Mark Catlin explains Portsmouth's current stance on Project Big Picture's drive to restructure football

Mark Catlin has pledged to explore ‘the devil in the detail’ before declaring Pompey’s stance on Project Big Picture.
Mark Catlin wants to analyse Project Big Picture's details before declaring Pompey's stance. Picture: Habibur RahmanMark Catlin wants to analyse Project Big Picture's details before declaring Pompey's stance. Picture: Habibur Rahman
Mark Catlin wants to analyse Project Big Picture's details before declaring Pompey's stance. Picture: Habibur Rahman

Backed by Football League chairman Rick Parry, the ‘innovative’ proposals are being paraded as a means of improving the structure of the football pyramid.

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The Football League are on board and claim it will ‘reset the economics and governance across the English football pyramid and in the process, protect the game in both the short and long term’.

However, at present, Pompey are holding fire on going public with their thoughts.

Firstly chief executive Mark Catlin wants time to analyse the proposals and study what the consequences will be for the Blues and fellow League One clubs.

He told The News: ‘As with all things, we take on board a wide view of different opinions, facts and - at this moment in time - both internally and externally we are still looking at the detail.

‘And the devil’s always in the detail.

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‘We received the details yesterday from the EFL, so there is quite a lot to take in.

‘As with all things, we will look at it logically, calmly, speak to people inside the club and people from other clubs.

‘Ultimately we will discuss it with the EFL before coming out with a view on the proposals.

‘There’s a lot to take in - and as always the devil is in the detail.’

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Under the restructure proposals, the Premier League would also grant a £250m bailout to the Football League.

An additional £100m would also be handed to the FA, of which £55m will cover some of the governing body’s losses during the pandemic.

However, in return, the Premier League’s ‘long-term shareholders’ would be granted improved voting rights.

Essentially, that would allow six clubs – the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea – to pass and veto certain new rules.

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That would enable them to have a veto when deciding new club owners and able to prevent changes to the current distribution of broadcast revenues.

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