Part of the problem here seems to be the back channel conversations with BA insiders that go on from those with good connections - there's a working assumption that because someone senior says something, they really understand what they are saying and are getting it right - because certain travel forums will take it as gospel.

In this case, I 100% agree this is nonsense - there are all sorts of reasons that TPs might get retrospectively posted after a standard collection year ends - the most basic one being, erm, ANY flight that happens within a day or two of that collection year ending. BA could hardly get away with saying that they don't count retrospectively. There'd have been a riot on here by now if that was the case. And there's no provision to say that BAH extra TPs are a special case.

This is the danger of having an echo chamber attached to a rumour mill.