“Fans have waited a long time for a solution that would safeguard their clubs but all they can see is squabbling at the top of the game”
Julian Knight MP
MPs after growing increasingly frustrated with the actions (or lack of them) of the Premier League and EFL in terms of remedying the on-going concerns of football, from governance to the crisis clubs, are demanding that the top brass of the respective leagues provide weekly updates to the Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Committee on progress made to ensure the survival of football clubs at risk.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters and EFL chairman Rick Parry have been asked to update MPs on every discussion held, whether internally or with Government, about what they are doing to reach agreement on the distribution of money from the Premier League to the EFL.
The amount of ‘squabbling’ and self-interest from the leagues that have distracted from the key issue, namely there being reportedly at least 10 clubs who won’t be able to pay wages this Christmas, and are now at risk of following the likes of Bury in disappearing off the footballing map.
Promisingly, the Committee, which is headed up by Conservative MP for Solihull, Julian Knight, has also asked for updates on correspondence with fans to ensure they are included in the process.
Chair’s comments
DCMS Committee Chair Julian Knight MP said:
“We are losing patience. Fans have waited a long time for a solution that would safeguard their clubs but all they can see is squabbling at the top of the game. Football and its followers deserve better.
“The current fiasco in reaching an agreement isn’t about the lack of money, but lack of leadership.
“We’re putting the current leaders of the Premier League and the EFL on notice. We want to be kept in the loop about every discussion, every meeting, every call, every email, to save clubs at risk. Nothing should be withheld from the Committee, and so that fans can see what’s going on, we’ll make these updates public.
“The predecessor DCMS Committee called for legislation bring in an independent system of football licensing and regulation if the game wasn’t able to reform itself. That time may be fast approaching.”
UTV
