Portsmouth welcome Football League U-turn as salary cap voting rights withdrawn from Wycombe, Rotherham and Coventry

The Football League have staged a U-turn after removing salary cap voting rights from Wycombe, Rotherham and Coventry.
August 6 will decide the outcome of the salary cap which Pompey are strongly opposed to. Picture: Joe PeplerAugust 6 will decide the outcome of the salary cap which Pompey are strongly opposed to. Picture: Joe Pepler
August 6 will decide the outcome of the salary cap which Pompey are strongly opposed to. Picture: Joe Pepler

The trio, who have been promoted to the Championship, had been earmarked a say in whether League One would adopt a wage ceiling.

The decision prompted heavy criticism from Mark Catlin, who also revealed the three clubs relegated from the Championship would be barred from voting.

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However, the Football League have now had a rethink ahead of the August 6 voting date.

It means the relegated Charlton, Wigan and Hull are allowed an input – replacing Wycombe, Rotherham and Coventry.

Catlin told The News: ‘There has been a change. The three relegated Championship clubs are going to be allowed to vote - and the promoted ones aren’t going to be allowed.

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‘I cannot see how anyone can morally argue against that decision.

‘Even the clubs I know of who will be supporting the salary cap proposals, absolutely agreed that morally it was wrong not to allow the clubs coming into this league a vote on it.

‘I have been speaking to quite a few of the Championship clubs ahead knowing the relegation spaces, so they are up to speed with the situation and must now come to their own decisions.

‘Obviously the three relegated Championship clubs all have their own internal issues at the moment financially, so we’ll have to see how they do this.

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‘I am pretty certain the vote will take place on August 6, so we will find out soon.’

As a result, he no longer believes the vote will be weighed as heavily in favour of approval than previously thought.

He added: I don’t think there is a certainty that the salary cap will go through.

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‘There seems to be an ever-growing number of clubs which may vote against it, but I think a lot of those may look at it and, given the financial situation, see it as the best of a bad job.

‘It doesn’t tick everyone's boxes, but, on the whole, it means clubs’ costs are going to be brought down.

‘Unfortunately for us, they are going to be brought down to a level which is far too low for Pompey and too high for other clubs,

‘This was supposed to be about sustainability, but, having spoken to a number of chief executives and owners, it is setting out what they wanted – which is the levelling out of the playing field.

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‘If that means clubs can fall behind a regulation which ensures they don’t have to spend money, it will gain quite a substantial amount of support in League One.’

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EFL salary cap explained

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