Government, Premier targetted by Catlin as

The News, with chief sports writer have been okay.

‘But this is now seven months down the line and it was mooted we receive a relatively paltry offer to cover our losses. It is too little, too late.

‘All the advanced money is running out, it seems there’s an impasse between the Premier League and the EFL, while the government continue to put the blinkers on and their hands over their ears as regards any financial help or even allowing people into stadiums.

‘As I have said for a long time, everyone is playing Punch and Judy with each other while the EFL is in danger of collapsing.

‘Firstly, the offer of a £20m grant was derisory. To put it into perspective, on one match-day we would make significantly more than our share of that grant.

‘That grant and the £30m loan were joined. We couldn’t take just the grant. Both came with lots of additional conditions moving forward – while also trying to drive division in terms of the EFL clubs.

‘The offer was exclusively to League One and League Two. The last time I looked, we were part of a body called the EFL.

‘Movement between clubs and divisions is transient, but they are there to negotiate on behalf of the EFL as a whole, not individual leagues within that.

‘The crisis affects everyone. It's not about helping people out of their indebtedness in regards of pre or post covid decisions, it’s negotiating some sort of payment which covers match-day revenue. It’s about what we have lost financially and that really needs to be the starting point.

‘There were also conditions. The Premier League wanted a greater say in our academies and to park the League Cup.

‘The League Cup is another revenue source for us, we can’t go scrapping it unless someone explains how we are going to find that revenue.

‘There wasn’t any need to vote. It was basically

“Does anyone object to the sentiment on the call?. No-one did. It was unanimous in rejection of the offer.’

Driven by Manchester United and Liverpool, among changes trumpeted by Project Big Picture was the reduction of the Premier League from 20 clubs to 18.

It also proposed the scrapping of the Carabao

Cup and Community Shield.

Meanwhile, a sideshow emerged involving FA chairman Clarke, who admitted he was involved in advocating the introduction of B teams to the lower leagues and creation of a Premier League 2.

The involvement occurred during early talks over Project Big Picture – and has angered many clubs.

Catlin added: ‘In my opinion, the comments of Greg Clarke does not reflect well on him or the FA.

‘I find it bizarre that someone you look to for some calmness and leadership – ie the chairman of the FA – should even mention the words ‘B teams’ and breaking up the EFL.

‘Rick’s proposal, warts and all, was a starting point. At its core was trying to keep the EFL together, yet was roundly criticised for that.

‘There were areas of Project Big Picture which were unpalatable and unacceptable as we all know, it needed to be looked at, the devil is always in the detail, but fundamentally Rick’s

Neil Allen