EFL clubs are poised to accept the Premier League’s £50m bail out to keep League One and Two alive.
But the cash will be taken ‘on behalf of the EFL’ and not just the two bottom tiers.
EFL chairman Rick Parry cause widespread anger for backing Project Big PictureCredit: Rex Features
And EFL chiefs will say they plan to set up an effective £30m hardship fund with the second tranche of Prem money which CAN be used by cash-strapped Championship sides.
The row between the Prem, FA and EFL has intensified by the selective leaking of emails accusing the various slides of double-dealing.
But it seems that the clubs in Leagues One and Two will at least be able to get their hands on the first £20m in survival money that will allow them to continue in business.
SunSport revealed how Championship sides believed they had veto power over whether to take the money, after the Prem deliberately excluded the EFL top tier.
But the clubs were informed at a meeting this morning that, as the money came from the Prem and was effectively ‘solidarity’ cash, it was a Board decision, not one which the Championship had to sign off.
While there was huge anger at the Prem stance, the Championship clubs recognised they would be ‘hung out to dry’ if they rejected the money and jeopardised the very existence of the 48 teams in League One and Two.
That brought the idea, quickly agreed, that the Board should make clear it will accept the cash on behalf of the whole EFL.
At the same time, the clubs in Leagues One and Two were said to have agreed they could not merely take the money for themselves at the expense of the Championship, effectively aligning themselves with the 24 top tier teams.
The plan, which is expected to be ratified this afternoon, will see the EFL confirm it will take the initial £20m for immediate relief but will then take control of the dispersal of the extra £30m which is being forwarded as an interest-free loan.
That will enable EFL chairman Rick Parry and chief executive David Baldwin to decide where the remaining funds are sent, allowing Championship clubs who are genuinely struggling to take advantage.
It is envisaged that the vast majority of the £30m will still go to the smaller clubs but allows for some leeway and opportunity of a Championship clubs finds itself significantly distressed.
Meanwhile emails by Parry and Premier League chairman Gary Hoffman have been leaked which demonstrate the scale of the rising animosity at the top of English football.
According to Parry, the initial talks which led to the drafting of Project Big Picture were instigated by FA chairman Greg Clarke, who lambasted his EFL counterpart during yesterday’s meeting of the 20 top flight clubs.
Parry’s email, said to have been sent to the EFL clubs, alleged Clarke signalled he was in favour of B teams and a regionalisation of the lower divisions, including non-league clubs.
However, a number of EFL clubs insisted they had only received a ‘recall’ notice email and had never actually seen a copy of the original email.
Hoffman’s email to the EFL, which follows his criticisms of Parry in the meeting, accuse the EFL chairman of seeking to ‘create divisions’ by acting as the frontman for the restructure plans which were officially binned by all 20 clubs.
Trevor Sinclair is worried about smaller clubs under Project Big Picture plans
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
