Sunderland's promotion hopes receive an unlikely boost as League One consider an extended play-off competition

The idea, which was floated by Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony at Friday’s EFL meeting, would see EIGHT teams take part in the play-offs – double the traditional number.

And with Sunderland set to finish seventh on a points-per-game basis, it would hand the Black Cats another shot at the Championship.

The idea comes after the EFL stated that third tier clubs were investigating ‘creative solutions’ to determine the 2019/20 campaign.

A meeting of League One clubs on Friday failed to yield a definitive outcome on the season, with a number of clubs – including Sunderland – determined to play on in a bid to achieve promotion.

The EFL yesterday confirmed that should the league not be able to be played to a finish, then promotion would be decided on an unweighted points-per-game basis. In League One, that would see Coventry City and Rotherham United promoted with Wycombe, Oxford, Fleetwood and Portsmouth in the play-off places.

But a number of clubs are thought to disagree with this approach – hence MacAnthony’s alternative suggestion.

As previously reported by the Echo, the EFL have ruled out a ‘mini-tournament’ which involves the current top two.

But given the Peterborough United owner’s plans would see the teams from third to tenth take part – which would include Sunderland – this move could yet prove an attractive compromise.

Speaking to talkSPORT, MacAnthony said: “There was an openness at the meeting today which was good and I get the reasoning for clubs who don’t want to play, but the right thing to do is to play on whenever that’s possible.

“They might even use points per game to decide final placings which means we would be screwed out of the play-offs as well. It’s deflating, but I am still fighting and there will be more meetings and discussions taking place.

“We have lost three of our last 10 games, we have nine matches left and five are at home. We really fancy it with the games we have left. How can it be right that the chance of promotion is just taken away from us? There are so many relevant factors that are ignored by using PPG. Wycombe would move above us under PPG, but their game in hand is at Coventry who have lost three times all season. Who decides they would win that game?

“It’s just wrong on so many fronts. I even suggested if we had play-offs we should go for broke and have an 8-10 team tournament with matches live on Sky to determine who joins the top two in the Championship.”

League One clubs are set to meet with EFL officials again on Monday to discuss their next steps, with clubs aware that clarity over when – or indeed, if – the season will resume is needed quickly.

In their statement released on Friday evening, the EFL said: “It was acknowledged that the need to find innovative and creative solutions was of paramount importance as was the need for decisions to be taken quickly. “