The
Football Supporters' Association has accused "billionaire foreign owners" of
threatening to destroy the structure of English football, by their repeated
attempts to drain power and money from the game.
Sky News exclusively uncovered plans by some of England's biggest clubs,
including Manchester United and Liverpool, for a European Premier League,
backed by FIFA.
Whilst the proposals do not encourage the break-up of domestic competitions
like the Premier League, they do seem to offer a suggested replacement for
the Champions League, with huge potential revenues and little chance of
relegation for founder members.
Kevin Miles, chief executive of the FSA, has told Sky Sports News: "The
timing of it now, after the knock-back of Project Big Picture, proves that
behind the scenes there are repeated attempts by the big, billionaire owners
in England and Europe to carve out an ever-bigger slice of football revenues
for themselves.
Gary Neville has called for action to tackle the lack of diversity at
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"That would have a devastating impact on domestic leagues, and a huge impact
on clubs up and down the pyramid. It would threaten the very existence and
the structure of English football that we have known and loved for many
years."
Miles also believes that the foreign ownership model adopted by most of the
'Big Six' is at the root of the problem.
"Many of them don't understand the culture, and have no sympathy and support
for the pyramid of how the game is organised here," he added.
"They've perhaps grown up with a franchise model of sport. They seem to want
to guarantee their own involvement in these competitions at the highest
level, and give themselves control over it."
Miles says if this European idea went ahead, it would make the elite Premier
League clubs untouchable, in terms of financial power.
"The European competition money is already the biggest distorting factor in
the competitive playing field of the Premier League, with the same clubs
tapping into that money year after year," said Miles.
"And that's why the biggest chasm in English football is developing - not
between the Premier League and the Championship - but between the top six
and the rest of the Premier League".
He also says the financial situation for lower league football clubs is
reaching crisis point, and he is adamant it is down to government - rather
than the football family - to help them survive the Coronavirus pandemic.
Miles added: "I don't think it's right that the government is expecting the
Premier League clubs to provide the financial solution for those lower down.
"If a National League club is entitled as a business to government support
to ensure it survives, then I don't see why that shouldn't apply to League
One and Two clubs as well. They are all businesses essential to the
communities who have paid their taxes, in some cases for 150 years.
"They are entitled to this sort of bailout. The government needs to take
some responsibility here, in making sure clubs who are essential to the
fabric of our society, can survive going forward."
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