QPR Director of Football Les Ferdinand says he expects the current football season must be played to a conclusion before any new campaign can begin.
With football currently suspended and the nature of its eventual return still far from certain, there has inevitably been plenty of speculation around how and when that may be, either by finishing the current season, or simply cancelling the current campaign and starting a new one.
Ferdinand himself appears to be confident that the season will indeed be finished eventually, and when asked on the BBC's Football Focus show whether he could see the season being cancelled, the former England striker said: “I think the prestige of our game and what it means I don’t think we will.
“I think we will finish the season by playing the games and the remaining games that need to be played.
“I think we have to do that just for the integrity of both the Championship and Premier League."
In an open letter issued on Friday, EFL chairman Rick Parry reiterated the league's desire to complete the current season, with the campaign likely to be concluded behind closed doors.
Discussing the prospect of playing those remaining games without fans, Ferdinand added: “We have got to understand that is the way we have got to go as much as we don’t want to do it.
“It is what we have to do and I think it is right and true for the game of football.”
As things stand, QPR are currently 13th in the Championship table, six points adrift of the play-off places with nine games of the season still to be played at some point.
The Verdict
I do find myself agreeing with Ferdinand here.
With everything that has gone into this season so far, both on and off the pitch, it does seem as though it would be wrong not to at least attempt to complete it, in recognition of those efforts.
Indeed, given it is also possible that football could be played behind closed doors well into next season, it doesn't seem as though simply cancelling the rest of this campaign rather than playing it without fans, will make a huge difference to those clubs who rely largely on matchday income, and the revenue brought about by televising those games may at least help to subsidise that somewhat.