25 May 2020 14:23:43
Can I just say, our club gets a lot of bad press for the way it is run. With many suggesting that money is prioritised over football.

Yet during this crisis I think our club has got every decision spot on. From the vocal support of the NHS, to the refusal to furlong staff now the club is waiving the remainder of loan fees owed to the club from lower league clubs to lessen the burden on those club's lower down the football pyramid.

Class from everyone at the club, makes me feel proud of my club even when no football can be played.

1.) 25 May 2020
25 May 2020 15:07:27
Fair play to the club, hopefully a few others will follow suit and ease the burden on the lower league teams.

{Ed002's Note - At least two clubs have already done this.}

2.) 25 May 2020
25 May 2020 16:15:30
Ed002, I wasn't aware other clubs had already done it. I think given the circumstances it's the least EPL club's can do.

3.) 25 May 2020
25 May 2020 20:52:23
Have to agree, we give the management board some stick, but we should also praise them for gestures like this, well done to the club.

4.) 25 May 2020
25 May 2020 21:40:32
Hiring that PR guy seems to have done ya some good. Any maybe Ed is finally getting his act together and now that he need not worry about who the manager will be next season we can start planning ahead.

5.) 26 May 2020
25 May 2020 16:29:48
Apologies Ed002, fair play to all of them in that case. The lower league clubs are the ones who will be worst affected by this so it's good to see the bigger clubs helping them out in any way.

{Ed002's Note - But it is not enough. They need to do much, much more.}

6.) 26 May 2020
26 May 2020 11:39:31
Regarding Ed002’s comment that Premiership clubs need to do much more to help those lower down the football pyramid do you think we could see official feeder clubs established now between Prem and lower league clubs? Surely if it’s a case of survival all options may be on the table now. Appreciate owners having more than one club / investment in a club per FA is prohibited currently for good reason. Or do you believe, what I think is more likely, there’ll be a natural cull now of many clubs. I personally think lower leagues will be decimated and there’ll be a restructuring of the league. Could easily lose an entire division.

7.) 26 May 2020
26 May 2020 11:39:31
Regarding Ed002’s comment that Premiership clubs need to do much more to help those lower down the football pyramid do you think we could see official feeder clubs established now between Prem and lower league clubs? Surely if it’s a case of survival all options may be on the table now. Appreciate owners having more than one club / investment in a club per FA is prohibited currently for good reason. Or do you believe, what I think is more likely, there’ll be a natural cull now of many clubs. I personally think lower leagues will be decimated and there’ll be a restructuring of the league. Could easily lose an entire division.

{Ed002's Note - Premier League clubs in general will not want to take fiscal responsibility for lower tier sides. Some use feeder clubs (e.g. Manchester United built a relationship with Royal Antwerp) for loans and experience. FIFA has spoken with UEFA and a number of sides about formalising the situation where one club can directly own another (like Monaco own Cercle Brugge and are running a B Team there) and allowing a holding company (say Red Bull) to own multiple sides and remove the two restrictions (a) they cannot be in the same League and (b) they cannot meet in the same European competition (which led to the restructure of the RBS ownership). This is another concession to try to fend off, or at least run and manage, a breakaway. They also spoke with the Spanish FA who have it built in to their league charters that the "B" sides cannot be in the same League and have said they will not concede on that point - which should end this attempt to build more power for themselves. Their selling point will be to save some clubs from going out of business.}

8.) 26 May 2020
26 May 2020 17:03:56
Agree with you there Ed002.they do need to help a lot more, whether or not it happens remains to be seen.

{Ed002's Note - Not every club is in favour of it.}

9.) 26 May 2020
26 May 2020 20:34:53
Thanks Ed002.

I think there’ll be a breakaway from UEFA within a few years. Timetable of any structural changes to leagues could be massively fast forwarded though due to C. V.

A European Super League is inevitable.