PFA demand change over squad sizes

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the legally binding Professional Football Negotiating and Consultative Committee constitution and it was subsequently withdrawn.

Caps had been voted through by third and fourth-tier clubs in August last year and were set at £2.5 million per club in League One and £1.5 million 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 In addition to the now withdrawn salary cap, a squad limit size was implemented and is set to limit teams in League One and League Two next season to only 20 players.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, which explained: “Following the logic of the panel’s decision in the salary caps case, the PFA expected the EFL to remove the squad size limits (25 for the Championship, and as from next season, 20 for Leagues One and Two) because these were also introduced without consultation or the agreement required from PFNCC members.”

A proposed temporary solution by the PFA would be for a limit of 25 players across the whole EFL 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 injuries, 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.

Swindon Town and owner Lee Power have been charged with breaching FA rules regarding the ownership and/or funding of the League One club.

In February Power, who is also chairman of the Robins, said the Wiltshire side were “on the brink of bankruptcy”.

Sports agency First Touch Pro Management and its company director Michael Standing face similar charges.

All parties involved have until until April 22 to provide their responses.