EFL statement explained: What's going on and how would Sheffield Wednesday vote?

The second-tier has been in suspension since March and supporters hopeful of a return to action have been buoyed by the EFL’s ruling that clubs including Sheffield Wednesday can return to ‘small numbers training’ on Monday, with a number of strict health rules in place.

But what has the latest EFL statement changed and where does it leave Sheffield Wednesday? Let’s take a look at all the vital questions answered.

So, what’s going on now then? Is the season cancelled?

No. Well, not yet anyway.

The EFL still plan to complete the season – Wednesday along with all other Championship clubs have nine matches left to play – but the statement has basically delivered clubs a recommendation on how the season would end if they are not able to do so.

Their contingency plan involves ‘curtailing’ the season, with final positions decided on an unweighted points-per-game model. This would leave Wednesday in 15th.

It means that in the event that the season cannot be finished, the top two – Leeds and West Brom – would go up and that the remainder of the top six; Fulham, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Preston, would enter the playoffs to be played sometime, somewhere.

What about relegation.. and promotion from League One?

Relegation remains under the EFL’s plans and would see Barnsley, Charlton and Luton relegated. League One will have their own vote on whether to adopt the EFL plan and so will effectively decide how their promotion is handled.

How would the vote work?

Each club gets one vote and the motion needs 51% – or 13 of the 24 Championship clubs – to vote in favour in order for the season to effectively end.

There is, of course, a great deal of self-interest to consider in how each club would vote.

How would Wednesday vote?

It’s early days but the feeling The Star have had from Sheffield Wednesday is that they would reject the motion in order to play the remaining nine games.

How would a vote go realistically?

That’s a tough one and as it stands is based largely on speculation.

Garry Monk told the local press on Tuesday that a conference call with all 24 Championship bosses saw a unanimous agreement that the season should be completed on the field.

However, this was on the same day that Hull City vice-chairman Ehab Allam wrote to EFL chief Rick Parry to say it should be cancelled, suggesting there may well be a disconnect between dugout and boardroom at many clubs.

There would obviously be a large degree of self-interest involved – clubs in the bottom three are hardly likely to vote for their own relegation, for example.

So what now?

Now we wait. The intention remains for the season to be finished on the pitch.