Government doubles down on criticism of Project Big Picture as Oliver Dowden says ‘no EFL club will go bust’

Culture secretary claims talks with the Premier League and English Football League has led to assurances that clubs will be protected financially as talks over a shake-up of the pyramid continues

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden doubled down on his criticism of football’s Project Big Picture proposals by labelling it “Project Power Grab” ahead of the Premier League’s crunch meeting on Wednesday, but insisted that he had been given assurances that “no EFL club would be allowed to go bust”.

Dowden faced questions from the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee with two focal points on the agenda, with the plan being pushed by Manchester United, Liverpool and English Football League chairman Rick Parry under scrutiny along with the delayed return of fans to sporting events.

Premier League shareholders will meet via videocall to discuss the proposals, though a backlash from the 14 clubs not included among the ‘Big Six’ is expected as they face losing a grip on the current voting scheme in place if the new plans are pushed through. As a result, Dowden painted a bleak view from the government, who have called on the Premier League to “fulfil their duty” to save the EFL without using the Covid-19 crisis to claim a greater share of power over English football.

"I've made clear my scepticism and concern about this,” Dowden said, adding that the submission of the English pyramid to the ‘Big Six’ “tended towards a closed shop”.

An EFL meeting on Tuesday saw clubs across the Championship, League One and League Two express widespread support for Project Big Picture, which would see them land 25 per cent of the Premier League’s television revenue and an immediate £250m rescue package to ease the financial crisis that could see clubs run out of money “within five or six weeks”, according to the Leyton Orient chairman Nigel Travis.

Clubs expressed their desire to see Project Big Picture pushed through because there is no alternative offer on the table to save them from oblivion, but Dowden stressed that he had been given promises that lower-league clubs would be looked after in the event of them going bankrupt.

“No EFL club will go bust,” Dowden said. “I have received reassurances that that will not be allowed to happen”

Pushed by DCMS committee chair Julian Knight to clarify his comments, Dowden said: "Those are the conversations I have had with the EFL and the Premier League, I have received assurances that they would not allow that to happen."

He added: "The money is there. The question I have to ask myself is 'Given there is that much money in football, could we seriously turn around to a pensioner in Hartlepool and say to her that some of her taxes would have to go to support this'?

"We have given wider support to sports, the role of Government is to bring those two sides of the table together.

"I have met extensively with (Premier League chief executive) Richard Masters and (EFL chairman) Rick Parry and we are all pretty convinced this deal can be done."

The EFL expressed overwhelming support for the Project Big Picture proposals (Getty)

However, Dowden left it in little doubt that the government is putting the responsibility of looking after the lower professional leagues onto the top 20 clubs in the top flight.

“We continue to keep the pressure on the Premier League to do this deal,” he said. “They know there is a duty on them to do this, they are engaging in these talks and they need to get it over the line. I made it very clear that is the government’s clear expectation.”

Project Big Picture comes at a delicate time for the Premier League, with clubs looking to charge fans £14.95 to watch any non-televised matches while supporters are not allowed back into stadia. Wednesday’s meeting will see the topic debated further, with The Independent understanding that some clubs are in favour of lowering the fee to £9.95 given the broadcast subscriptions and season tickets that have already been paid for, and Dowden offered a dim view of the new pay-per-view plan.

He added: “All these other things, they jar with this idea of coming together at a period of crisis for the country and for the sport.”