Predictable Premier League complaints as long awaited football legislation set to come into law
The long awaited Football Governance bill is set to become law today as the government finally takes onboard supporter concerns and implements the results of a 2022 fan-led review.
The review backed an independent regulator for football with the power to sanction clubs in English football who break financial and other rules.
Ten fan-led recommendations also include a new owners test to try and prevent people such as Reading owner Dai Yongge being allowed to buy football clubs and legislation will give fans more say in the running of the game.
Considering this review was proposed by the very fans who watch the game and has a focus on stopping rule breaking and inappropriate owners, you would think it would be welcomed with open arms. Not so for the mega rich Premier League clubs.
Let’s take comments from a Premier League spokesman (our response in brackets) who said: “We remain concerned about any unintended consequences of legislation that could weaken the competitiveness and appeal of English football.” (or to put it another way – this legislation intended to make football fairer and a level playing field concerns us. The Premier League is worried about fairness.)
West Ham owner David Sullivan added: “The Premier League is the best league in the world so why change a winning formula?” (because the distribution of funds and the competition-destroying parachute payments which are distorting club’s spending ability in the divisions below the Premier League perhaps?)
“Between the 20 clubs there is almost £2bn of debt, so there isn’t really ‘available cash’ to give away.” (sorry, did you just try to make the argument that because the Premier League clubs have received hundreds of millions and STILL overspent means that they shouldn’t have distributed that cash throughout the football pyramid before you lot spent it all, the English league system that supports the Premier League at the top? Are you really using the phrase “give away” when we have had clubs like Bury and Macclesfield in dire financial straits while the Premier League clubs splash out £100m on a player?)
So what’s wrong with these proposals Premier League?
Is the Premier League really “concerned” about these proposals:
- New club owners and directors will face stronger tests to help prevent the possibility of them putting clubs out of business, as was the case with Bury and Macclesfield Town.
- There will be a new ‘integrity test’ for owners and executives and stronger investigations before a club purchase, including sources of funding.
- As part of their licence, clubs will be required to consult their fans on key off-field decisions, such as the club’s strategic direction.
- Key items of club heritage will be protected by a ‘golden share’ for fans
Perhaps it’s just this one that worries them:
- The bill also includes new backstop powers around financial distributions between the Premier League and the Football League, so that if the two parties continue to fail to agree on a ‘new deal’, the regulator can ensure a settlement is reached.
Anyhow, away from the Premier League and Sullivan’s nauseous self-obsessed nonsense, the law has been welcomed by people and organisations we have far more respect for. Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters’ Association said: “The FSA warmly welcomes the tabling of the Football Governance Bill arising from the 2021 fan-led review, and particularly its central proposal to introduce statutory independent regulation of the game.”
Former sports minister Tracey Crouch, who chaired the fan-led review, said: “Football fans can begin to breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that the next steps towards protecting the long-term sustainability of the pyramid have now been taken.”
We would concur with Miles and Crouch and take solace in the fact that people like David Sullivan being upset with this bill is surely a sign that it has many good points.
David Brown
19th March 2024 @ 11:34 am
Perhaps the new legislation doesn’t go far enough. I believe EPL clubs are permitted losses of £105 million over a three year period before facing sanctions of possible points deductions. A generous license to encourage excess spending on player transfer fees and wages ? How about introducing caps to both ? And then there are the thorny issues of huge parachute payments unfairly impacting the EFL pyramid, and the need for a more equitable distribution of broadcasting income. The EPL will do everything to protect their financial monopoly in English football. Perhaps the EFL should consider suspending the loan deals with EPL Club Academies that underpin the development structure of their huge and costly playing squads.