Faced with those kinds of figures, they believe they have a duty to act in the best interests of their clubs, even if they do not completely run parallel to what might be considered best for football as a whole. Watch: 'At-risk Aston Villa players may be unbelievable for the restart' (Sky Sports) They will also argue that the move to restart the season is fuelled by a variety of different self interests, so why should theirs be viewed any differently to Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy wanting to play out the season to help pay for his club’s £1billion stadium or Chelsea’s need to confirm qualification for the Champions League to fund their huge wage bill? It needs 14 clubs or more to vote in favour of finishing the season at neutral grounds, which means the bottom six could not block it on their own if the possibility of voiding relegation was categorically taken off the table. But those clubs also know that the top six cannot afford to take the risk of them getting just one more vote on their side and, in reality, what do the Glazers, Levy or Roman Abramovich really care whether or not Norwich City, Aston Villa and Bournemouth are relegated? Given how the top six have supposedly acted in their own interests for so long and been seen by those below them to do everything in their power to protect their hold over the League, why would, in theory, a Burnley or a Sheffield United align themselves with them? It is more likely in future that clubs such as those will find themselves wanting the support of some of the Leagues lesser lights, so why not do them a favour now and hope for one back at a later date? Watch: Let's finish the season the right way, says Gillingham boss Evans (Sky Sports) Telegraph Sport understands that private discussions have already taken place over potentially promoting the top two from the Championship, Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion, to play in an expanded 22-team Premier League next season. Given the lottery that is the play-offs, there is a feeling that it would be hard for clubs to argue that they had been denied promotion and the associated riches by the removal of relegation from the Premier League. Some of the pain felt by those denied a chance to get into the top-flight could be eased through a compensation package paid to Championship clubs or shared between the entire EFL from the parachute payments that the Premier League would save from not having any of their current members go down. Watch: Clubs face £200m black hole, says EFL chairman (Sky Sports) There would also be the question of prize money. These are not ideas that have been discussed in the Premier League meetings or formally between clubs, but they are the sorts of potential solutions people are having to consider, however much they may have to deny it or play it down. Slideshow: The progression of the world-record transfer fee (ReadSport) Taking away relegation would render many games, including the scheduled final-day clash between West Ham United and Aston Villa, as meaningless. The television broadcasters could certainly be sure of wresting greater control over scheduling for future seasons by making a concession for the remainder of this term. Slideshow: The 50 best football shirts ever (FourFourTwo) All this, of course, is currently hypothetical, given there is yet to have been any official move to try to void relegation in the event of playing at neutral venues.
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