Parry: Salary cap may be answer to EFL crisis

THE EFL is debating the introduction of a salary cap, amid fears Bury may not be the last club to be kicked out of the Football League. New chairman Rick Parry says that the recent decision to dock Saracens 35 points and fine them £5.36million for breaching rugby’s salary cap, following

Sportsmail’s revelations, has led some clubs to ponder if the EFL should introduce such a cap. Former Premier League and Liverpool chief executive Parry says a debate over the matter is ongoing at a time of crisis for the competition, who face legal threats and a host of clubs in financial trouble. A review of finances and rules is currently being undertaken while three clubs — Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and Reading — are being investigated for selling their stadiums to their owners in an apparent attempt to get around the regulations. Would a salary cap prevent clubs from overspending and landing themselves in trouble? Parry, who took up his post in September, replied: ‘What there is, post Bury, is a much greater degree of realism among the clubs... some have looked at the Saracens decision and asked — does that mean salary caps are now legal, is that something we should explore? The Saracens decision says it must be lawful because it is something they have enforced. We always felt it was something that couldn’t be explored. (But) is it something that can be explored? I’ve heard clubs recently say maybe what we have is too complex and we should concentrate on the issue we’re all concerned about which is wage costs — but to say that’s the majority view or something that is likely to happen is way off the mark. It’s part of the debate.’ Earlier this year, Bury were expelled from the league after being unable to pay their players and staff and fulfil their fixtures. Parry believes that the Lancashire club may not be the only casualties. ‘I definitely can’t say it will be the last,’ he said. ‘There may be more fallout to come. We have seen the problems with Macclesfield which are fairly extreme and they are not the only one. Maybe we are going to have to go through more pain before it gets better. I don’t think we have got too many clubs. ‘There are many full-time clubs thriving below the EFL. There are a few bad owners and maybe there are still a few to weed out but it will be what it will be.’