Fleetwood Town chief Steve Curwood visits Parliament seeking help for desperate clubs 'about to go bust'

While the Town squad travelled to London for Tuesday's match at Charlton Athletic, Curwood took a detour to Westminster to address MPs and the media about the plight of the national game.

Curwood and Town owner Andy Pilly have both spoken out passionately about the need for investment in football at a time its own revenue streams have dwindled with no spectators attending matches.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Curwood said: "The MPs we've met are very supportive and understand the plight of the EFL clubs at the moment.

"And I think it's their job now, and they're trying desperately to do it, to allow those in the cabinet and those who can actually pull these triggers to actually make these things happen.

"There's only so much everyone can do to just keep banging the drum and tell the cabinet and the people involved that the football clubs and the EFL clubs at large are in desperate need of money and about to go bust.

"Not only are there eight clubs who could not pay the wages this month and their tax obligations, that will spiral out of control very quickly

"This is about emergency measures, this is needed now. This isn't something that can be stored up down the line."

Curwood and Pilley were among those who spoke positively last month about 'Project Big Picture', the financial rescue plan which was proposed by Liverpool and Manchester United but overwhelmingly rejected by Premier League clubs.

But Curwood insists responsibility for saving clubs does not rest with the Premier League. He added: "We have the Government thinking that the Premier League can resolve all of this. It keeps batting this away politically to the Premier League to sort this out.

"The Premier League have got their part to play but they cannot solve everything.

"It's a dual process and ultimately the government have got to step in now and support football clubs, which will be lost forever if they do not.

"I'm concerned now for Fleetwood Town as well as the rest of the game. Clubs such as Fleetwood, Oldham, Rochdale, Mansfield, Grisby, Hull - these clubs could be lost forever."

Curwood recently met Blackpool North and Cleveleys MP Paul Maynard at the club’s Poolfoot Farm training base to discuss the perilous position of many EFL clubs.

After that meeting, Curwood told the club website: “It was good to meet and gain support and understanding from Paul Maynard, but I can’t stress enough how quickly EFL now require help from the Government.

“A number of clubs weren’t able to meet October’s financial commitments and have been bailed out by the EFL.

“Next month 10 clubs look likely to be in the same boat and will be unable to make ends meet. There’s no doubt to me we are in serious danger of losing football clubs if we don’t act now.

“At present, we are being forced to play without crowds and subsequently have seen our income streams totally dry up. If something isn’t done, and quickly, then communities could be left without their local football clubs.

“The government have stepped in to help other sectors, throwing millions at arts for example, and we are now calling for MPs to ensure we can save our clubs.”

Town chairman Pilley applauded Curwood’s visit to the seat of Government this week, tweeting that his CEO was "on a mission to save EFL clubs".

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