The proposed EFL salary caps reportedly could be put back until next year as clubs have been unable to come to an agreement.

A cap of £2.5 million at League One level and £1.25 million for League Two have been proposed by the EFL, while the Championship is said to be discussing a limit of around £18 million.

It’s understood the wages of players aged under 21 wouldn’t count towards the cap and it is expected that there would be a transition period. Squad sizes would be limited to 20 senior players aged over 21 with eight homegrown. Fines or points deductions would be issued for clubs breaking the limits.

Discussions have been ongoing for a number of weeks with TWTD reporting earlier this month that a number of clubs, among them Town, had spoken against the move at a meeting of League One sides.

According to the Daily Mirror, an agreement is still to be reached and that with the proposed start of the new season - August 29th or more likely September 12th - getting closer the cap could be put back until 2021/22. Clubs are said to have told players and agents that a delay is expected due to the lack of time.

The PFA, the players’ union, is reported to have written to its members telling them that bringing in the cap and clubs reducing wages midway through contracts without consent would be illegal. They say they are aware of the financial situation facing many clubs and won’t stand in the way of the proposed cap but want full consultation.

Town would be one of the League One clubs most affected by a cap set as low as £2.5 million. 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, Town’s player wage bill is almost certainly more than double, perhaps three times higher than the proposed limit and will be one of the largest in the division.

Speaking to TWTD last week, general manager of football operations Lee O’Neill said: “I understand why it’s on the table and why clubs are looking at it and it brings to light the financial implications around football at the moment and trying to level the playing field from a financial aspect.

“From an ownership point of view, if you have that luxury of having an owner that is willing to or able to invest more money into the club because he wants to, this obviously reduces the ability to be able to do that, and that I don’t think is fair.

“I think Financial Fair Play was put in place to look at those elements, to help the clubs who are big clubs with big fanbases, and that can economically work for most clubs if it’s adhered to. We’ve stuck to that, we’ve definitely adhered to the Financial Fair Play stuff.

“The salary cap has got to be voted through and it’s something that is being talked about. I’m not necessarily a big fan of it for obvious reasons.”

Photo: TWTD

Cloddyseedbed added 17:30 - Jul 16 Get out of this league at all cost next season!
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Cloddyseedbed added 17:32 - Jul 16 What about the Premier league, whats their cap going to be???? That's whats destroying football for everyone else.
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Oldsmoker added 17:58 - Jul 16 We have a one season window before its a level playing field for all league 1 clubs and we need to maximise this advantage. Evans and Lambert need to rethink their strategy and make this season a promotion season. No excuses.
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OldClactonBlue added 18:08 - Jul 16 Sorry Oldsmoker, pressed the wrong arrow. I agree.
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Cakeman added 18:55 - Jul 16 Well said Cloddyseedbed. Football in the lower divisions will never do well or even be ok unless the Premier league are controlled. At the moment they think they are bigger than the game and worse. Perhaps I'm getting off the point but to illustrate how the Premier do what they want a prime example was when Southampton travelled Leicester recently to play when ‘Essential' travel only was allowed in Leicester owing to Covid-19. Should never have been allowed. The introduction of the elite Premier league supported by arrogant Sky TV was the worst thing to happen to English football. Rant over.

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runaround added 19:27 - Jul 16 Who would have thought it..... EFL clubs failing to reach an agreement!!
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dirtydingusmagee added 19:29 - Jul 16 too right Cloddy , if Evans couldnt see the writing on the wall before,hopefully he will now, ITFC MUST pull a rabbit out of the hat this next season [whenever it starts and ends] failure again will be absolutely disastrous , and i fear will see the club slip further into obscurity .
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dirtydingusmagee added 19:31 - Jul 16 decisions and EFL , a bit like oil and water !
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blues1 added 19:48 - Jul 16 Dirtydingusmagee. Actually, if the cap is delayed a year, it's a good thing for us, as that gives us 2 years to get out of this league before it being disastrous for us. As there will be a years grace for those clubs above that limit. Still think we need to get up this next season mind you, or the pressure to do so, would be enormous the following season.
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ArnieM added 21:41 - Jul 16 Oooooh look another non decision by the EFL. Just wtf use are they ?
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Carberry added 22:07 - Jul 16 The reason Evans has been such an advocate of FFP is that it gets him off the hook of extra investment and is also a reason to excuse our failures as others ignore it. He doesn't want to spend any more money and we are £100m in debt, why isn't he in favour of a salary cap? Unfortunately all the money in the world wouldn't give this management team the ability to get us out of this league.

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Cloddyseedbed added 22:25 - Jul 16 If we don't get out of Div 1 before the salary cap we sure as hell won't after it. Well not out at the top, after, maybe the bottom though.
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mojo added 23:18 - Jul 16 What is interesting is the sheer jump to the Championship proposed limit, relatively speaking compared to leagues 1 and 2. We were always one of the lowest spenders yet still above the proposed limit. It would be very difficult for any relegated team to comply whatever the level.
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ArnieM added 09:37 - Jul 17 Well in years gone by mojo division 3&4 were part time and regional. It's heading that way again. We really DO need promotion this coming season or we are stuffed. If Evan ever needs to step up to the plate it's now .
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blues1 added 11:24 - Jul 17 Carberry. Just shows ur ignorance that u say that Evan's has been such an advocate of the ffp, when he has more than once spoken out against it. But why let facts get in the way of ur constant slagging him off .
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Carberry added 12:27 - Jul 17 Oh dear blues1, there you go again. The constant message from the club has been that FFP has not been adhered to and transgressions have gone unpunished. I think that makes him an advocate. One day you will see we are in League 1 with £100m of debt and a dysfunctional organisation - until then you keep defending him if that's what you want.
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blues1 added 14:11 - Jul 17 Yes carberry. Theyve said that other clubs have not adhered to it. And we have done. But Evan's has stated quite clearly in interviews that he doesnt agree with it. Just bcse they adhere to it doesnt mean they agree with it. Just means they're not willing to risk the punishments for not doing so. And yes, in the past things have gone unpunished, but theyre not now. Which is why bolton and bury are where they are now. Why derby, and aheff weds are facing possible points deduction, why qpr were fined £42m. But as I say, why let facts stop you. I'll criticise him for things he deserves to be criticised for, but wont male things up, just to have a go.

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blues1 added 14:17 - Jul 17 Arnie m. No, it's not a non decision by the efl.if us read the story ud have seen that several clubs, us included have put forward their disapproval of the scheme. So they have to gave further discussions before a decision can be made. Typical of some on here. Read the headline, then comment.
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