Nev’s fears for clubs’ survival
SALFORD City coowner Gary Neville fears football clubs could go out of business due to the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Scottish Premier League club Hearts have asked players and nonplaying staff to take a 50 per cent pay cut, something Neville believes could become commonplace.
He said: “It is unsurprising to me that clubs will be looking at their staff with a more social approach.
“A 50 per cent reduction in pay is something that will become the norm unless the government puts a package in place of support that gives people comfort. That needs to unfold quite quickly.
“It (coronavirus) is something that is completely unexpected.
“There will be clubs all over this country, if they don’t get support quickly will have to make those decisions and may even go to the wall.”
Neville believes clubs all the way through the professional football pyramid, including in the Premier League, would be hit financially if the season resumes behind closed doors.
“If the Premier League were able to deliver it safely, get the broadcast revenue and so on, and wash that down towards the clubs that require it towards financial rescue, that might be something that the EFL may look at,” Neville added.
“But it will cause huge
●● Gary Neville, part owner of League Two Salford City problems for some EFL clubs and National League clubs to not have the revenue from the remaining fixtures and other revenue streams that would exist from playing football this season.
“There will be clubs who have transfer fees due, there will be clubs who have fees due in instalments due from other years.
“We, as Salford City, will pay other clubs for our loan players, but we are not the standard example of a League Two club.
“There are clubs who just haven’t got the money to be able to pay it.
“Not just in the Football League but some clubs in the Premier League at this moment in time will be very worried, who need that revenue, who have spent that television money and need the 30,000 fans on a matchday.”