The match between Portsmouth and Northampton, along with several other fixtures in the third-tier league, has been postponed.
Portsmouth’s manager, John Mousinho, believes that his players deserve the upcoming weekend off, with only eight out of the 24 teams in the division playing their originally scheduled matches.
While the Premier League and Championship have automatically halted their fixtures for the international break, League One has faced a series of game cancellations due to players being called up for international duty.
Portsmouth, currently leading the league, is one of the 14 teams affected by the international break, resulting in the postponement of their trip to Northampton.
Portsmouth has had an outstanding start to the season, winning eight matches and drawing four out of their first 12 games. This success has led to international call-ups for players like Regan Poole, Alexander Robertson, and Paddy Lane.
The club released a statement earlier this month explaining their decision, stating, “Portsmouth’s League One match against Northampton, originally scheduled for Saturday, October 14, has been postponed.
The club has opted to reschedule the fixture due to receiving three international call-ups. A new date for the match at Sixfields Stadium will be announced in due course.”
According to EFL Rules, clubs with three or more players called up for international duty are allowed to reschedule their league matches.
This means that only the Blackpool vs. Stevenage, Cambridge vs. Shrewsbury, Carlisle vs. Leyton Orient, and Lincoln City vs. Burton fixtures will go ahead this weekend in the third-tier of English football.
Regardless of the outcomes of these matches, Portsmouth will retain their position at the top of the league, holding a seven-point lead over the surprise package, Stevenage.
Portsmouth will resume league action after the international break when they face struggling Carlisle on Saturday, October 21.
They remain the only unbeaten team in the division, currently on a five-match winning streak as they aim to make their way back to the Championship for the first time since 2012.”
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