EFL clubs will start to disappear ‘in five or six weeks’ if bailout doesn’t arrive as Project Big Picture goes to vote

Leyton Orient chairman Nigel Travis says Project Big Picture is the best and only proposal that has been put forward to save lower-league clubs and hit back as criticism from government officials

The English Football League will meet on Tuesday to discuss Project Big Picture, with chairman Rick Parry warned that failure to secure a financial rescue package for the 72 clubs could see them go out of business in just “five or six weeks”.

Parry has backed plans proposed by Liverpool and Manchester United that would shake up the English football pyramid, with the Premier League pledging to give 25 per cent of revenues to the EFL clubs along with an immediate £250m payment to ease their financial troubles, which is threatening the very existence of a number of professional sides.

In return, the Premier League would be reduced to 18 teams and both the Carabao Cup and Community Shield would be scrapped, along with a shift in who controls the league as the ‘Big Six’ would gain a significant level of voting power, along with established clubs Everton, West Ham United and Southampton.

The vote is expected to go in favour of the proposals as EFL clubs are desperate for financial aid, and Leyton Orient chairman Nigel Travis painted a bleak picture of what will happen if the rescue package doesn’t arrive in the coming weeks.

"If clubs don't get something soon you will see clubs disappear, I would predict, within five-six weeks," Travis told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"One thing I need to quash is, this isn't about the pandemic, this is about a crisis in football that goes back many years.

"Before the pandemic, 75 per cent of clubs were losing money - that can't continue. The pandemic has, if you like, exacerbated the problem and we need to get it fixed.

"I know you are talking about 'Project Big Picture' - this is a great proposal as far as we are concerned. It is certainly very promising and clubs need it.

"Something like this has to go through."

EFL chairman Parry is under pressure to deliver the new structure given the move has infuriated government officials, who have been in talks to bail out much of the Football League. Boris Johnson’s official spokesman criticised the secret nature of the talks on Monday, while culture secretary Oliver Dowden expressed his fear that the ‘Big Six’ are using the vulnerable position of the EFL for a “power grab” that did not sit right with him, nor the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Should the proposals fail, the backlash to the plans could see the government pull the plug on any financial rescue package. It’s understood that a payment is being prepared to save League One and Two clubs, but the government have privately called on the Premier League to assist the Championship sides. However, this latest move may have jeopardised those plans, particularly in light of the Premier League clubs choosing to charge fans £14.95 per game for non-televised matches and spending around £1.2bn in the recent transfer window.

But Travis believes the government are the ones to blame given they instructed the Premier League to club the lower leagues, which has in turn helped to rush through Project Big Picture that had been discussed behind the scenes for a number of years.

Travis backed the proposals being pushed by Liverpool owner John W Henry (Getty)

"The real villains here are the government," added Orient chairman Travis. "They've thrown football into a difficult situation. They said the Premier League has to bail out the EFL.

"I understand that but now they are complaining about what is coming out of some creative people.

"Just to be brutally honest, I live in Boston (in the United States). I know (Liverpool owner) John W Henry. He and I have not personally discussed this but I am supportive of the proposal because this is going to save clubs like Leyton Orient and many other clubs in League One and Two.

"The reality is you need to save football and this is the only and best proposal I've seen. The government did a great job with the furlough programme but they've given the EFL no chance other than to negotiate with the Premier League.

"As of a week ago, as far as I know, all the Premier League came up with was £50m - that is not enough.

"The £250m that has been talked about and the 25 per cent share is clearly going to create a sustainable model and that's what we need in football. If there are better proposals, I would love to hear them."