Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones has blasted the unfair advantage that League One promotion rivals Wrexham and Wycombe Wanderers have been handed with an early kick-off time.
The League One fixture list is often subject to change, primarily due to Sky Sports and the 3pm blackout. Fixtures, under current rules, that are played at 3pm are prevented from being broadcast in the UK, which means that any game that is to be featured on TV needs to be moved to accommodate this.
Both Wrexham and Wycombe Wanderers kicked off at 12:30 today meaning by the time Charlton Athletic’s fixture with Cambridge United started at 3pm, they were already aware of the results and that the Chairboys had picked up maximum points.
The final games of the season are all played on the same date at the same time to prevent an unfair advantage, but Nathan Jones believes this should be extended to the final games of the season.
What has Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones said about the Wycombe Wanderers and Wrexham League One games?
Speaking after the game today, in quotes provided by the South London Press, Jones rued the advantage given to the League One promotion rivals.
Fine Margins Win Games
Nathan Jones is right in his assessment, at this stage of the season it is the fine margins that mean either victory or defeat and that could be a huge difference maker when it comes to promotion. A player’s mentality heading into the game can be as important, if not more so than their physical fitness as they navigate the pressure put on them.
But unfortunately football is a spectator sport, and eyes will naturally be on the promotion chasing teams, so as long as there is a 3pm blackout there will be games moved for TV. They cannot move them all, and with Wrexham and Wycombe being better placed than the Addicks they are the most likely to be picked.