EFL clubs urged to sue government after being cut out of £300m bailout
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English Football League (EFL) clubs should unite and sue the government for excluding them from its sport bailout, says one owner.
The Sports Winter Survival Package last month issued £300m of emergency funding to offset the financial impact of Covid-19.
Rugby union received £135m and horse racing £40m, but the only funding for football was reserved for the non-league game.
That left EFL clubs in the second, third and fourth tier reliant on a Premier League rescue package largely made up of loans.
Peterborough United president Darragh MacAnthony called on other owners to join forces and sue the government.
“All clubs in EFL need to put legal fund together to look at suing government over bailing out other industries and leaving ours to wither away with no loans on offer or proper help whilst stopping us earning a living,” MacAnthony wrote on Twitter.
“The government need to open their wallets now like they did with other industries.”
MacAnthony’s comment come after the government placed more parts of south east England into Tier 3 restrictions.
The move means that, after weeks of small crowds, Peterborough’s matches will go back behind closed doors again.
He added in a video clip on Instagram: “This government just want to destroy our industry. They’re finishing so many businesses off, it’s horrendous.
“We were safe with 2,000 fans, having a break. It was good for their mental health. That’s all gone out of the window now.”
The government refused to give funding to professional football, citing the large sums generated at the top of the English game.