other 21 teams were not preparing in training to play them.
The other 21 teams had not made travel arrangements to go to Bolton.
The other 21 teams were not inconvenienced and had to cancel those arrangements.
The other 21 teams did not have to contact the EFL urgently to find out what the hell was going on.

Surely the other 21 teams knew the rules before the season started and failure to fulfil a fixture is 3 points and a 3-0 win to the opponents according to the rules is it not?

Is that the rule though.

Does anyone on here actually know that?

I don't think that is the rule.It says on efl site rule 31, failure to fulfil fixture.The team failing to fulfil fixture shall pay compensation to their opponents and any actual expenses incurred,theres nothing about forfeiting the game.

[IDM]

It also says a club can’t cancel unilaterally and would face disciplinary action.  Doesn’t say what that would be, however.

[Colin C No.3]

Any such action taken against Bolton i.e., docking of points or/plus a financial penalty would be the equivalent of throwing stones at a burning building.

[philsky]

Any such action taken against Bolton i.e., docking of points or/plus a financial penalty would be the equivalent of throwing stones at a burning building.

I feel sorry for the Bolton fans for sure but the league has to act - Bolton cancelled the game without any reference to the league.

[dickos1]

Think the situations were slightly different.
As it was the last game of the season all games have to be played within 4 days of the season ending.
Bolton said they couldn’t do that so win was awarded to Brentford.

It wasn't the last game of the season though, they played Forrest on the last day at Home.

Yes you are correct,

Although the reasons the victory was awarded to Brentford was because they couldn’t get the game arranged before the deadline of when all fixtures must be completed.

[Donnywolf]

Would be ironic if we demand and get a 3 0 win with 3 points and then miss out on GD to get auto ir play off spot !

We should get 5 0 even though there is no saying we would have beaten them as of course Coventry didnt

[IDM]

I read that Bolton asked to play that game on the Tuesday after the final fixtures, ie within 4 days which should I think have been permissible.

The EFL then postponed the game for that date and gave Brentford the points.

So they could have played if the EFL had wanted them to.

[RobTheRover]

That Brentford game last season went down as a 1-0 win.

[Dutch Uncle]

I know this is the FAI but hopefully the EFL will be thinking along the same lines.

https://www.extratime.ie/articles/16856/fai-severely-punish-athlone-for-failure-to-fulfill-fixture/

So they might make Bolton play the game at the Keepmoat.
That would be a novelty 2 home league games against the same team in the same season.
Can’t see it myself but hey, what the heck do i know.

Dutch has that happened before, maybe in different circumstances of course?

Very interesting question Campsall, and I can't recall anything at the moment. As you suggest there are other possible circumstances like a ground being out of action for some time (e.g. Carlisle with flooding not so long ago) or ground sharing although I can't recall any ground sharing of two clubs in the same league. I am sure there are many examples when a ground is temporarily out of action when home games are played elsewhere, but the norm is to play at a ground nearby the affected club. Maybe there was a local derby sometime when there was a ground switch in those circumstances. Of course there have been many switches in cup games with the smaller club giving up home advantage to the larger for a bigger crowd and pay day. 

Of course it happens regularly as a matter of course in the Scottish leagues and the Northern Ireland premier league, and is it the Scilly Isles (we have a poster on here who knows well) who have only two teams who play each other multiple times.

[PDX_Rover]

Think the situations were slightly different.
As it was the last game of the season all games have to be played within 4 days of the season ending.
Bolton said they couldn’t do that so win was awarded to Brentford.

By the same token if a game is “postponed” aren’t the two clubs bound to agree a rescheduling date within 10 days? That hasn’t happened.

[Campsall rover]

There are 23 teams in the league.
1 team wants the points in respect of the cavalier way in which it was postponed against all rules.
1 team wants it replayed when they have a stronger side.
21 teams want it replayed to deny us three free points in their own interest.
I wonder who the EFL will disappoint?
There's only one team going to be disappointed. Us, as it's the easiest option with the least fall out.

The other 21 teams were not scheduled to play them that night.
The other 21 teams were not preparing in training to play them.
The other 21 teams had not made travel arrangements to go to Bolton.
The other 21 teams were not inconvenienced and had to cancel those arrangements.
The other 21 teams did not have to contact the EFL urgently to find out what the hell was going on.

Surely the other 21 teams knew the rules before the season started and failure to fulfil a fixture is 3 points and a 3-0 win to the opponents according to the rules is it not?

That’s my understanding of it.

Bolton no doubt will claim mitigating circumstances. Think they shot themselves in the foot last Tues.
2nd time they the played twice in a week. Sat / Tues.
Guilty as charged m’ lord. SHORLY

[Drover]

I know this is the FAI but hopefully the EFL will be thinking along the same lines.

https://www.extratime.ie/articles/16856/fai-severely-punish-athlone-for-failure-to-fulfill-fixture/

So they might make Bolton play the game at the Keepmoat.
That would be a novelty 2 home league games against the same team in the same season.
Can’t see it myself but hey, what the heck do i know.

Dutch has that happened before, maybe in different circumstances of course?

Very interesting question Campsall, and I can't recall anything at the moment. As you suggest there are other possible circumstances like a ground being out of action for some time (e.g. Carlisle with flooding not so long ago) or ground sharing although I can't recall any ground sharing of two clubs in the same league. I am sure there are many examples when a ground is temporarily out of action when home games are played elsewhere, but the norm is to play at a ground nearby the affected club. Maybe there was a local derby sometime when there was a ground switch in those circumstances. Of course there have been many switches in cup games with the smaller club giving up home advantage to the larger for a bigger crowd and pay day. 

Of course it happens regularly as a matter of course in the Scottish leagues and the Northern Ireland premier league, and is it the Scilly Isles (we have a poster on here who knows well) who have only two teams who play each other multiple times.

Im sure it has happened in the past,but cannot think when or who.Regards groundshare,did Wimbledon ever play Palace in same league at the time?

[DRNaith]

That Brentford game last season went down as a 1-0 win.

When was that determined, Rob?  Surely that has to be the precedent that is followed.

[Dutch Uncle]

I know this is the FAI but hopefully the EFL will be thinking along the same lines.

https://www.extratime.ie/articles/16856/fai-severely-punish-athlone-for-failure-to-fulfill-fixture/

So they might make Bolton play the game at the Keepmoat.
That would be a novelty 2 home league games against the same team in the same season.
Can’t see it myself but hey, what the heck do i know.

Dutch has that happened before, maybe in different circumstances of course?

Very interesting question Campsall, and I can't recall anything at the moment. As you suggest there are other possible circumstances like a ground being out of action for some time (e.g. Carlisle with flooding not so long ago) or ground sharing although I can't recall any ground sharing of two clubs in the same league. I am sure there are many examples when a ground is temporarily out of action when home games are played elsewhere, but the norm is to play at a ground nearby the affected club. Maybe there was a local derby sometime when there was a ground switch in those circumstances. Of course there have been many switches in cup games with the smaller club giving up home advantage to the larger for a bigger crowd and pay day. 

Of course it happens regularly as a matter of course in the Scottish leagues and the Northern Ireland premier league, and is it the Scilly Isles (we have a poster on here who knows well) who have only two teams who play each other multiple times.

Im sure it has happened in the past,but cannot think when or who.Regards groundshare,did Wimbledon ever play Palace in same league at the time?

Brilliant Drover. 

Wimbledon moved to Selhurst Park in 1991 and played Palace in the Premier League in 1992-93, 1994-95 and 1997-98 and in the then Division 1 in 2001-02 and 2002-03. They were in the Milton Keynes ground for 2003-04.

[Bessie Red]

Tbf I'm beginning to change my mind on this. I would probably prefer the chance to play the fixture and hope for a 5-0 win anyway. At least if that happened we would hold the higher ground no matter what anyone else thinks!

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Let's remind ourselves of the events leading up to this.

1. Bolton requested the Saturday Tranmere game to be postponed on Thursday and the EFL declined their request.
2. On Friday Bolton asked the EFL if they could sign players on a short term basis to bolster the squad and the EFL confirmed they could.
3.On Monday, Phil Parkinson chose  not to exercise the option of signing players and elected not to contact the EFL or Doncaster Rovers in the knowledge that their request would be declined again and took the decision to withdraw from the fixture.
4. We were already preparing for the game and continued to do so until lunchtime on match day just in case the EFL ordered Bolton to fulfill the fixture.

That has to be as near as damn it to a forfeit surely.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Let's remind ourselves of the events leading up to this.

1. Bolton requested the Saturday Tranmere game to be postponed on Thursday and the EFL declined their request.
2. On Friday Bolton asked the EFL if they could sign players on a short term basis to bolster the squad and the EFL confirmed they could.
3.On Monday, Phil Parkinson chose  not to exercise the option of signing players and elected not to contact the EFL or Doncaster Rovers in the knowledge that their request would be declined again and took the decision to withdraw from the fixture.
4. We were already preparing for the game and continued to do so until lunchtime on match day just in case the EFL ordered Bolton to fulfill the fixture.

That has to be as near as damn it to a forfeit surely.

Thanks for that, I wasn't aware of point 2. Have looked but can't see any reference to it.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Let's remind ourselves of the events leading up to this.

1. Bolton requested the Saturday Tranmere game to be postponed on Thursday and the EFL declined their request.
2. On Friday Bolton asked the EFL if they could sign players on a short term basis to bolster the squad and the EFL confirmed they could.
3.On Monday, Phil Parkinson chose  not to exercise the option of signing players and elected not to contact the EFL or Doncaster Rovers in the knowledge that their request would be declined again and took the decision to withdraw from the fixture.
4. We were already preparing for the game and continued to do so until lunchtime on match day just in case the EFL ordered Bolton to fulfill the fixture.

That has to be as near as damn it to a forfeit surely.

Thanks for that, I wasn't aware of point 2. Have looked but can't see any reference to it.

Yes, that was directly from Phil Parkinson's mouth. He first tried to contact the Administrator who didn't return his call so took it upon himself to contact the EFL directly, so at that point the EFL had no idea they were going to pull this stunt, Parkinson said the reason he chose not to sign players short term was because he felt it would be unfair to those players who then couldn't play for anyone else once registered.

Edit: Link here to article re above.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/17850339.bolton-boss-phil-parkinson-saddened-squad-plans-wrecked/

[Metalmicky]

Think the situations were slightly different.
As it was the last game of the season all games have to be played within 4 days of the season ending.
Bolton said they couldn’t do that so win was awarded to Brentford.

By the same token if a game is “postponed” aren’t the two clubs bound to agree a rescheduling date within 10 days? That hasn’t happened.

Difference is, this game wasn't 'postponed', Bolton just refused to play.  The EFL should IMO punish Bolton and award the points from the game to Doncaster.  As people have said, they have failed to fulfil a fixture, they were unable to do it last season (albeit the game was postponed by the EFL), and 3 points were awarded to the opposition - Brentford. 

The club [Bolton] were deemed to be guilty of misconduct and were referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission.  As a result Brentford be awarded 3 points - although it appears that they escaped further punishment themselves for the incident - although they have subsequently had a 12 point deduction for going into administration.