Premier League clubs have a responsibility to use their financial clout to help bail out stricken Football League teams such as Bolton and Bury, according to Nigel Clough, the manager of fellow League One side Burton Albion.
Bury and Bolton will begin the season with a 12-point deduction and the former’s opening match against MK Dons on Saturday has been suspended.
Clough said the plight of Bolton and Bury “saddens everyone in football” and has called on elite clubs to step in and help. Bolton are in administration but the consortium Football Ventures is nearing completion of a takeover. The EFL has said Bury’s owner, Steve Dale, has not provided proof of funds, as required by its rules, although Dale denies that.
Clough said: “It’s very difficult but I think there’s enough money in football at the moment to look after everybody. I would look up for it. When there’s billion-pound TV deals and everything, I think the Football League should have just a little bit more. I think it’s been the lifeblood for many years in providing players for the Premier League and even the international team – you’ve got the likes of Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire. I think there’s an overall responsibility to try and look after those clubs.
“There were quite a few [clubs] that went out of business many years ago and dropped down the leagues and restarted. I hope it doesn’t come to that. That’s why I think there’s enough money in football for it not to happen and I hope somebody steps in and saves them. I don’t think there are too many sane people looking to buy football clubs. What do they say? The quickest way to go from being a billionaire to a millionaire is buy a football club.”
The Premier League distributes a financial payment to each EFL club every season, via two mechanisms, either parachute payments or solidarity payments, which are linked to the value of the former’s broadcasting rights. The Premier League was approached for comment.
The EFL declined to comment.
