AFC Fylde owner proposes a change in how players are paid for now

With National League clubs contending with a collapse of their income and unsure when they will be able to open their doors again, Haythornthwaite believes it will be very difficult for out-of-contract players to find new clubs.

In a video interview for the club website, the Coasters chairman said: “I have four players who will be leaving our club on July 1, when they will be out of contract, and nobody is going to offer them a contract.

“We aren’t going to be signing any out-of-contract players after July 1. We have 11 players on contract, who we are committed to paying throughout the summer until the season starts but we aren’t going to sign any more. So we’re going to have hundreds of footballers who don’t have a job.

“What I’ve suggested in the circumstances is saying to players, ‘We’ll sign you on July 1 and maybe give you some pocket money, maybe £250 a week.

“If the games start on – let’s be optimistic – November 1 with no crowds, we’ll pay you £500 a week because you’re doing a job. When we’ve got a crowd we’ll pay you a full wage of £750.

“That’s the proposal I’ve put together. It’s maybe a halfway house for signing some players. Unless we come to some decisions we can’t find a way to help those people or find a way forward.”

Haythornthwaite has been highly critical of the National League, complaining about the competition’s lack of consultation and failure to provide clubs with options to vote on since April.

He has also suggested that the National League reconsiders its insolvency rules at a time when the very existence of clubs is under threat.

The Coasters chief points out that, unlike in most businesses, clubs declared insolvent would have to honour all previous debts if they were relaunched.

He added: “The rules on insolvency provisions cover a lot of pages. You can’t just start up again if you become insolvent.

“I’ve suggested they need to change their insolvency rules, which state that if you go out of business and start up again as a club you have to take care of all your football debts.

“In these circumstances, I’ve suggested they need to look at their insolvency rules because clubs are in a serious position and are unable to negotiate with their creditors.

“From August 1 (when the Government’s furlough scheme enters a new stage) we are going to have to start paying part of players’ salaries again and their National Insurance, so crunch time is going to come.

“I don’t want footballers thinking I’m trying to rip their contracts up, I’m just trying to give them the reality of the situation. There has to be some sort of levelling out.

“The Government aren’t going to give us any more money and I don’t think they should – they’ve given us enough with furlough.

“The Premier League aren’t going to give us a penny. They are a disgrace. They are the ones who should be helping.

“The only money is gate money and there isn’t going to be any of that or sponsorship. The only money that’s going to come in is from people like me, and there are only a handful of us putting a lot of money into clubs.

“Clubs are going to be in serious trouble, so that’s why I’ve asked them to look at the insolvency section.

“I wouldn’t object to a club going into insolvency in these exceptional circumstances. I think it’s fair and there should be an exception made.”