Ticket out of the Championship is like the last chopper leaving Saigon

AprIL 18, 2017 was a big day in Brazilian football. They decided who won the league title — in 1987. Sport recife took the crown, three supreme court judges to one, over Flamengo who had, for 30 years, considered the title theirs, even though recife entered the 1988 Copa Libertadores.

This was the most drawn out court case in the history of Brazilian football, but far from the first.

In 2013, for instance, Fluminese avoided relegation post- season after portuguesa were deducted four points for fielding an illegal player, a substitute who had been suspended. This was considered harsh as it was accepted there had been a miscommunication with the league over the ban and portuguesa had no way of knowing they had acted illegally.

It was also the third time Fluminese, a significant club in rio de Janeiro, had dodged relegation on a technicality. A year later, portuguesa attempted to walk off mid-match, after a court official arrived during their second tier game with Joinville and announced he had an order allowing them to play in the top division.

So that is club football in Brazil. The league ends, everyone dashes to the law courts and then we discover who is up and who is down.

In England, we call it the Championship. Tonight, Fulham and Brentford will contest a promotion playoff for the biggest prize in club football. A ticket out of there. In this of all seasons it is like the last chopper leaving Saigon.

Who is relegated from the Championship this season? Who knows? Wigan were deducted 12 points for going into administration, but are appealing on the grounds their new owner may have done it for a bet. Sheffield Wednesday were also deducted 12 points, but the EFL have decided

not to apply that until next season, meaning Charlton may now sue because they would stay up if Wednesday went down.

Who would sue on Charlton’s behalf is uncertain because east street Investments buy-out from owner roland Duchatalet was not ratified by the league, meaning a third party is also looking to buy the club. of course, if Charlton were successful in getting Wednesday relegated, it is very possible Wednesday would sue.

Presiding over this dumpster fire masquerading as a professional sports competition is EFL chairman rick Parry, much beloved of select committee MPS, who see him as the solution to all football’s problems, many of which he caused. And then they wonder why clubs take enormous financial risks in an attempt to escape.

next season may bring salary caps and further restructuring of finances that would not be necessary if the eFL was better run. to frown on owner investment and parachute payments while allowing clubs like hull City to be driven into the ground, or Wigan to be taken over by consortiums unknown, is exactly why owners gamble all to flee.

Fulham have made significant errors in the transfer market in the past, Brentford are noticeably more efficient, but either club will be delighted to leave the Championship behind this season. Deloitte estimate victory could be worth between £135million and £265m, depending on how long the stay in the Premier League lasts.

that could buy a lot of lawyers. And if any club is unfortunate enough to enter the Championship any time soon, it may well need them.