CoronaVirus: Football clubs want govt to pay players’ wages

Football league clubs are reportedly looking to put players on the government’s wage assistance scheme in a bid to help them survive financially during the coronavirus crisis.

The EFL are in talks with their clubs and the PFA over a plan that would see lower-league footie aces put on a sabbatical for the rest of the lockdown.

According to The Daily Mail, clubs want funds made available as part of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme introduced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak last week with the government paying 80 percent of a player’s wages – up to £2,500 a month.

Players have reportedly been warned by their clubs that they could be furloughed over the next few weeks as they are running out of cash to pay their wages.

Last week the EFL provided a £50m relief package to clubs who were hit by the absence of punters – which was largely an advance on the money they are due from their £119m-a-year megabucks deal with Sky Sports.

But that cash will be spent within the next four weeks.

The EFL are said to be looking at more drastic measures like furloughing lower league players as there is no known end to the shutdown yet.