Peterborough United’s anger as co-owner accuses Premier League of attempting to ‘divide and conquer’ the EFL after proposed rescue package is rejected unanimously

Posh co-owner Dr Jason Neale, who attended a meeting of all 72 clubs today (October 15), revealed the Premier League’s proposed £50 million bailout was dependent on the scrapping of the Carabao Cup, a reduction of future solidarity payments by around £400k a year and cheap access to EFL Academies.

Dr Neale also accused the Premier League of attempting to ‘divide and conquer’ the EFL by excluding Championship clubs from the proposed deal and of reneging on their own commitment, made to the UK Government in return for permission to restart the 2019-20 season, to financially help the lower divisions.

Leagues One and Two chose to show solidarity to second tier clubs by unanimously rejecting the Premier League’s offer.

Dr Neale told the Peterborough Telegraph: “The proposal was unanimously and vigorously rejected. The Premier League sought to divide the EFL and place conditions on us that would have scrapped the Carabao Cup, reduced future solidarity payments by about £400k a year, deflated the transfer marker and given them access to our acadamies.

“Providing funding to only 2/3 of our membership smacked of ‘divide and conquer’, but the biggest issues were the conditions. We might as well have closed our academy or become a satellite academy for Leicester City.

“It should also be made clear that the Premier League committed to help the lower leagues months ago as part of the Government’s agreement for them to restart.”

The latest Premier League proposal came in response to the collapse of the Liverpool and Manchester United-backed ‘Project Big Picture.’

But the future for EFL clubs struggling financially without fans in the stadium is again unclear. Some are expected to file for administration in the next couple of months if a bailout is not received from the Premier League or the Government.