houseboy wrote:Punishing clubs with relegation is not as simple as it sounds. What would you do with other clubs in the division they were relegated to? There would be too many clubs in the division - and then you would be a club short in the division they were relegated from. Would it happen mid season? What about how it would affect other clubs in terms of results against the relegated club? If one team had won two games against them and another has lost both or maybe only played them once (and maybe lost that)? How would all this affect promotion/relegation/championships? If you 'relegated' a club mid-season but said it would only take effect from the following season you would presumably have to promote an extra club from the lower division, but in doing so you are going to destroy the morale of the clubs players and fans. What would be the incentive for players to give their all? Would that club then be seen as an 'easy 3 points' after they had the news? Then you would be back to how it would affect promotion etc.
I don't think relegation is the answer - there are far to many co-lateral problems to be overcome.
You’ve over-complicated it.
This has been done previously - Swindon.
It’s been done in Italy - Juve and Parma and in Scotland with Rangers.
The relegation happens the following season of course - the decision can be announced at any point.
There is little point punishing a club with no money with big fines.
Relegation by one division or more means a club has to start again and build itself back up gradually through the leagues.
I said that other things need to change for it to work - like the fit and proper owner test and like the auditing of clubs finances.
Football clubs are vital for the community and Bury fans now i’m sure would snap your hands off at a place in the bottom tier or National League if it meant their club could survive