West Brom chief delivers update on Championship restart debate
West Brom chief executive Mark Jenkins has reiterated the club’s desire to finish the Championship season on the pitch.
The Baggies are currently second in the table, six points clear of the play-off places, but have not received any concrete indication over whether or not they will be able to play their remaining nine matches.
An EFL statement from earlier in the week did, however, outline the governing body’s preference for staging those remaining fixtures, and Jenkins has welcomed and supported the update.
Speaking via an official statement to the club’s website, the senior Albion figure said: “We certainly welcome the clarity the EFL have now provided as to its future intentions in terms of resolving the conclusion of the 2019/20 season.
“However, let me say at the outset that West Bromwich Albion’s position in this remains the same now as it was back when fixtures were halted – the club is resolutely behind finishing the campaign, if it is at all possible, where it belongs and that is on the pitch.
“We take comfort that this is also the apparent wish of all the governing bodies and the majority of our fellow Championship clubs.
“From the moment that the path was cleared for the players to return to training, albeit in a regulated and strictly-controlled format, our mindset has been focused solely on being in the best possible shape, physically and mentally, to complete the remaining nine league fixtures.”
This is a brilliant update from Jenkins.
To have the chief executive speak out in such a clear and concise manner is always welcome, and for him to reaffirm the Baggies’ desire to play their remaining matches is a real credit to the club.
Given our position in the table, and the EFL’s suggestion that they will turn to a points per game average to decide final league standings if things have to be brought to an end early, it would be understandable if the club acted out of self-interest and pushed for things to be curtailed.
Instead, they are acting with admirable integrity and advocating for the fairest resolution to be enacted.
According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, as of Saturday, the majority of clubs in that division supported Albion’s stance too.
Hopefully, fair play will win out, despite the protestations of clubs like Hull City, and we will see a return to action sooner rather than later.
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