Fleetwood Town chiefs support Liverpool and Manchester United proposals to fund EFL

Andy Pilley has described the Liverpool/Manchester United proposal as 'fantastic'

Joey Barton welcomes back the Fleetwood Town of last season

'Project Big Picture' put forward by the two North West giants would provide a £250m rescue package for the EFL, with a 25 per cent share of future Premier League TV revenue.

In return, Liverpool and United wish to see a reduced Premier League, an end to the EFL Cup and Community Shield, and greater voting powers for nine top-flight clubs.

Fleetwood chairman Pilley, who has spoken passionately imploring the Premier League to help the financially-stricken EFL clubs, tweeted: "Fantastic proposal which will save EFL clubs from financial oblivion.

"It means all clubs become sustainable, much to the benefit of fans and the communities they represent.

"Of course there are conditions but they are reasonable and in the best interest in the future of our game."

Town chief executive Steve Curwood hit back at those dismissing the proposal as an opportunistic bid by two clubs to concentrate power in the hands of an elite few.

Curwood told BBC Radio Lancashire: "The proposals have merits and shouldn't be cynically summarily judged on the basis it's Liverpool and Manchester United putting them out and they want all the power.

"We need to look right underneath the detail at what it actually means for the game rather than just make our own minds up very quickly. There's a lot to come out on this.

"We are six months down the line now (in the pandemic) and a comprehensive package to reflect the losses (of clubs) has not yet come to the table.

"For one set of clubs to bring something to the table that has some coherence about what we should be doing to distribute the revenues more equitably should be debated.

"They are the first group of people to put something on the table which does create some level of sustainability forever and a day potentially, and it should not be dismissed overnight.

"The contentious elements about voting rights and the disparity of payments in the Premier League may be unpalatable for a number of clubs, but this is one group of clubs putting their front foot forward as you do in any negotiation. Then it's about the detail and that compromise to make sure that in future the monies we know are in football can be distributed more equitably to support the pyramid."