Football League Wants Transfer Revamp
The Football League has put forward proposals to the UK government to revolutionise the regulations regarding the player transfer system.
The League wants the transfer window scrapped domestically and a transfer ban on clubs that fall behind on their tax payments.
Chairman Lord Mawhinney outlined the plans in a four-page letter to Culture Secretary Andy Burnham.
It was written in response to questions raised by the Government about football finances and the running of the game.
Burnham wrote to The Football Association, Premier League and Football League in October 2008, asking seven different questions.
The Premier League delivered its response earlier this week, outlining plans for greater financial transparency over the running of football clubs including a strengthened fit and proper person’s test.
Mawhinney’s letter was written following discussions with the Football League board and sent to Burnham on 18th May.
In it Mawhinney argues that since FIFA ‘remain implacably opposed’ to altering the current transfer window system, Government help would be needed if it was to be altered to allow domestic transfers.
Currently the transfer window is open from 1st July to 31st August and from 1st to 31st January.
The proposals regarding tax and National Insurance payments are aimed at improving the relationship with Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs.
When a club is in administration it must pay in full its debts to its football creditors – a policy that is opposed by HMRC, which is no longer a preferential creditor and often has to settle for a greatly reduced offer.
In the letter, Mahwinney also expressed a desire to explore the possibility of a joint TV deal with the Premier League. A new Football League television deal starts next season, with 10 live Championship games per season on the BBC.
The new agreements are worth £88m per season to Football League clubs and encompass terrestrial and pay television, broadband internet, video-on-demand and mobile services.
That deal runs until 2012, while the next Premier League deal starts in 2010 and ends in 2013, but Mawhinney is keen to explore the possibility of there being one deal in the future.
