Doncaster Rovers: South Yorkshire rivals call for one-off parachute payments to be made to relegated EFL clubs

Doncaster Rovers’ South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley have written to the EFL to call for parachute payments to be made to clubs relegated this season.
Doncaster Rovers and BarnsleyDoncaster Rovers and Barnsley
Doncaster Rovers and Barnsley

Sky Sports have reported that Barnsley believe irreparable damage would be done to the businesses of clubs that were relegated under the circumstances dictated by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The EFL have asked all clubs to submit proposals by 2pm on Tuesday for how to resolve the current season.

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The Reds have suggested that relegation in all three EFL divisions be scrapped.

But should the EFL press ahead with their intention to implement relegation in the usual manner, Barnsley have called on the EFL to hand the usual base payments made to clubs to the three teams relegated from the second tier for one season only.

This figure in the Championship is £7.4m, an amount the Reds hierarchy believe will offset the loss of TV revenue for the year.

But they have also suggested the base figures for each division are also paid to those relegated out of the respective tiers.

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The letter, seen by Sky Sports, reads: "If the 19/20 season is completed, it will be completed with a lack of sporting integrity. Some clubs will have unbalanced squads compared to competitors due to ending player contracts.

"Some clubs will lose home-field advantage for matches behind closed doors in respect to the reverse fixture earlier this season. This is especially true with big rivalries and the loss of the respective revenue.

"Those clubs unfairly and unlawfully relegated to a lower division would face further uncertainty and potential failure of their enterprise.

"The only way to secure against innumerable damages in the case of relegation would be a one-time parachute payment to the affected clubs representing the loss of one season of television revenue."

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The letter continues: "If the season is completed and relegation is upheld, each relegated club from the Championship, League One, and League Two receive equal shares of solidarity and basic award due if they retained their divisional status from the 19/20 season."

Relegated clubs currently receive a percentage of their previous year’s funding.

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