League decides 0-0 score-line stands
At its meeting in London today, the Board of Directors of The Football League considered matters relating to the abandoned Sky Bet Championship match between Blackpool and Huddersfield Town on 2 May 2015.
The Board took the view that the 0-0 score-line that stood at the time of the game's abandonment (in the 48th minute) should be officially recorded as the final result of the match, as it believes that league points should always be earned on the field of play.
In addition, the Board agreed to charge Blackpool with failing to fulfil a fixture and the matter will be heard by a Football Disciplinary Commission in due course.
In making its judgment the FDC will be asked to consider any matters relating to compensation to Huddersfield Town and ticket refunds to supporters.
The Board also asked its executive to review the League's regulations regarding abandonments to ensure that any such matches can always be played to a conclusion or replayed altogether if deemed necessary.
Huddersfield Town’s Chief Executive Nigel Clibbens commented:
“Our final game of the season was played, and ended, in extraordinary circumstances, which nobody at Huddersfield Town wants to see happen again.
“The representations we made to the Football League on the matter of this game were carefully and properly considered by the Board. We strongly focused on the position of our supporters, who bought tickets for the match and travelled in good faith but didn’t see a full game through no fault of their own. We will now cooperate fully with the FDC and, until that process is complete, it's inappropriate to comment further on the matter of compensation.
“Now that the Football League has made its decision on the result, Huddersfield Town is looking to move on and continue preparations for the 2015/16 Championship season. It’s great we can do this on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run that has resulted in the Club’s best finishing league position for 15 years.”
Blackpool have been charged with a breach of regulation 31.1 which states, "Any Club failing to fulfil its fixture obligations in respect of any Match under the jurisdiction of The League on the appointed date, or dates, or causing the Board to suspend any fixture, shall be deemed guilty of misconduct, unless the circumstances giving rise to such failure are outside the control of the Club and could not have been reasonably foreseen or reasonably anticipated and remedied prior to the Match.”
