Kieran Maguire tips Sunderland to ‘back’ Neville and company as £59m incentive explained
Sunderland are one of the Football League’s bigger revenue generators and will therefore throw their weight behind the fan-led review.
So says finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the proposals in Tracey Crouch’s independent investigation.
The review, released 24 November, advocates an autonomous regulator to safeguard English football and redress its financial imbalances.
The regulator would have the power to introduce and enforce spending controls, such as wage caps, and revise parachute payments.
Speaking to Sky Sports (6 December), Salford City co-owner Gary Neville claimed “95 per cent” of EFL and National League clubs support the review.
Sunderland’s turnover for the 2018-19 financial year, the last not affected by the pandemic, stood at £58.7million.
Maguire claims that the Black Cats’ earning power means they will stand with the 95 per cent in backing the review.
“I think they would back the fan-led review,” he told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams.
“The noises which are coming out of the EFL are that they want to move to a broadly similar wage cap in the Championship which is linked to revenue.
“Sunderland are a big club in the EFL and they would be able to have more money going into their wage budget than others.
“Their revenue would of course increase if they manage to make it to the Championship.
“Also, the proposals involve a recommendation of realignment of revenue distribution. Sunderland would benefit from that while they’re in the EFL.“
Sunderland’s 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle last Saturday (11 December) leaves them 3rd in League One.
The 2021-22 campaign is their fourth in a row in the third tier.
In other news, Kevin Phillips salutes Lee Johnson after “clever” Sunderland transfer reveal.