The decision to extend the 2019-20 season indefinitely is a reflection of the unpredictability of how coronavirus will spread and also the complexity in finishing all competitions by June 30.
That is the preferred end date for Uefa and the domestic leagues, primarily because it minimises issues surrounding player and sponsorship contracts which then either expire or roll on to what would have been the 2020-21 campaign.
As revealed by Standard Sport on Monday, the leagues have been looking at various options on the basis of a mid-May resumption, following Government guidelines regarding when the virus will peak in the UK.
Safety is, of course, paramount. Public services cannot be stretched by sporting occasions until the virus is in substantial decline and the coming weeks will determine a time frame which could delay a resumption until June or even July.
What follows is in all probability the best-case scenario — and even in these circumstances, it appears games would resume behind closed doors.
There are nine Premier League game weeks left this season plus Manchester City versus Arsenal, nine Championship game weeks and then a spread of 10, nine and eight fixtures left for League One and Two, plus the Football League play-offs, FA Cup quarter-finals onwards and European fixtures.
It is as yet unclear whether teams will train during next month but they are likely to want the beginning of May to work towards an opening fixture.
Either the weekend of May 16 or the week commencing May 18 were viewed as possible dates for the football season to restart but it is hoped the escalation in Government response could enable a start date at the beginning of the month, perhaps May 9.
Working on that basis, City v Arsenal could take place on that weekend, along with the fixtures involving the EFL teams with 10 games left to play in League One, League Two.
This would be something of a test case for everyone else in terms of the logistics in playing behind closed doors while also ensuring there is not an immediate strain on public services still required to fight Covid-19.
A full programme for all four Leagues could then resume on May 12/13, except for teams in League One who have just eight games left. Every team could then play every weekend and midweek from May 16/17. That would in theory complete all league programmes by June 9.
There is, therefore, a three-week slack to fit in the FA Cup, probably the quarter-finals before then — meaning the season could end at a weekend as is tradition. That slack would allow teams and Wembley to plan for the semi-finals and the play-offs, which could still be two legs as normal.
It would also give some scope for City, Wolves and Chelsea to continue their European campaigns while also honouring Uefa's proposed final dates. Otherwise a finale into July and beyond awaits.
