League One clubs are meeting this afternoon to discuss a number of issues, including the starting date for the 2020/21 season and the proposed salary cap.
The EFL board met yesterday where two potential start dates for the new season were discussed, August 29th and September 12th.
It’s anticipated that if the season did begin on either of those dates games would initially be behind closed doors but with increased TV coverage, via iFollow and/or broadcasters which would give clubs desperately needed income.
However, it’s understood that there are a number of clubs in the lower leagues who aren’t keen to get the season under way until fans are able to attend in significant numbers which may not be until January.
Also set for discussion at this afternoon’s 3pm conference call are the significant financial issues facing clubs, including funding coronavirus testing, and the salary cap which was proposed in May.
The EFL’s Financial Controls Working Party recommended clubs in League One be limited to paying £2.5 million to their players and sides in League Two £1.25 million, although the wages of players aged under 21 wouldn’t count towards that figure. Squad sizes will be limited to 20 senior players aged over 21 with eight homegrown.
Last month a resolution was passed which means it would take a two-thirds majority rather than 75 per cent of clubs to make the required change to divisional Financial Fair Play rules and there seems little doubt the cap will be introduced by both League One and League Two.
However, as the suggested cap limits would require clubs such as Town to cut their wage bills significantly, it is understood there would be a transition period.
In their last season in the Championship the Blues’ overall wage bill was £18.95 million with player wages understood to have made up around £11 - £12 million of that figure.
After relegation, many players’ salaries dropped as a result of clauses in their deals, by as much as 60 per cent in some cases, however, the Town’s player wage bill is almost certainly more than double, perhaps three times, higher than the proposed £2.5 million limit and will be one of the largest in the division.