Ian Mather CEO
Welcome to the many Sheffield Wednesday fans who have made the trip to the Abbey for the first league game between the sides since 1984.Then we were playing in what is now the Championship and the years in between have seen the fortunes of the clubs go in different directions. It is a reminder to us all of the joy and pain of promotion and relegation – and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The football pyramid in the UK is unique in its scale and at the heart of its success is the support it receives from fans in their millions and the owners who pay millions each year to keep their clubs alive. This model is, increasingly, not sustainable. Over the next few weeks we can expect the release of the fan led review by Tracey Crouch MP into the future of football. This report really matters – as does the response from the government to it. Sustainability is key – and the parts to look out for are calls for a fairer distribution of broadcast revenue and some effective cost controls to stop clubs wasting greater income on inflated player pay. A club getting relegated from the Premier League gets £55m in a parachute payment. That’s more than the Premier League gives to the 24 clubs of League One, the 24 clubs of League Two, the 12 clubs of the Women’s Super League, the 12 clubs of the Women’s
Championship, AND the 72 clubs in the National League get together. That’s one club getting more money than 144. This distorted distribution causes waves of pay inflation through the pyramid as clubs chase to compete for players against recently relegated Premier League sides. We need to close the income gap between the Premier League and the Championship. Make it a step down, not a cliff edge. As EFL Chairman Rick Parry said last week – you don’t need a parachute to walk over a step. I know there is strong, and justified, resistance to B teams in our league. The EFL Trophy is seen as the route to this. As I explained in a recent Under the Abbey Stand Pod – I don’t think the risk comes from the Trophy – it comes from there being clubs in the league that are financially weak giving way to Premier League demands in return for cash. Fairer distribution of money and cost controls are the way to fend off B teams. Now, back to tonight – last Saturday saw a full Abbey, the first for many years. It was a thrilling game where the U’s showed resilience and determination. As we face another top League One side we can expect an equally tough and entertaining contest. It is great to be playing at this level. Enjoy the game. ■ www.cambridge-united.co.uk
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