Thomas: Cobblers' 'number one priority' is to finish the season

Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas says the club's 'number one priority' is to complete the current season, but he admits the severity of COVID-19 and tight timing of the footballing calendar may mean that is not possible.

With a resumption on April 3 looking increasingly unlikely, the various authorities have been meeting this week to discuss how they can play the 2019-20 season to a conclusion.

European football's governing body, UEFA, took the decision on Tuesday to move the Euro Championships back 12 months, making space to complete domestic seasons in the summer.

However, UEFA also outlined their intentions for leagues across Europe to finish by June 30, prompting fears that there simply won't be enough time to play all nine remaining fixtures, plus the play-offs and various cup competitions.

"We've had a lot of conversations as chairmen and chief executives over the last few days," said Thomas.

"We've spent a lot of time on the phone discussing various possibilities and issues and potential solutions.

"Our legal representatives are talking with the football league and the board have been making some decisions but from our perspective, the number one priority is to finish the season.

"Once you go beyond the human aspect of the virus and you make sure everyone is safe and well, from a football perspective and an integrity perspective, you want to finish the season - but that's on the premise that we can."

Cobblers, like most teams in England, have nine games to play this season and will also be hoping to contend for the play-offs.

Thomas added: "If you look at the reality, UEFA are looking to complete all seasons by June 30 so even if you start on April 4, that only gives you 13 weeks to finish nine games and also the play-offs.

"The play-offs tend to take two weeks themselves so that could be quite a tight time period anyway but then once you start pushing the date back from April 4, it becomes very challenging.

"We've all got our opinions on April 4 and we're all working towards that date but, being realistic, we're looking at starting a bit later than that and suddenly if you push it back another couple of weeks, then you only have 11 weeks to finish the season.

"Then, if you push it back a month, you have nine weeks to play nine games and the play-offs."