Non-professional football in England to scrap relegation and promotion

All football in England was postponed, initially until 3 April but with no signs of the coronavirus pandemic waning, matches will not be played until 30 April at the earliest.

The suspension has affected football at all levels with clubs taking a financial hit through loss of gate receipts along with other sources of income.

Championship side Birmingham City, for instance, have asked their players earning over 6000 pounds per week to take a 50% pay cut with the promise of having their salaries topped up again when the new season starts. It is an initiative which several other clubs have taken on themselves.

Acording to The Telegraph, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has called for a meeting with officials from clubs in both of the top two divisions to arrange a cut of up to 50% in players' salaries to help those who are struggling and those who might be in the situation doesn't improve.

That is the case for League Two club Forest Green Rovers who have sought help through a government scheme which basically allows employees to remain on the payroll and claim up to 80 per cent of their wages up to a limit of 2,500 pounds per month. And they are not an isolated case in England.

"The PFA has called for an urgent meeting with both the Premier League and English Football League to discuss the impact that the Covid-19 crisis is having on the finances of both clubs and players", an official statement read, "As with other industries, the current Covid-19 crisis is having a severe impact on the finances of the game. Several clubs have already approached players with a view to imposing pay deferrals. In these difficult times, there is a strong public consensus for football to be seen as acting in solidarity with other workers and industries affected by the crisis".