Playoffs Not at Wembley Next Season?

[QPR Report]

This from Martin Samuels/The Daily Mail (Obviously I must have missed this/focused elsewhere or totally forgotten: Where are we going? Back to Wales?!)

"The cost to the Football Association of staging the Champions League final at Wembley next year is now in the region of £1.7million. Much of this is compensation for the Football League, Wembley’s best customer, who have had to make alternative arrangements for their scheduled play-off games. Never forget that Lord Triesman, chairman of the FA, lectures club owners on profligacy; because they certainly won’t."

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1265217/MARTIN-SAMUEL-Nearly-man-Martin-O-Neill-crossroads.html#ixzz0krgTuCuG

[froggyranger]

i think i remember hearing that they were going to be at old trafford.

[QPR Report]

As was saying...

Telegraph

Old Trafford considered as venue for 2010-11 Football League play-off finals

Old Trafford is being considered as a venue for the 2010-11 Football League play-off finals due to Wembley Stadium being double-booked to host the Champions League final and the League’s end-of-season showpiece fixtures on the same weekend.

By Mark Ogden
Published: 7:00AM BST 16 Apr 2010

While both the Football League and Wembley Stadium have admitted that the issue of staging next season’s play-off finals remains "unresolved," Telegraph Sport can disclose that Manchester United have been asked to tender for the right to host the three-game package at the 76,212-capacity Old Trafford.

United chief operating officer Michael Bollingbroke has submitted the club’s bid to host next season’s Championship, League One and League Two play-off finals and a United spokesman has insisted that the club would be "delighted to host the play-offs" should their bid prove successful.

Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, which hosted the play-off finals from 2001 to 2006 during the reconstruction of Wembley, and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium are also believed to be under consideration as the Football League attempt to resolve the issue of staging the 2011 finals.

The League has a 20-year deal with Wembley to host the hugely-successful play-offs, but the Football Association’s success in attracting the 2011 Champions League to Wembley has placed a seemingly immovable object in front of the League.

Uefa has insisted on May 28, 2011 as the date for next season’s Champions League final — the same day as scheduled for the League Two play-off final.

Old Trafford, having hosted the 2003 Champions League final and a host of FA Cup semi-finals prior to the re-opening of Wembley in 2007, could be viewed as the best alternative to Wembley due to its location and transport links.

With next season’s fixture list due to be finalised in mid-June, all parties are determined to resolve the issue before the new campaign, however.

A Football League spokesman said: “We have a 20-year deal with Wembley to host the Football League’s five finals each season — the Carling Cup, Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and the play-offs — but the situation regarding the 2010-11 play-off finals is still to be resolved.

“With the Champions League final scheduled to held at Wembley over the same weekend as the play-offs, we are looking at a variety of alternative options at this stage.”

A spokesman for Wembley Stadium said: “We are working very closely with the Football League to find a solution.”

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/championship/7595473/Old-Trafford-considered-as-venue-for-2010-11-Football-League-play-off-finals.html

[numpty66]

Why is the Champions League final being played on a Saturday. Isnt it normally a midweek game

[samp99]

It's been moved to boost tv numbers I believe
I saw this story before too- could've sworn it was an april fools though...

[Zamoraaaah]

I also thought it was an April fools.

[cpr]

Didn't Blocky post it as an April fools on erm...some time back?

[blockhead]

well they must read the board for ideas , I am of no consequence.