Thursday, April 08, 2010

Mawhinney hands over to Clarke

It's Lord Mawhinney's last day as chairman of the Football League before he hands over to Gregg Clarke who is the former chief executive of Cable and Wireless Communications.

Mawhinney, who has been in charge for the last seven years, has sent a final letter to all Football League chairman listing eight measures he would like to see discussed in the near future.

In particular he is concerned at the perilous financial state of some clubs and has suggested that harsher measures should be taken against those who can not balance their books.

The eight measures as reported by the Daily Telegraph:

1. Tackling rising player wages and agents fees "both of which are in danger of escalating even further".

2. Confidentially using the League's knowledge of player pay to keep wages down in new contracts.

3. Requiring directors who wish to give money to clubs to gift it or buy equity rather than make loans "which hang on as a future threat".

4. To reconsider sharing gate receipts which might "create a morally more sustainable and therefore more attractive brand."

5. To reconsider the football creditors rule, which sees other clubs and players paid by struggling clubs before local businesses and the taxman.

6. To adopt a "fit-to-trade" rule that would prevent club owners taking on unsustainable debt, and consider relegating clubs who do not comply.

7. To encourage club owners and chairmen to engage more with the League.

8. To continue to lobby FIFA and the FA that the transfer window be waived for the Football League.