English Football League ‘concerned and disappointed’ at PFA legal challenge
The English Football League (EFL) has criticised player union the PFA for taking legal action to block new cost controls for clubs in League One.
The PFA is opposing the Squad Cost Management Protocol on the basis it could damage players’ earning potential, having previously defeated a previous rule change in 2021 on the basis that it represented a de facto salary cap.
The EFL, which runs England’s three professional divisions below the Premier League, said it was “concerned and disappointed at the position adopted by the PFA” given that clubs voted in favour of the new rules earlier this summer.
“Financial sustainability and player protection are not competing objectives — they go hand in hand. Put simply, these reforms are designed to make clubs more sustainable,” said EFL chief executive Trevor Birch.
“Stable clubs are better placed to honour contracts, pay wages on time, invest in facilities and create long-term opportunities for players. But a rising tide of losses and growing reliance on owner funding increase risk for everyone.
“That is why delaying reform is a risk. Clubs need rules that help them plan responsibly and avoid spending beyond their means. With the Independent Football Regulator now operational, the game needs to show it can take credible action on sustainability itself, rather than wait for solutions to be imposed externally.”
League One losses treble in five years
The EFL cites growing concern at mushrooming losses in the third tier. Last season clubs averaged a loss of £7.3m and owner funding of £8.3m. Both figures have more than trebled since 2021-22.
“League One and League Two clubs operate in a very different financial environment from clubs in the Championship and Premier League,” said Birch.
“The rules need to reflect that reality. These reforms are about helping clubs compete responsibly, plan properly and remain sustainable for the communities they represent.”
It comes as the EFL considers a new financial redistribution deal proposed by the Premier League, with the new football regulator empowered to step in and mandate a solution to the long-running dispute if no agreement is found.