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ENGLAND

Non-professional football in England to scrap relegation and promotion

A lot of clubs in England are having serious economic problems dealing with the break in competition and have been looking for for the most viable solutions.

Las instalaciones del Bournemouth, club de la Premier League, cerradas.
Naomi BakerGetty Images

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  are keen to call a meeting with the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) to discuss what action can be taken to help clubs who are set to face serious financial losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

"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".

Elsewhere, the English FA deemed that as far as non-professional league football is concerned, the current season is officially over and as a result, no teams will be relegated or promoted. Amateur leagues will start next season with the same clubs that ended this one.