Sunderland's hopes of League One promotion could rest on this Tranmere Rovers plan

The Black Cats’ only chance, as things stand, of winning promotion is if the season restarts but there is strong support to curtail and settle the table on a points-per-game basis, which would see Sunderland miss out on a play-off spot.

Clubs will vote on Monday June 8 to either restart or curtail, considering the EFL’s proposed curtailment framework plus any alternative models, which need to be submitted by 2pm Tuesday.

And Tranmere Rovers chairman Mark Palios says his alternative framework for ending the season "reflects the wishes of the majority of clubs".

A group of six League One clubs, including Sunderland and Peterborough, had expressed a desire to play on, but time appears to be running out to restart the season with clubs having not even returned to small group training.

Crucially Palios' model would appeal to those clubs if it keeps open their hopes of promotion via an extended play-offs.

The EFL framework includes promotion and relegation, the retention of the four-team play-offs and the deciding of the final league table on an unweighted points-per-game basis.

Tranmere's proposal includes points-per-game but adds in a margin of error, whereby teams can only be automatically promoted or relegated if they remain in a promotion/relegation position after the margin of error is applied.

The margin of error would open up the opportunity for more teams to compete in the play-offs, if they wished to.

Palios told the Press Association: "We're trying to effect a compromise as close to the EFL's position but iterate our original proposal to reflect the wishes of the majority of clubs and achieve a fairer solution that football people will recognise as such."

Under the unweighted points-per-game model, Tranmere would be relegated.

EFL chairman Rick Parry has stressed the difficulties of continuing the season beyond July 31 because of players being out of contract.

Despite Tranmere’s intervention, it is widely expected that the EFL’s proposals will pass in their original form with Sunderland facing a third season in the third tier.