Fair play to Brighton and Hove Albion chairman Paul Barber who is the first Premier League chairman to speak out honestly on the issue of playing games on neutral grounds to finish the season.
ClaretandHugh has revealed in previous articles that the Hammers are opposed to the plan on the basis that they are being robbed of vital home advantage – notably against relegation rivals Watford and Villa.
But Barber is the ifrst to speak out openly about his reservations to the plan which is likely to ensure that the season cannot get underway again.
He told the Albion website: “The disadvantages of us not playing the league’s top teams in our home stadium and in familiar surroundings, even with 27,000 Albion fans very unlikely to be present at the Amex, are very obvious.”
Brighton, in 15th place on 29 points, were due to be at home for five of their remaining nine matches as they fight for Premier League survival, and Barber fears the loss of home advantage could prove critical – even without fans.
Barber added: “Clearly, we must accept there may also be some benefit from playing our remaining four away matches at neutral venues but the fixture list simply isn’t equally balanced at this stage of the season, and we didn’t play our first 29 matches of the season in this way. So, in our opinion one thing doesn’t cancel out the other.”
The message coming through from various clubs is that if the plan is to give the public a morale boost by getting sport back on the agenda that’s fine and a festival of football – if it can be managed – would be good.
However, the idea that clubs could be relegated as a result of changing conditions that existed for over two thirds of the season cannot be allowed.
And it now seems a given that f that’s the plan the Premier League want to push through there will be no majority among the chairmen.”
