Barry Fry believes Peterborough United have never had a better chance of establishing themselves as a Championship club

Posh have spent just five of their 61 seasons as a Football League club in the second tier of English football and they’ve never survived more than two years in a row. The best Football League finish in Posh history is 10th in the old Division One under Chris Turner’s management in the 1992-92 season - the club’s first season as a second tier club.

But Fry believes the financial issues caused by a pandemic have opened the door for a longer stay as some of the bigger clubs in the division havee far more limited spending power.

“The money just isn’t there at the moment,” Fry, who as a Posh transfer negotiater speaks to rival clubs on a regular basis, stated. “We’ve managed to spend a bit of money, and all credit to the owners for that, but we’ve also had money coming in. Some clubs are really struggling even at Championship level.

“It’s a worry all over the country and I don’t like to see it, but it does mean we will never have a better chance of staying in the Championship.”

The EFL, stung by their recent failure to impose a points deduction on cash-strapped Derby County because of financial irregularities, have promised to hit clubs who break the current financial rules hard, with transfer embargoes one possible sanction.

Derby will be one club looking over their shoulders nervously, but reports suggest as many as 10 EFL clubs are under scrutinty already. Not all of them are in the Championship.

There are fears that the clubs relegated from the Premier League - West Brom, Fulham and Sheffield United - will have a bigger advantage than normal because they will be receiving huge parachute payments from the top flight.

Posh made four new signings last week as goalkeeper David Cornell, defender Josh Knight, midfielder Jorge Grant and forward Jack Marriott all arriving at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Posh are believed to be working on two further transfers ahead of the start of the Championship season on August 7.