04/09/20 09:12:00
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04/09 09:10 CDT Southampton becomes 1st EPL club to defer player salaries
Southampton becomes 1st EPL club to defer player salaries
SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) --- Southampton became the first Premier League club
to announce an agreement with players to defer part of their salaries during
the coronavirus pandemic.
Players and coaches at the south-coast team will not be paid their full
salaries during April, May or June "to help protect the future of the club, the
staff that work within it and the community we serve," Southampton said
Thursday.
Southampton also said it will not be placing non-playing staff on the British
government's job retention scheme, which allows businesses to put workers on
furlough and receive 80% of their salaries from the government, up to a maximum
of 2,500 pounds ($3,000) per month.
"Our owners ... have put measures in place to ensure that all staff not
deferring part of their salaries will continue to receive 100% of their pay,
paid in the normal way until June 30," the club said. "Any decision on the
future beyond this date will be made in advance of this, but only when more
information is known."
Tottenham and Newcastle are among the clubs in the world's richest soccer
competition to have taken advantage of a government scheme that was implemented
to help businesses survive the national lockdown. Liverpool did, too, before
performing a u-turn on Monday after a backlash from former players and in the
media.
At a meeting last week, league clubs agreed to consult with their players over
pay deferrals and reductions amounting to 30% of their total annual salary.
The players' union has argued that reducing wages would lead to the British
government losing out on more than 200 million pounds (about $245 million) in
taxes, which in turn would harm the country's National Health Service.
On Wednesday, league players launched a collective initiative called
#PlayersTogether, which will see them generate funds for the NHS and distribute
them where they were most urgently needed during the pandemic.
In a letter shared by a large number of league players via social media, they
made it clear these contributions were "separate to any other club and league
conversations" regarding salary cuts and deferrals.
The Premier League has been suspended indefinitely.
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