Nick De Marco "Legal action is inevitable"

[mcmigo]

Who are they going to sue, a dead Wuhan bat?   And for what ? 

I think British airways should sue that bat as well, let’s hope it has deep pockets.
 

[Big Jack]

If clubs persue legal action over a natural disaster, then it will show the world how greedy and selfish football has become. They need to be careful their actions could cost them their very existence.

[BIG D]

Give Liverpool the title if you must but that's the only thing that was done (even that wasn't mathematically)

[ChapSmurf]

51 minutes ago, freerole said:

Bronica for me.

 

Prefer Mamiya over Bronica (I used to use a C330) but Hasselblad all the way for me.

[adelphi1867]

2 hours ago, @owlstalk said:

 

Nick De Marco, the sports QC Sheffield Wednesday have representing them in their battle against the EFL charges we face, is in the press today.

He Is basically saying today that no matter how or when the football leagues return, that there will be litigation as a result, with legal action coming from aggrieved parties.

There are bound to be angry/disappointed clubs no matter how the Championship ends this season, or whether doing so is felt to put their players at risk if football comes back sometime soon, or maybe they will be unhappy at playing behind closed doors, or at 'regional hubs' and not at their home stadiums.

 

Nick is ranked as one of the leading barristers in Sports Law. He regularly acts for sports governing bodies, players, clubs, sponsors, broadcasters and agents.

 

He is the ‘go to’ barrister in disputes in football in particular, whether commercial or regulatory. In addition to his busy sports practise, he is experienced in Commercial, Employment and Media law.

 

According to the football finance expert, Kieran Maguire, there is ‘no better sports QC in the country’ than De Marco, who has also represented the world governing body, FIFA, and clubs which include Manchester United, Manchester City, Sheffield United, Leeds United and Queens Park Rangers – the latter against the EFL.

(He also shoots film photography in his spare time as you can see from this photo from his Twitter feed which makes him ok with me!)

Do you think he's right on this one though? Will clubs/players start suing the EFL once the Championship returns and tries to get back to some kind of normality?

ACT OF GOD, that's the usual get out for Insurance company's.

[adelphi1867]

2 hours ago, @owlstalk said:

What a mess.

This is where big money in football, and the legal action culture has totally taken over now.

Sad sad times.

 

Anyone remember when 'football' as an idea/business used to be fun?
 

Ah! the good old days, when I used to look forward and enjoy a game of Football anywhere.

I watch some of the games pre Prem league and find it far more enjoyable to watch than todays offering.

[Jim]

1 hour ago, nbupperthongowl said:

Or alternatively they just don't allow clubs to spend in the next transfer window, that will more than cover the lost £762m. Surely they must be thinking outside the box on solutions which don't risk players health

 

I’m expecting the TV companies to turn around and say if you don’t pay the money back then for the rest of the contract we want to screen every premier league game live. They do abroad, so why not here?

Edited May 1, 2020 by Great Big Galaa

[Dick_Turpin]

44 minutes ago, TrickyTrev said:

You can’t decide to promote some sides but not others who are within a shout at present.

 

You can decide to do that - whether it's a decision strong enough to fight off a legal challenge is another matter. 

 

And of course money is an issue.  Oasis, Warehouse etc - money matters and for some clubs survival could well be at stake  - and that takes cash. 

[Dick_Turpin]

1 hour ago, Mishowl said:

I've got next to no legal knowledge but

[Dick_Turpin]

I would think there'll be an addendum to league rules pretty soon saying if x% of games have been played positions will stand otherwise the season will be voided. At least that will sort out the future.

 

But it's all still hazy.  Germans, Spanish and Italians are all currently planning to return to playing so our mob aren't out of step with the other major European Leagues. 

[nbupperthongowl]

23 minutes ago, rickygoo said:

I would think there'll be an addendum to league rules pretty soon saying if x% of games have been played positions will stand otherwise the season will be voided. At least that will sort out the future.

 

But it's all still hazy.  Germans, Spanish and Italians are all currently planning to return to playing so our mob aren't out of step with the other major European Leagues. 

Would all the 71 clubs, or a majority have to agree??  If so it might only get 6 votes

[Watto]

3 hours ago, @owlstalk said:

Wonder if it will extend to players if they don't feel safe to return to football.

Premier League clubs are already afraid they will be sued by their players if the return to football isn't a totally voluntary one.

By forcing their players back before they feel safe they put their clubs at risk of legal action from them.

 

 

We have been told to come to work , I'm a spark working inside a small factory unit , why are footballers anymore special or important than I am ?

[handworth52]

its a mess and I don't see anything but loads of clubs going to wall, there is no way season is restarting ,it has to be voided, how can you average points per game when some teams have easy games against say luton and Barnsley while others have west brom Fulham leeds away etc . only say after 23 games you have a sort of balance so either season is decided at that time or its scrapped . say in premier it was decided that way then bottom 3 would be losing 100-200 million relegated . the balance of a season is 23 home 23 away , with the same squad of players contracted until june 30th after that date some clubs may only have 25% of players left once contracts end and all loans have gone back.  realistically the only way football is to survive is to end all players contracts now and restart new contracts when it starts again with paying public which is vital income in lower leagues. 

[Inspector Lestrade]

3 hours ago, matthefish2002 said:

We all know some decisions the Football Authorities make leave a lot to be desired but they are between a rock and hard place with the current situation.

I cant really see a way football can start before August and that might be optimistic.

What ever is decided will be some right mardy clubs about pretending its all about the integrity, honour and fair play of football but in reality as always will be about money.

 

 

 

Depends how you define mardy and honour might be completely different to how a Leeds fan or a Liverpool fan  defines it. 

 

 

[handworth52]

16 minutes ago, Watto said:

 

We have been told to come to work , I'm a spark working inside a small factory unit , why are footballers anymore special or important than I am ?

you like me have to earn a living , money don't grow on trees as a lot will sadly find out later this year when gov handouts stop and companies fold like a pack of cards. 

[Inspector Lestrade]

1 hour ago, Big Jack said:

If clubs persue legal action over a natural disaster, then it will show the world how greedy and selfish football has become. They need to be careful their actions could cost them their very existence.

 

Trump says it wasn't a natural, and he knows his stuff. 

[prowl]

3 hours ago, Nut said:

Whatever is decided legal action is inevitable. We have a sue culture and whatever happens, someone will feel aggrieved. For me, the best option is to complete this season in front of fans at clubs respective grounds however long this takes then alter the following season(s) based on the amount of time available to play them. It's still not perfect as teams will have players out of contract, returning from injury etc so will be playing a different side than if they were playing now but it's the fairest way I can think of. 

Apart from the fact we won't have a side to put out. Loans gone back and 8 or 9 players out of contract. We would barely have a first 11.

 

We wouldn't want to sign new players on 1/7 because we could be paying their wages for months without any guarantee of games of income.

 

Whichever way you look its a mess. Cancel the season. The courts would consider the matter but provided the league had been 'reasonable' they would probably just say there was no case to answer.

[Dick_Turpin]

2 minutes ago, prowl said:

The courts would consider the matter but provided the league had been 'reasonable' they would probably just say there was no case to answer.

Cheers Nick

[Guest Grandad]

Seeing loads of scenarios over how the season should end, 3 teams up & no relegation, 2 teams up, finish at halfway stage, base a final league table on points per game etc etc etc

The only really fair way to do this is to accept that the World has been hit by something completely unprecedented, and just cancel the whole season. In every division. Offer sympathies to all those teams that would have won the title/promotion and tell them - thats just life.

Make no plans to return until September at the very earliest.

If thats behind closed doors - so be it. Peoples lives are more important than football.

[doubleo]

The Lord Mayor of Liverpool came out with a good comment the other day - he said even if games were played at a neutral venue, and Liverpool were confirmed Champions,  they’d have problems preventing thousands naturally congregating outside Anfield to celebrate. I bet it would be similar at grounds all over the country with teams like L**ds getting promotion. That’s all we need.