'We've got to finish the league' - Sunderland's League One rivals Peterborough United and Fleetwood Town crank up pressure on EFL ahead of talks

The EFL board is due to meet on Wednesday to discuss plans of how best to conclude the 2019-20 League One campaign – with pressure for a restart mounting from Sunderland’s rivals Fleetwood Town and Peterborough United.
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Posh owner Darragh MacAnthony has already spoken up on behalf of six clubs, including Sunderland, involved in the promotion and relegation battle and outlined their strong desire to play on.

And Fleetwood manager Joey Barton claims it would be "out of order" to settle League One on a points-per-game basis.

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"We've got Sunderland, Peterborough and Wycombe all scrapping for one play-off place.

Sunderland fans wait for EFL decision.Sunderland fans wait for EFL decision.
Sunderland fans wait for EFL decision.

“It looks like Wycombe are going to get it if they go points-per-game," Barton told Matchroom Boxing's Talk the Talk YouTube show.

"Darragh MacAnthony is alluding he's going to go bizarre. I'd go nuts as well. It's out of order. We've got to finish the league."

Barton went on to outline his fears for the livelihoods of players.

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"I've got a lot of lads in our care who want to play. They don't have a surplus amount of cash in the bank and a lot of them live week to week to month to month.

"You've got 1,400 players in the lower leagues out of contract. They've got no money in the bank, kids to put in school, mortgages to pay and cars to pay for.

"If the Premier League boys don't want to go back because they don't feel safe and have got the money to be able to do that, no problem, I'm not forcing anyone.

"But a lot of clubs need to get on with it. Some clubs won't survive. The working class that football is...we need to crack on if it's safe to do so.

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"At some point we have to return to normality because if we don't at some point the economy will fail and the football economy is already creaking now."

Meanwhile, Posh co-owner Stewart Thompson believes plans for a bumper play-offs is gaining support.

He said: “This solution (extended play-offs) is gaining legs with the ‘Top 10’ owners. I can totally understand why after Top 10 you don’t actually care. A play-off like this is way more fair than WPG or PPG.”