League 1 & 2 salary cap & smaller squad sizes

Football League salary caps of £2.5m for League One and £1.25m for League Two proposed

Exclusive: Clubs are being asked to vote on slashing their squad sizes in a move that could drive youth development

Squad salary caps of just £2.5million for League One and £1.25million for League Two are being proposed by the English Football League – with automatic points deductions for clubs who fail to pay their players on time. The caps would represent significant cuts at a number of clubs.

Telegraph Sport also understands that clubs in the two divisions are being asked to vote on slashing their squad sizes – with just 20 senior players (those aged over 21) per squad. Of those at least eight have to be home-grown players.

Statistics show that, on average, and as of September 1 2019, League One clubs have 28 senior players per squad with the average in League Two being 26 players. The restrictions will not apply to players aged under 21 in a drive to encourage youth development.

The proposals have been put forward by the EFL’s Financial Controls Working Party, which met last week, and have been circulated to all the clubs following a survey. They will eventually go to a vote with EFL chairman Rick Parry determined to introduce a salary cap for all the divisions having recently claimed the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a £200million financial hole by the end of September. Parry told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee that a salary cap and other cost controls measures were “absolutely essential”.

It is hoped the changes will come into force for next season – 2020-21 – with clubs given a season to adjust their squad numbers although they will only be allowed a maximum of 22 senior players for one campaign. Clubs relegated from the Championship will also be given a transition season to make changes with clubs still waiting to hear if the salary cap proposals for that division which are also being drawn up. The caps will not include bonuses to be paid to players if their club is promoted.

However the figures are surprisingly low and will shock some clubs who will argue they will hamper owner investment. Only last week Dale Vince, the chairman of League Two Forest Green, said he was in favour of a cap but suggested it should be a fixed amount of £3.6million for League One and £2million for League Two.

Crucially the proposals also state that “automatic points deductions for non-payment of player wages is proposed as a regulation change”. This was first discussed after the collapse of Bury who won promotion from League Two, signed 14 players and defaulted on their wages before being expelled.

Points deductions will also be considered for clubs who break the rules on salary caps by disclosing information. It is understood the EFL will need a majority of 75 per cent of clubs for the proposals to be accepted.

Complete and utter joke.

Agree!

Sanity has broken out!

Never understood why Clubs losing money (like Argyle) build large squads with some players barely getting a handful of games. It's also blatantly obvious that the most successful teams tend to be those that make fewer changes. It should be remembered that even before football was suspended, 10-15% of League 2 players were not getting paid the wages they should have been.

The better Managers would shine as the onus would be on getting the best you can from the players available-so the better (more adaptable) players would benefit as well. And anything that encourages home grown talent rather than mediocre imports (not necessarily from abroad) has to be good for the game.

Any Club with a cash surplus would, of course, be free to buy better players in (subject to squad limits) in effect redistributing their  comparative wealth.

An average salary of about £1000/wk seems reasonable for a Fourth Division player.

Grovehill wrote:

Sanity has broken out!

Never understood why Clubs losing money (like Argyle) build large squads with some players barely getting a handful of games. It's also blatantly obvious that the most successful teams tend to be those that make fewer changes. It should be remembered that even before football was suspended, 10-15% of League 2 players were not getting paid the wages they should have been.

The better Managers would shine as the onus would be on getting the best you can from the players available-so the better (more adaptable) players would benefit as well. And anything that encourages home grown talent rather than mediocre imports (not necessarily from abroad) has to be good for the game.

Any Club with a cash surplus would, of course, be free to buy better players in (subject to squad limits) in effect redistributing their  comparative wealth.

An average salary of about £1000/wk seems reasonable for a Fourth Division player.

So many holes to pick in your post....

But lets start with "It should be remembered that even before football was suspended, 10-15% of League 2 players were not getting paid the wages they should have been."

Really?  Care to explain that statement and give a few examples?

Oldham Scunnie and Mac'field all failed to pay on time or had to ask PFA for help during the season

Grovehill wrote:

Oldham Scunnie and Mac'field all failed to pay on time or had to ask PFA for help during the season

...and how is that situation going to be alieviated by a wage cap?  Surely your solution is not pay the players so little that anybody can afford to pay them?

Clubs will be forced to pay sensible wages!

And before anyone says that that's the fault of club owners, just remember that under the guidance of financial whizz kid Simon, Argyle were losing money before the lockdown.

Football must be unique in that no other business would "budget" to spend more than they can afford.

Grovehill wrote:

Clubs will be forced to pay sensible wages!

And before anyone says that that's the fault of club owners, just remember that under the guidance of financial whizz kid Simon, Argyle were losing money before the lockdown.

Football must be unique in that no other business would "budget" to spend more than they can afford.

Apart from Pilgrim Pasties/Pastries

Les Miserable wrote:

Grovehill wrote:

Clubs will be forced to pay sensible wages!

And before anyone says that that's the fault of club owners, just remember that under the guidance of financial whizz kid Simon, Argyle were losing money before the lockdown.

Football must be unique in that no other business would "budget" to spend more than they can afford.

Apart from Pilgrim Pasties/Pastries

Target travel, FES, FIL.....you could pretty well add any pasoti sponsors to that list.