Warning over EFL squad size limits
THE Professional Footballers’ Association have threatened to serve the English Football League with another arbitration over squad size limits for the 2021-22 campaign in an open letter to all EFL clubs and players.
In February, an independent panel unanimously confirmed that the introduction of a salary cap without agreement from the Premier League, the FA and the PFA was in breach of the legally binding Professional Football Negotiating and Consultative Committee (PFNCC) constitution and it was withdrawn.
Caps had been voted through by third and fourth-tier clubs in August last year and were set at £2.5million per club in League One and £1.5million per club in League Two.
In addition to the now withdrawn salary cap, a squad limit size was implemented and is set to limit teams in League One and League Two next season to only 20 players.
While the Championship clubs will be able to select 25 players for their 46-game campaign, it will be a smaller number for sides in the bottom two tiers of the EFL.
The PFA sent their open letter to the EFL, their clubs and players on Wednesday.
A proposed temporary solution by the PFA would be for a limit of 25 players across all EFL leagues pending further discussions.
Given the amount of games played throughout the EFL, a squad size limit of 20 in League One and Two is believed to increase the risk of injury to players, while those clubs relegated from the Championship could have to honour multi-year contracts to squad members who may not play due to reduced squad sizes.
The PFA have urged clubs to request a vote on the PFA’s proposal under Article 10 of the Articles of Association of the EFL as an alternative to another arbitration through PFNCC.
An EFL spokesperson told the PA news agency it had discussed the PFA’s open letter with its 72 clubs yesterday, with “achieving long-term sustainability” at the heart of its aim for member clubs.
“The EFL notes the correspondence published today by the PFA and continues to engage in positive dialogue with both our members and the union in respect of the matters raised,” a spokesperson told PA.
“We have discussed the issues raised in the letter with all 72 clubs today and will now continue to engage with the PFA as we seek to reach a solution that addresses the concerns of all parties involved.”