Liverpool and Manchester United proposed major changes to English football; Greg Clarke: "In these difficult times unity, transparency and common purpose must override the interests of the few"
Wednesday 14 October 2020 12:26, UK
FA chairman Greg Clarke says he walked away from 'Project Big Picture' talks in the spring "when the principal aim of these discussions became the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few clubs with a breakaway league mooted as a threat".
He said in a letter to the FA Council: "I, of course, discontinued my involvement and counselled a more consensus-based approach involving all Premier League clubs and its Chair and CEO."
He warned that the FA had "substantial controls" it could use to thwart any proposals it felt would run counter to the best interests of the game.
A proposal to change the voting structure of the Premier League, as well as funding models for the English Football League and Football Association, has been drawn up by Liverpool's owners and is backed by Manchester United.
The proposal - called 'Project Big Picture' - includes several other major changes to the structure of English football, with a reduction from 20 to 18 teams in the Premier League and the scrapping of the EFL Cup and Community Shield.
The plans have led one board member at a Premier League club to state there is agreement among 14 clubs that EFL chairman Rick Parry should resign over them.
Clarke added: "We, the FA Board and Council, have to ensure that any changes would be to the long-term benefit of the whole of football and we have substantial controls to help ensure that the best interests of the game are served by any new proposals.
"In addition to the Special Share in the Premier League, which prevents certain changes being made to the constitution without the FA's consent, it is also the FA's responsibility to sanction competitions in England - including any proposed new competition - as well as being responsible for licensing clubs, through UEFA, to play in Europe. Additionally, UEFA look to us to nominate the league, and therefore the clubs, that will play in their competitions.
"Let's continue to work together to determine what is best for English football, with full dialogue between all key stakeholders.
"However, there is more to our game than economics. Change must benefit clubs, fans and players; not just selective balance sheets. In these difficult times unity, transparency and common purpose must override the interests of the few."
Fans of the 'big six' Premier League clubs - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham - have released a statement saying they do not support the Project Big Picture proposals.
The statement, issued on behalf of six supporters' groups from the clubs, underlined the need for fans to be consulted on any proposed restructuring of the game in England.
The statement said: "While the six clubs we support are widely reported to be the instigators of Project Big Picture, it is important we state very clearly that we do not support the proposals in their current form.
"The Premier League has rightly said that all stakeholders should be involved in discussions about the future of the game. And yet supporters have not had the courtesy of any communication or consultation about these plans before they were published last Sunday, despite allegedly being three years in the making.
"By floating this latest plan, those behind it are acknowledging football needs to be reformed. It's something we have been saying for many years.
"There are some suggestions in this plan that have merit. But we are totally opposed to concentrating power in the hands of six billionaire owners and departing from the one club, one vote and collective ethos of the Premier League. This part of the proposal must be dropped immediately if other elements are to be given serious consideration."
