CARMA GEDDON

‘The Ferraris and Lambos will go... the Prem League bubble will burst’

- JOHN CROSS

PAUL SCALLY has warned players must take wholesale wage cuts – or 1,000 of them will end up on the dole.

The Gillingham chairman insists that professionals at all levels, from Premier League down to League Two, will have to reduce their contracts drastically to save football after the coronavirus crisis.

Businessman Scally (right) believes up to 45 clubs in the EFL will be in danger unless the “reset button” is pressed and even top-flight clubs will struggle to pay wages.

Scally, one of the biggest voices in the EFL, believes there should be a “solidarity plan” where every club comes together and wants to see:

• Agreed wholesale wage cuts and no poaching players from each other – players will have to accept it.
• Wealthy Premier League giants providing loans to keep lower division clubs alive.
• A solidarity tax to force clubs who pay fines on overspending into a pot to ease the cash crisis.
• Every player drastically reducing their costs for the next three months to save football.

Scally said: “If the PFA says players won’t take a pay cut, then you will find most clubs in Leagues One and Two won’t be paying them.