Portsmouth chief Mark Catlin in blistering attack on government, Premier League and Greg Clarke as Football League clubs fight for their lives

In a wide-ranging interview with The News, Pompey’s chief executive…..

- Branded the Premier League’s rescue package as ‘derisory’, ‘divisive’, and individually worth less than the Blues make from a single match

- Labelled the FA’s Greg Clarke’s B team and Premier League 2 suggestion as ‘perverse, astonishing and disappointing’.

- Described Project Big Picture as having ‘unacceptable’ and ‘unpalatable elements’, yet acknowledged a number of positive aspects which required work.

- Accused the government of ‘bleeding the industry dry’, with no tax relief or financial assistance for struggling football clubs.

On Thursday, Pompey were among League One and League Two clubs who unanimously rejected the Premier League’s proposed £50m rescue package.

Earlier, Premier League clubs had discarded Project Big Picture, a blueprint backed by EFL chairman Rick Parry which also contained financial support to the lower divisions.

The dramatic end to the week now leaves nothing on the table – with cash-strapped clubs still unable to admit supporters and fighting for their futures.

Catlin told The News: ‘Someone somewhere – whether it be the government, the Premier League or both – needs to find a solution for solving this crisis. And it needs to happen soon.

‘If £20m grants had been made available in the first weeks of the pandemic to stop clubs having to borrow then it might, at that point, have been okay.

‘But this is now seven months down the line and it was mooted we receive a relatively paltry offer to cover our losses. It is too little, too late.

‘All the advanced money is running out, it seems there’s an impasse between the Premier League and the EFL, while the government continue to put the blinkers on and their hands over their ears as regards any financial help or even allowing people into stadiums.

‘As I have said for a long time, everyone is playing Punch and Judy with each other while the EFL is in danger of collapsing.

‘Firstly, the offer of a £20m grant was derisory. To put it into perspective, on one match-day we would make significantly more than our share of that grant.

‘That grant and the £30m loan were joined. We couldn’t take just the grant. Both came with lots of additional conditions moving forward – while also trying to drive division in terms of the EFL clubs.

‘The offer was exclusively to League One and League Two. The last time I looked, we were part of a body called the EFL.

‘Movement between clubs and divisions is transient, but they are there to negotiate on behalf of the EFL as a whole, not individual leagues within that.

‘The crisis affects everyone. It's not about helping people out of their indebtedness in regards of pre or post covid decisions, it’s negotiating some sort of payment which covers match-day revenue. It’s about what we have lost financially and that really needs to be the starting point.

‘There were also conditions. The Premier League wanted a greater say in our academies and to park the League Cup.

‘The League Cup is another revenue source for us, we can’t go scrapping it unless someone explains how we are going to find that revenue.

‘There wasn’t any need to vote. It was basically “Does anyone object to the sentiment on the call?. No-one did. It was unanimous in rejection of the offer.’

Driven by Manchester United and Liverpool, among changes trumpeted by Project Big Picture was the reduction of the Premier League from 20 clubs to 18.

It also proposed the scrapping of the Carabao Cup and Community Shield.

Meanwhile, a sideshow emerged involving FA chairman Clarke, who admitted he was involved in advocating the introduction of B teams to the lower leagues and creation of a Premier League 2.

The involvement occurred during early talks over Project Big Picture – and has angered many clubs.

Catlin added: ‘In my opinion, the comments of Greg Clarke does not reflect well on him or the FA.

‘I find it bizarre that someone you look to for some calmness and leadership – ie the chairman of the FA – should even mention the words ‘B teams’ and breaking up the EFL.

‘Rick’s proposal, warts and all, was a starting point. At its core was trying to keep the EFL together, yet was roundly criticised for that.

‘There were areas of Project Big Picture which were unpalatable and unacceptable as we all know, it needed to be looked at, the devil is always in the detail, but fundamentally Rick’s proposals sought to keep the EFL together.

‘Greg Clarke’s proposals, on the face of it, looked to bust up the pyramid. I find that perverse, astonishing and disappointing.

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‘Project Big Picture, with £250m to be given out, was actually getting to near the figure required.

‘There were some unpalatable elements, specifically in regards to conceding power to the big six, but its fundamental premise meant there was a lot of good coming out of those proposals.

‘For instance, slimmed down parachute payments would allow clubs to be limited in what they can spend in the Championship.

‘We were in favour of what it meant to the EFL. Whether that was palatable or acceptable to supporter federations, the Premier League and football in general creates a different picture.

‘Although, given its lack of detail, I don’t believe we would have signed up for Project Big Picture in its current form.’

With both proposals this week rejected, the situation remains unresolved as lower league clubs edge closer towards financial oblivion.

Pompey last received match-day revenue on March 10, when Fleetwood visited Fratton Park in midweek for a 2-2 draw.

That was more than seven months ago – and Catlin believes only through government and Premier League financial cooperation can impending disaster be averted.

He added: ‘This is very much a government issue. True, the Premier League have a level of responsibility, but, ultimately, it’s a government issue.

‘The government stops our fans coming to games when we want to generate revenue, while allowing people to go to the opera, the cinema and theatres. I find that beyond any sort of rationale that can be justified.

‘Make your mind up, how dangerous is the pandemic? If it’s as dangerous as you say it is then we all need to follow the same rules.

‘If it’s not, then allow us to have our fans back into stadiums – because you’ve allowed it in other industries.

‘Direct taxes in football brings in more than £3 billion a year. It’s a huge generator of revenue for the British economy.

‘Despite the climate, the government are still, at this moment, taking 20 per cent tax off us, whereas other industries are benefiting with five per cent.

‘Every time someone buys an iFollow pass, 20 per cent of that goes to the government. Our club alone have paid almost £2m in direct taxes since lockdown.

‘You cannot keep squeezing as much as they are. Either give us some breaks on tax or give us a bail out. You can’t bleed an industry dry.

‘That is exactly what the government are doing at the moment, while painting the Premier League to be the bad guy.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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