Brett Ormerod column: No reason to declare any league null and void

So it was good to see details of the EFL’s plans emerge last week, in which they told clubs they want to complete the season in 56 days.

Let’s be honest, when it comes to the Premier League, everybody knows Liverpool have won the title and no-one can deny them that. They have been the best side by some distance.

Elsewhere, there are still so many important games to play, whether it be for European places, relegation and promotion.

You’re talking about millions of pounds at stake, but also the integrity of the whole competition.

Going right down to non-league, teams have worked so hard all season and to have all that effort wiped away would be unjust.

Look at my mate Ian Evatt at Barrow – what a season they’ve had. They have come from nowhere.

They’re not the biggest side at that level by any means, so to get promoted would be an amazing achievement.

They’ve been top for most of the season and they play some great football, so it would be heartbreaking for those players who have done so much to become League footballers only to have it snatched away.

I’ve not spoken to Evo recently but I bet he’s anxious because they will be desperate to win the league.

They’ve had a magnificent season and what a story it would be for Barrow to return to the Football League after all these years.

Evo is still new to management but he’s passionate and he’s obviously talented. To get Barrow into the EFL would just be a phenomenal achievement.

Barrow are competing against clubs much bigger than them but he’s changed the philosophy there and you can tell the players love playing for him.

He’s turned a big move to AFC Fylde down, so he’s obviously got a rapport with the club and the fans.

To get Barrow into the Football League a season or two ago would have been unthinkable but he’s changed the whole mindset of the club.

There are a lot of promotions and relegations still to be decided in all of the leagues, so I can’t get my head around the idea of voiding the season.

Deciding league positions by points-per-game averages has been mentioned, but ideally you want to decide it on the pitch. They’ve just got to finish the season, however they can.

I do think they need to set an approach for all leagues and follow it, not have different leagues doing different things.

That’s why it was disappointing to hear that all non-league divisions below the National League North and South are to be declared null and void.

Games can be played behind closed doors. It’s been done before and it will be done again. Games can be televised as well. I don’t see a problem with it.

We’ve seen games behind closed doors in the Champions League, when sides are punished for crowd behaviour. It’s not as though it’s an outlandish idea that hasn’t been done before – it’s practical.

As long as there are two teams playing each other and you get a result, that’s all that matters.

Players will obviously have to be tested frequently, but teams having to play a lot of games in a short period of time at the back end of a season to finish their fixtures has been done before.

Years and years ago, I remember Wigan Athletic having to play four or five games in a week and a half.

It’s difficult, but it can be done. You just have to be sensible, come up with a plan and get it completed.

The iFollow scheme has been a big success this season and there’s no reason why that can’t be used to enable fans to watch the remaining games.

It’s also a great way for clubs to make some money, which they badly need at this moment in time.

They could even re-negotiate the current deal considering the extraordinary circumstances to help keep them alive. iFollow has already been rolled out to every EFL club, so I don’t see why they can’t make every game available for supporters to watch from home.

There are no easy answers in this completely unprecedented situation. The sooner we get back to normal life, the better.

Everything is up in the air and it’s all a bit surreal, but hopefully this thing passes as quickly as possible and football will return.