Premier League and EFL accused of ‘lack of leadership’ by DCMS over financial bailout ‘fiasco’

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters and English Football League chairman Rick Parry have been accused of a “lack of leadership” by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, who stress they are “losing patience” with the failure to agree a financial bailout to save numerous clubs from collapse.

In letters sent to both Masters and Parry by the DCMS Select Committee chair Julian Knight, the ongoing despite over a rescue deal from the top flight for the Championship, League One and League Two has been labelled a “fiasco”, with the Knight demanding weekly updates that have not been provided since they both appeared before the Select Committee last week.

Knight said last week that at least 10 EFL clubs feared being unable to pay their November wages because of the financial crisis, with the Premier League’s offer of £50m to League One and League Two not yet fully agreed despite months of negotiations.

“We are losing patience,” Knight said. “Fans have waited a long time for a solution that would safeguard their clubs but all they can see is squabbling at the top of the game. Football and its followers deserve better.”

Masters and Parry were summoned to appear before the Select Committee on Tuesday 11 November after failing to agree a financial bailout for the EFL despite six months of negotiations, though the hearing was overshadowed by the scandal surrounding the former Football Association chairman Greg Clarke and his subsequent resignation.

READ MORE: Richard Masters and Rick Parry told to put squabbling aside and agree deal

The hearing ended with Knight asking for weekly updates from the Premier League and EFL regarding any progress in talks, with a request to reach an agreement by the end of the month. At this stage, the prospect of that happening appears highly unlikely, and Knight has threatened government intervention over football reform because of the failure to reach an agreement.

“The current fiasco in reaching an agreement isn’t about the lack of money, but lack of leadership,” Knight said.

“We’re putting the current leaders of the Premier League and the EFL on notice. We want to be kept in the loop about every discussion, every meeting, every call, every email, to save clubs at risk. Nothing should be withheld from the Committee, and so that fans can see what’s going on, we’ll make these updates public.

“The predecessor DCMS Committee called for legislation to bring in an independent system of football licensing and regulation if the game wasn’t able to reform itself. That time may be fast approaching.”

In a letter sent to Masters and Parry, released publicly by the DCMS, Knight said that there is a doubt over their suitability to lead two of the largest global football authorities and said that both the DCMS and fans “deserve better”.

“We are disappointed that you have not yet come to an agreement that will ensure the survival of football clubs through the current pandemic,” Knight said. “There is enough money in the game to save football clubs but we are beginning to doubt whether there is enough leadership to make that happen.

“We urge you to stop squabbling and come to an agreement. Fans have been waiting too long. We expect, and the fans deserve, better.

“This is not the first time a DCMS Committee has heard compelling evidence of failings at every level of football governance. Football is again failing to save itself. The DCMS Committee made it clear before the 2019 election that if the football authorities failed to reform, or concluded that a statutory framework was necessary to reform, we would recommend that the government immediately brought forward legislation to ensure a fully independent system of football licensing and regulation.

“There is now a pressing need for the government to consider acting. The current fiasco underlines the need for change, but the immediate task must be to secure ailing football clubs.”