The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) has issued a statement slamming the salary cap, on which League One clubs are set to vote on Friday, claiming it is “being rushed through, without proper consideration or consultation”.

The statement reads: “Ahead of the EFL vote tomorrow, the PFA has sent a report to all club chief executives and the EFL regarding the proposed salary caps for League One and Two.

“The report has raised concerns that the proposed cap is being rushed through, without proper consideration or consultation.

“Like everyone involved in football, we want to see sustainable clubs at all levels. We absolutely understand and appreciate the huge economic pressure that clubs have come under due to the Covid-19 crisis.

“However, we have significant reservations about the measures being proposed and the speed at which these are being implemented.

“The introduction of a salary cap in English football represents a seismic change. It is a change that will have far-reaching and significant impacts right across the professional game. We must take the time to ensure that these are properly considered and understood.

“We have been surprised and disappointed at the level of consultation and engagement around these proposals so far.

“It is, undoubtedly, in the best interests of the clubs, the leagues and the players that we work together on this important issue.

“Today, we have invited the EFL to a period of expedited arbitration in August, before the next season starts and the transfer window closes, in order to reach a shared agreement on the way forward.

“The EFL has a legal obligation to consult with the PFA and the Professional Football Negotiating and Consultative Committee (PFNCC), over any potential changes to a player’s conditions.

“This consultation has not happened, and as such, we are gravely concerned that any cap brought in will be unlawful and unenforceable, which will ultimately be detrimental to everyone involved.”

Town are among the clubs to have spoken out against the proposal. The Blues would be among the League One clubs most hit by the cap, which the EFL proposes being set at £2.5 million.

In their last season in the Championship Town's 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 player wage bill is almost certainly still more than double, perhaps three times higher than the proposed limit and will be one of the largest in the division.

It’s understood the wages of players aged under 21 wouldn’t count towards the £2.5 million figure, which is believed to include basic wages, bonuses, image rights and other elements of contracts. Squad sizes would ultimately be limited to 20 senior players aged over 21 after a period of transition with eight of those homegrown.

However, player contracts signed prior to the cap being implemented would only count as a £1,300-a-week wage in the season ahead rather than at their true level.

Fines or points deductions would be issued for clubs breaking the cap and it’s proposed that for every £1 a club strays over the limit they would be fined £3 with potential transgressions judged by an independent disciplinary commission.

The proposal, which will be a simple yes/no question, needs two-thirds of the clubs in the division, 16, to vote in favour for it to be instigated. Last week, Portsmouth chief executive Mark Catlin said he was aware of “an ever-growing number of clubs which may vote against it” but still felt it might be passed.

The vote seems likely to be close with the Blues, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Hull City, Charlton, Wigan, Doncaster and Oxford believed to be against the proposal meaning it would only take one more for it to be defeated. Not all clubs have indicated how they will vote.

Town’s general manager of football operations Lee O’Neill has said he is no fan of the cap which hampers owner Marcus Evans’s ability to inject cash into the Blues.

“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,” he told TWTD.

“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.”

League Two’s proposed limit is £1.25 million, while it’s reported that £18 million will be the Championship cap.

Photo: TWTD

Suffolkboy added 20:10 - Aug 6 Do make haste Slowly ! Can't imagine it's correct for any sort of panic to prevail ; FFP wasn't made to work as intended , individual club Financial Management has failed - why on earth should a system be even contemplated which brings progression down to the pace and competence of those least able ? It should be a non starter ; with more time given to a greater understanding of exactly what and how the problems occur ,or are allowed to occur ,but that takes time and patience ,as well as disciplined thinking ! But COYB

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BtreeBlueBlood added 21:32 - Aug 6 Wonder what happen when the pfa tells it's members to go on strike!
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ArnieM added 07:59 - Aug 7 There seems to be a poorly hidden agenda by the corrupt EFL that favours ONLY the small clubs in League One . They seem hell bent on destroying bigger clubs that have succumbed to relegation from the CC for whatever reason. Compare this approach to that of the PL who actually PAY relegated Clubs for their relegation to the CC . Town are now totally fooked . We haven't a bloody Hope in hell of getting back to CC level , with the wages cap set at £18m for that division and £2.5 m for League One . Just wtf are the EFL thinking ????

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forevertown added 10:01 - Aug 7 Surely a salary cap is meant to stop clubs paying over the top wages to buy their way out of the league? And not to restrict all clubs to a limit that the would mean the clubs with the lowest income could spend as much as the clubs with more fans bigger stadiums and generally make more money than them. Just because theres a limit doesnt mean every club needs to reach it how ever it! 18 12 and 6m at a guess would be better for all clubs

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TJS added 10:26 - Aug 7 If you ask me there are a ridiculous number of fully professional clubs in the North West of England which that region simply cannot sustain. They need to go amateur/semi-professional if they can't cope. Instead they now seem intent on dragging clubs from other regions down to their level. Wigan is a classic example - I couldn't believe all the misty eyed nonsense in the national media simply because they have gone into administration and have been relegated to league one.

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SamWhiteUK added 10:47 - Aug 7 Arnie, what is CC?
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atty added 10:58 - Aug 7 Can understand the PFA's frustration, particularly that they have not been consulted. Doubt if any other industry body would get away with that. The disparity in the proposals between the C'ship and League 1 is shocking, and will make it even more difficult for promoted clubs, and for Lge 1 clubs to keep players. For example, the £2.5M salary cap works out at a max of £2400.00 a week per player in a squad of 20. I guess Kayden Jackson is on at least that now. So if the cap goes through before we can agree a deal with him, we can't offer him a brewer deal. He'd be mug to stay if C'Ship clubs come calling, knowing when he contract here ends he's going to get a pay cut. Downes? Wolfies just been given a long term deal thankfully, but long term as a Lge 1 club, even a “big” one, our ability to compete for players will be lessened.

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BlueandTruesince82 added 11:55 - Aug 7 Drag clubs that are not failing down rather than pull those that are up.
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MattinLondon added 11:58 - Aug 7 The PFA aren't really concerned that this is being rushed through - they are concerned due to the fact that the actual total sum is relatively small and will, over time, see L1/L2 players earning significantly smaller wages. In principle I agree with a salary cap but don't see why a club like Sunderland should have the same pay restrictions as say Accrington.
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dieselmorris added 13:11 - Aug 7 think of the money old tight wad will save
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Chrisd added 13:23 - Aug 7 The salary cap isn't a bad idea, but all leagues need to invest in it otherwise it's a pointless exercise. Football desperately needs something radical done as the finances of the majority of clubs is appalling.
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