Albion chief could spark play-off change as clubs agree to assess new options

And Albion chief executive Paul Barber, who devised the two alternative formats, is encouraged by their response.

Barber proposed change at the Football League’s summer conference and said his ideas went down well. They will be subject to further consideration.

Barber explained in The Argus recently why he believes the current play-off system is unfair and does not give enough advantage to teams finishing higher up the table.

But he also told the conference how a revamp could potentially make things fairer at the other end of the division.

Albion's automatic promotion push went to the wire while Sheffield Wednesday prepared for the play-offs

One of his proposals is for the third-placed team to go straight to the play-off final and await a qualifier from the three teams finishing fourth, fifth and sixth. Alternatively, he would welcome third playing fourth with the loser then having another chance to reach the final by beating the winner of fifth versus sixth.

Albion suffered play-off despair last season after missing out on automatic promotion by just two goals.

They were beaten by a fresh, well-prepared Sheffield Wednesday side – but only after subjecting them to an all-out onslaught in the second leg of their semi-final.

Barber referenced that disappointment when he addressed rival clubs but he stressed he had wider reason for advocating change.

He told The Argus: “The proposal went down well with Championship clubs. I tried to present it first of all sounding like it wasn’t sour grapes and I tried to add a bit of humour, saying I was still in counselling for the trauma that we had been through!

“That got a bit of a laugh and once you have got the Championship clubs smiling, then they will listen.

“Championship clubs felt there was merit in both ideas and now the league has been asked to prepare a more detailed proposal for them to consider a vote on at some stage in the future.”

Albion tackled the play-offs as the sixth-placed side in 2014

Barber highlighted to The Argus recently how he felt the team finishing third should be better rewarded. But he says his plans have advantages throughout the table.

They would ensure sides already through to the play-offs would keep playing flat out until the end of the 46th game.

He added: “Under the current play-off system, you can get to a point where it doesn’t really matter to you whether you finish fourth, fifth or six and you can start to rest players.

“What happened with us, and I am not criticising Sheffield Wednesday in any way for this because we would have done exactly the same, is that we had to play until the last minute of the season with ten men and they rested players in their final league game. That creates a lack of sporting advantage for the team who have earned third place.

“But the second issue is how that can be detrimental to any clubs who are fighting relegation and might have played that side with a full strength team. For me there are implications at both ends of the table.

“With the stakes so high, both for promotion and relegation from the Championship, now is the time to have a good look at the play-off system.

“One or two people have suggested to me that the fourth bottom club in the Premier League be dragged into the play-off system.

Paul Barber was happy with the response to his play-off suggestions

“I don’t think that is going to happen, partly because you are then looking at Premier League clubs to vote, which complicates the politics of it even further. And, secondly, I don’t think there is anything wrong with third to sixth place being the clubs battling it out.

“I just think more advantage should be given to higher-placed clubs because that gives everyone that incentive to keep playing until the final whistle of the final game.

“That was met with the majority of Championship clubs saying there were some good points and let’s take it forward. I was very pleased with that.

“It is not in any way a consolation for what happened to us at the end of last season but at least it was recognition that we might be able to make things more equitable going forward.”

The phenomenon of Football League clubs with little to play for significantly easing off against sides chasing important points is quite rare.

But even a slight downturn in performance can be significant and Barber felt his comments about how play-offs can affect sides throughout the division struck a chord. He said: “I said it could affect any of the clubs in the room.

“Quite a few clubs weighed in, including clubs who finished nearer the relegation end of the table who felt the current system was unfair if it allowed clubs to rest players. It showed the play-offs were relevant at the bottom end of the table, albeit in a different way.”

Albion were not involved in the vote which saw under-21 teams from Premier League clubs admitted to the EFL Trophy, formerly the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, on a trial basis next season. The decision has not gone down well with fans in Leagues One and Two.

Barber said: “The Championship clubs agreed to support whatever League One and League Two voted to do. We didn’t formally vote.”