Peterborough United’s Barry Fry admits there is no chance of Posh winning promotion after canvassing the voting intentions of League One clubs

Peterborough United have given up hope of promotion to the Championship after canvassing the voting intentions of League One clubs at the decisive EFL meeting on Tuesday (June 9).
Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony (left) and director of football Barry Fry.Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony (left) and director of football Barry Fry.
Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony (left) and director of football Barry Fry.

Posh director of football Barry Fry and chief executive Bob Symns have contacted the other 22 League One clubs and at least 16 look set to vote to end the season now and award final placings on an unweighted points per game average. This would knock Posh out of the League One play-off places and condemn them to an eighth successive season in the third tier.

Posh hopes now rest on the 71 EFL clubs failing to vote for the change in regulations required to make the above possible. This is thought to be most unlikely.

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Posh are supporting a complicated proposal put forward by Tranmere Rovers which would see Darren Ferguson’s side contest an extended eight-team play-off.

“We did get excited because the Tranmere proposal seemed very fair to a lot of clubs chasing promotion and trying to avoid relegation,” Fry said. “It also didn’t affect those clubs who want to shut up shop.

“But myself and Bob have rang round the clubs and the support isn’t there. There are 16/17 clubs who say they won’t vote for it.

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“There’s no incentive for the teams set to contest a four-team rather than an eight-team play-off and the teams at the bottom are not interested either.

“Tranmere’s proposal includes a 25-team League One next season which means solidarity money would be reduced as it would split 25 ways instead of 24 and clubs reckon they can’t afford that. Clubs are also claiming they would have to pay £90K to help fund the rest of the season and they don’t want to do that.

“It’s a big shame, but at least we had a go. Indeed the passion and commitment our chairman has shown throughout this time has been second to none. I feel for him, his co-owners, the manager and players, and the fans. This whole process has been allowed to drag on too long.

“I’m not sure all the clubs have studied the detail in the proposal. They will all still act in their own interests.”