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QPR boss Mark Warburton was on Radio 4's Today Programme this morning, estimating the Championship will return at the start of July.

But the former Brentford, Rangers and Nottingham Forest manager - who has previously worked as a currency trader - was also asked whether more could be done at the top level to help lower league clubs through the pandemic.

"There's been a certain casino-type mentality in many clubs. We've got to make sure they run as sound business models," he said.

"But I do believe we've got to redistribute the wealth slightly to make sure the pyramid structure, for which English football is so famed around the world, to try and maintain that structure.

"There may well be one or two casualties, but we've got to do what we can because if we don't, we certainly face the fact that many clubs will have no revenue until the new year, and we could lose a tranche of clubs, which would be devastating for our historical structure."

Just how challenging are the economic consequences of the pandemic on lower league football?

Well, Luton Town, a club that has faced some torrid times off the pitch in the past 20 years and who have played in all three of the EFL’s divisions in the past three years, can help put things into perspective.

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Manager Graeme Jones parted company with the Hatters - a club staring at an immediate return to League One - in April, becoming the first manager in the EFL to leave his job as a cost-cutting measure during the pandemic.

"It's more grave now than it was back then," said Luton chief executive Gary Sweet when comparing the impact of the pandemic to administration in 2002 and further financial issues in the 2007-08 season.

"Football can't survive going a year without supporters - this is a problem and a challenge for the game, not just for Luton Town.

"If you go back to those two periods - at the end of the day if we weren't there back then somebody would've bought the club.

"Right now there's not really a queue of people willing to buy football clubs."

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When football is allowed to return to the non-league level, one club believes it will be able to make its stadium compliant with social distancing guidelines as early as later this summer.

Southern League club Gosport Borough have already been looking into preparing their 5,000-capacity Privett Park Stadium for a potential new season.

Borough normally only average crowds around the low hundreds.

"The environment here is so open with multiple entry points," chairman Iain McInnes told BBC South Today.

"There's also a will to do it.

"Social distancing that takes place from the moment fans walk through the door to as best as we can while they're in the stadium is the reason I think we should do it and have a go at it."

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As well as football clubs and their employees, there are thousands of businesses across the country that rely on matchday revenue.

The Wild Pig pub - also known as the Brooklands Hotel - is a 10 minute walk from Shrewsbury Town's ground and is normally packed with home and away fans before and after games.

A council grant and suspension of their Sky Sports subscription - normally costing £1,500 a month - has helped soften the blow but the financial hit has been hard nonetheless.

"Part of the reason for taking over the pub was the benefit of the football," said James Hopkins, who became landlord in October.

He told BBC Radio Shropshire: "Even when we reopen I don't think we're going to be seeing the football open as it was, as we know the norm.

"We have no clue when we can reopen. Possibly at the earliest August - and then we're going to have to practise social distancing."

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has even been felt this morning, with League One side Doncaster Rovers' senior players agreeing to defer some of their wages until fans are able to attend games again.

You can read more about this story by clicking the link below.

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Cheltenham Town's season looks like it isn't over just yet as they will feature in the League Two play-offs under current proposals, with a chance to still win promotion.

Those games would be played without fans, and - if it gets under way - next season will in all likelihood start in empty stadiums too.

But asked if the Robins could could survive playing behind-closed-doors matches if fans are not allowed back into grounds until 2021, director and club secretary Paul Godfrey told BBC Points West: "Not without some external help, no.

"There would need to be a coming together of all of the UK football industry, with the government, to work out how to get through it.

"We estimate that if we don't play football in front of a crowd again this year, the club will have a funding deficit of over £1m, into seven figures.

"[Crowdfunding] is something we've looked at. All options have got to be considered in the next few months."

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The EFL Board announced on Thursday a draft framework to adopt into their regulations in the event the League One season needs to be curtailed.

League Two has already taken the decision to end its campaign but opinion is split among the 23 League One clubs.

"You’re dealing with a lot of self-interest," Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson told BBC Radio 5 live earlier this week.

“Individual clubs have their own agendas.

"Some clubs don’t want to play these games or complete the season because their players are on basic wages and would receive a significant amount of appearance money if those games were completed.

“Our club, we’re 12th. Hopefully we’re not in the relegation picture and we’re not really in place to get into the play-offs. So for us to be asked to spend £140,000 out of our own pockets (to provide coronavirus testing) over a timeframe of we’re not sure how long, seems unnecessary."

Derek: Tranmere looking at being relegated. 3 points from safety with game in hand plus games against those above us. And won last 3 on bounce. How is that fair?

Follow the Town: If you can afford it renewing your season ticket for 20/21 is the best thing you can do to help your club’s finances. Shrewsbury are a well run and financially sound community club so I’m happy to do this to help them through this difficult period. Floreat Salopia!

Ben Collister: It’s the perfect time to revert League One and Two to south and north. Relegation would largely be scrapped this season. More local derbies every season putting say 1k a game extra at the game. 23 x £20 x 1k - circa £500k. Less travel for fans, better atmosphere.

Non-league side Frome, from Somerset, play in the eighth tier of English football and would appear to be receiving excellent support to help them through the pandemic.

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In August 2018, the BBC Sport and data unit revealed research which showed that 11 of the 20 Premier League clubs during the 2016-17 season would have made a profit even if not a single fan came through the turnstiles.

Those figures were stunning, but the top-heavy distribution of funds from media rights and other revenues means such statistics are merely a top flight phenomenon.

Take League Two side Port Vale, for instance. Their chair Carol Shanahan highlights the importance of ticket sales, money taken at the club shop and the refreshment kiosks, to the running of the business.

"In the higher leagues, funding comes more from media, from major sponsorship, and although we do get some sponsorship from local companies, there's very little in comparison to the higher leagues, you don't have the reach," Shanahan told BBC Midlands Today.

"We rely on fans through the gates. I've been blown away by the number of Vale fans who have gone out and bought season tickets for next season, even though they know they might not be able to come into the ground.

"I think that is amazing, we haven't asked them but that's their way of supporting us, and in the lower leagues that is all we've got. Otherwise, at the moment all we have coming in is the furlough money from the government's [job retention] scheme so we are really grateful."

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Not even Championship clubs are immune to the financial cost of coronavirus, with Swansea chairman Trevor Birch asking fans to consider their options around ticket refunds.

If games are to resume, with a June restart in the proposals, it would be behind closed doors.

"The club estimates that the cost of partial refunds for 2019-20 season tickets and hospitality will amount to just under £1m which will put even greater pressure on the club's cash flow during these difficult times and for future operations," he said in a club statement., external

"I am acutely aware that many families are struggling financially during the pandemic - and all of us at the club thank fans for their patience."

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As the Championship targets an initial return to training from Monday, BBC Sport this week learned some players will have to conduct coronavirus tests themselves at home or the training ground after the initial batch at their clubs.

The tests should be "self-administered" on the morning of training twice a week.

The EFL protocol is different to that already employed in the Premier League, which this week recorded six positive coronavirus tests at three different clubs as teams began their first steps in returning to training.

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While today’s coverage is largely devoted to the lower reaches of the EFL and the non-league game, it is worth highlighting that even football’s richest clubs are feeling the financial pinch of the pandemic.

On Thursday, Manchester United revealed their third-quarter results up to 31 March and said the coronavirus outbreak has cost them an initial £28m - and expect the final figure to be far higher.

Chief financial officer Cliff Baty said they are set to hand back £20m in TV revenue to broadcasters even if the Premier League season is completed.

United lost an additional £8m over the final three weeks of March, when they had three matches postponed. A total of 11 United matches have been postponed because of the pandemic.

You can read more in Simon Stone’s piece here.

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There has been no football in England since early March and at League One and League Two level in particular, no games means no cash coming in as many clubs budget for the matchday income of tickets, refreshments and club shop sales.

Swindon Town chairman Lee Power fears "30-40%" of League One and Two clubs may not make it to the start of next season without further financial aid.

League Two sides, many struggling with the financial effects of coronavirus, opted to end the campaign early.

"Unless there's some help from higher up the food chain, there's going to be a number of clubs that won't see the start of [next] season," Power said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wiltshire, he continued: "As owner and chairman, you have to start looking at how you budget and work towards what looks like a September start and how you're going to get there.

"A number of CEOs and owners of football clubs in Leagues One and Two have had these discussions and it's a simple fact that 30-40% of us won't get there unless there's some help."

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Whether it's through the generosity of fans - like at Port Vale - or thinking up creative ways to build cash, lower league clubs are having to use alternative methods to stay afloat while supporters can't attend games.

What has your club been doing to bring in money? Have you been able to do anything to help your team through the coronavirus crisis?

We want to hear from you. Use #bbcefl on social media and we'll share some of your messages.

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This bank holiday weekend was supposed to bring the FA Cup and Championship play-off finals - arguably the most renowned and richest games in club football.

Instead the game remains suspended and uncertain of when it can resume as the coronavirus lockdown continues.

BBC Sport looks at the impact of coronavirus on lower league football clubs, players and fans, and how the game might recover.

Three months ago, football clubs across England were preparing for the ‘business end’ of the season.

Now, 73 days later, and with the world in the grip of a pandemic, the business of football is a hot topic as some clubs battle for their very existence in financially challenging times.

Football, like every business in lockdown Britain, will have to deal with the financial fallout of the coronavirus outbreak.

Follow today’s live updates as we bring you stories about how clubs, players and businesses linked to the game are dealing with those hardships.