‘Disgrace’: Gary Neville slams Premier League as Birmingham City anticipate funding promise

Gary Neville has launched a stinging attack on the Premier League following another failed attempt to reach an agreement on EFL finance.

The Premier League board met on Monday, with modifications to the present Profitability and Sustainability Rules on the table, with all 20 member clubs agreeing on the need to implement a new approach.

However, it was hoped that a new mechanism for transferring the game’s income down the pyramid would be agreed upon; in the end, they did not even hold a vote, and teams such as Birmingham City and the other 71 EFL outfits still have no idea how that would happen. The Premier League clubs appear to want to work out new FFP regulations before committing to supporting the EFL.

All of this caused Salford City owner Neville to go on the offensive, telling Sky Sports: “I am more interested in the vote they didn’t get, which was to support the rest of the Football League, which they keep pushing down the road, and it’s an absolute disgrace. It is about the game’s welfare and the league’s overall sustainability.

“The Premier League is currently being careless in its dismissive character, simply pushing it down the road, thinking ‘maybe a regulator will sort it, maybe we’ll sort it’ and doing nothing.

“That is not good governance; it simply reveals to me that they are not looking after the entire game as they should. It irritates me every time I witness a Premier League meeting where they appear to look after themselves but not the rest of football.”

When contacted by the PA news agency about Neville’s statements, the Premier League declined to comment.

The government has frequently stated that it wants the football authorities to reach a new financial settlement among themselves, but has warned that it may impose one on them through ‘backstop’ powers expected to be granted to the new independent regulator.

A Premier League spokesperson stated on Monday: “At today’s Premier League shareholders meeting, clubs agreed to prioritise the rapid creation and deployment of a new league-wide financial system.

“This will give stability for clubs’ future financial plans while also ensuring the Premier League’s ability to maintain its current world-leading investment in all levels of the game.

“In addition, Premier League clubs reaffirmed their commitment to establishing a financially sustainable arrangement with the EFL, subject to club approval of the new financial system.

“The league and clubs also confirmed their continuous and long-standing commitment to the wider game, with £1.6 billion distributed to all levels of football throughout the current three-year cycle. The Premier League’s substantial financing contributions benefit all EFL and National League clubs, as well as women’s and girls’ football and the grassroots of the game.”

The EFL has declined to comment, and is expected to discuss the issue at a board meeting later this week.