Government tell fearful Premier League to ‘get on with a deal quickly’ as White Paper is unveiled

The Government urged the Premier League to ‘get on with a deal quickly’ after unveiling the White Paper for English football’s independent regulator on Thursday.

Following Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review into football governance, the House of Commons listened to details of how the proposed regulator will look and work. 

Stuart Andrew, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport who revealed the White Paper plans to the House on Thursday afternoon, urged that the Premier League must come to an agreement with the English Football League regarding financial distribution soon.

Sportsmail reported on Wednesday that the Premier League were apprehensive, with major concerns that the forthcoming legislation will impact future overseas investment into the division. 

Andrew said: ‘In every meeting I have been in, I have been urging the Premier League and EFL to come to a deal and get the distribution of payments sorted out as quickly as possible.

Stuart Andrew, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport – pictured in Qatar during the World Cup – revealed the White Paper plans to the House on Thursday

‘But until we have the regulator in place, it’s only at that point the powers will then be available for a deal to be struck. 

‘Please, I urge those involved in those negotiations to get on with it and get on with it quickly.’

Revealing the details of the White Paper, Andrew began in a statement: ‘In this country football is more than just a sport. 

‘It’s part of our history our heritage and our national way of life, bringing communities up and down the country together week in week out. 

‘We invented the beautiful game and the Premier League and EFL are true global success stories, exported and watched in 188 countries across the world, streaming into 880 million homes. 

‘Despite this global success, in recent years it has become clear that there are systemic issues at the heart of our national game. Since the Premier League was created in 1992, there have been 64 incidents of clubs collapsing into administration.’

Andrew went on to highlight the ‘devastating’ losses of Bury and Macclesfield, who were both expelled from English football as a result of ‘financial mismanagement’.

 He continued: ‘Despite the success of English football, finances are in a perilous state. The combined net debt of clubs in the Premier League and Championship is now around £6billion. 

‘Championship clubs spend an unsustainable 125 per cent of their revenue on player wages alone. And some clubs face annual losses greater than their turnover.

‘All too often we hear of flagrant financial misconduct, unsustainable risk taking and poor governance, driving clubs to the brink.

‘And owners aren’t just gambling with fans’ beloved clubs. They are threatening the sustainability of the entire football pyramid.’

More to follow.