‘Devastated’ Darragh was convinced Peterborough United would have won promotion

Yesterday (June 9) League One clubs 18-5 in favour of ending the season now, a decision that knocked Posh out of the play-off places and condemned them to an eighth straight season in the third tier. It’s believed Posh, Portsmouth, Tranmere, Ipswich and Sunderland voted to play on.

MacAnthony revealed 75% of clubs voted by proxy so had effectively made their minds up before listening to alternative proposals.

“I am devastated,” MacAnthony said. “I would have bet my life on us finishing in the top two and going up.

“We were the form team. We had won seven of our last nine matches, In our last game we battered Portsmouth who are a very good side, before that we beat (promotion rivals) Oxford and Wycombe very comfortably. We also had the best player in League One in Ivan Toney and he was in great form.

“We had emerged from a run of tough games in top form. We were peaking at the right time. We were now due to face seven out of nine matches against teams in the bottom half of the table.

“The day after the season stopped we were due to play Bolton who were bottom of the league. We win that game and we might well have been second. The timing of stopping play was awful from our point of view.

“We were the team no-one wanted to face in the play-offs and maybe that’s why some voted the way they did.

“We have suffered an injustice, but it hasn’t beaten us. I have great partners, a top manager and an exciting squad that we will add to for next season as we find a way to win the League One title.”

MacAnthony, manager Darren Ferguson and director of football Barry Fry will meet tomorrow (June 11) to discuss playing squad plans for the 2020-21 season after which a retained list will be announced.

Midfielders Alex Woodyard, Callum Cooke and Mark O’Hara, plus centre-back Rhys Bennett and goalkeeper Aaron Chapman are expected to be told they can leave.

Goalkeeper Conor O’Malley has already expressed a desire to leave when his Posh contract expires on June 30.