Last Monday, breaking news emerged from LMA chief executive Richard Bevan, who accused Foreign owners of wanting to abolish relegation and promotion to the top flight of football.
Bevan fears “there are a number of overseas-owned clubs already talking about bringing about the avoidance of promotion and relegation in the Premier League,” he said. “If there are four or five more new owners, that could happen”.
If this is the case and the FA did go through with this it will be the biggest outrage in football history. They can’t just come here and ruin 120 years of history.
Obviously from an investor’s point of view they want to protect their assets, but that doesn’t mean scrap relegation and promotion. If they are so concerned about their team getting relegated they should have properly researched the club they were investing in and ask themselves whether it is even viable and feasible.
Already Wigan Chairmen Dave Whelan and Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson have voiced their opinions.
“If it was to happen I would resign Wigan from the Premier League and go back and play in the Football League,” the Wigan chairman told talkSPORT. “It’s the most stupid suggestion I’ve ever heard in my life.”
While Sir Alex Ferguson has said “You may as well lock the doors. It would be absolute suicide for the rest of the teams in the country, particularly the Championship.” I have to agree with Fergie on this one. What does that mean for teams like West Ham, Portsmouth, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Middlesbrough, Birmingham and the other teams fighting in the lower leagues with such great history. Do you just tell them sorry, the doors are shut and there is a no return policy. It’s the most senseless thing I have ever heard.
It would just shatter any dreams and ambitions from players, managers and fans from lower league clubs who all dream that one day they will be playing in the Premiership. On recent occasions Survival Sunday has become more fascinating than the battle at the top. Do we really want to see that drama and excitement just fade away?
Everyone needs to stand up and voice their opinions. This can’t happen, because if it does then football dies with it.
Current Premier Legaue Owners
- Aston Villa (Randy Lerner)
- Blackburn (Venky’s Group)
- Chelsea (Roman Abramovich)
- Fulham (Mohamed Al Fayed)
- Liverpool (Fenway Sports Group)
- Manchester United (Glazer family)
- Manchester City (Sheikh Mansour)
- Sunderland (Ellis Short)
- QPR (Tony Fernandes)
- *Arsenal’s Stan Kroenke is a majority shareholde
