How Peterborough United could benefit from a break in play in League One as increased season ticket sales help the club through a tricky financial period

Posh co-owner Dr Jason Neale also believes a 77% year-on-year spike in advance season ticket sales will help the club through a tricky period without matchday action.

Here are the pros and cons of three-week suspension for the League One promotion battlers

1) A delay now has arguably worked in Posh’s favour. They would have played the three matches now postponed without key forward Sammie Szmodics and key defender Nathan Thompson. They are likely to be fit by the time football resumes (providing they are not the two players currently self isolating) as will Frankie Kent who would have missed the game at Bolton yesterday (March 14).

The delay has probably worked in Rotherham’s favour as they have also been missing a couple of key players lately. The Millers have also suffered a dip in form. Sunderland also might not have minded the unexpected delay as they had just dropped out of the play-off places.

Portsmouth had started to look jaded after a busy spell of matches so will probably not mind the break either.

The all-round postponement won’t have been welcomed by leaders Coventry City, third-paced Oxford or fifth-placed Fleetwood (12 games unbeaten) who have been in great form of late. The same can be said of Doncaster who are still in with a chance of the play-offs.

2) The most obvious concern for clubs in the current coronavirus period is financial. Posh are very lucky to have three wealthy owners who will bear the brunt of a fallow financial period.

Posh are set to miss out on £200k with the postponement of home matches against Bristol Rovers and Blackpool. The Blackpool game was to be televised live so Posh also miss out on a £30k fee.

Blackpool believe they have lost £200k just with the postponement of their home match with Sunderland yesterday.

Other clubs will not be so fortunate as Posh co-owner Dr Jason Neale told the Peterborough Telegraph today (March 15).

Dr Neale said: “Firstly, the key priority at this time is public health and not the lost revenue opportunities of a football club. That being said, revenues will not be lost but merely delayed until the games are rescheduled.

“Fortunately, PUFC is a well run and financed club. Moreover, season ticket sales are significantly higher than budget and this additional revenue will comfortably carry us through the delayed period without the need for additional capital which is always available.

“Personally I fear for some of our friends at other clubs and hope they can navigate through these challenging times.”

Season ticket sales could also be impacted at clubs with less good fortune than Posh. Clubs sell season tickets earlier and earlier these days to help them through the difficult summer months.

Even among Posh fans, despite encouraging sales so far, there is hesitation about forking out sizeable sums of money when there is so much confusion about the end of this season and the start of the next one.

Will clubs end up liable for season ticket refunds if the current campaign doesn’t end?

3) Clubs with the biggest and fittest squads will have an advantage if teams start playing Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday.

Posh manager Darren Ferguson has been delighted with the fitnes levels of his squad in matches and in general, although Thompson’s season so far does not inspire confidence in his health in busy times.

Posh have adequate cover in all departments apart from for Ivan Toney. His continued availability is crucial so that temper and aggression must be reined in.

Wycombe and Fleetwood are the smallest clubs fighting for promotion from League One. Wycombe are certainly susceptible to a couple of key injuries/suspensions.

A busy schedule might not be a problem for Ipswich who have a lot of home games to play so won’t face the tiring travelling others, like Sunderland, will have.

incidentally Posh and Portsmouth have only used 24 players in League One this season, the lowest number in the division.