The outgoing Football League chairman, Brian Mawhinney, stated that it is inevitable that salary capping will occur because the current business model of England’s professional football league cannot be sustained without change.
Mawhinney stepped down from his position of chairman on Friday to Greg Clarke after seven years with a harsh warning that the clubs are spending more on players’ wages then is actually in their budget.
He continued to say that the business model is broken which can be seen throughout the administrations and that some clubs actually spend around 85% of their income on wages, which is not a sustainable business model in any setting.
In terms of a salary cap, Mawhinney stated that the Championship clubs are not ready to commit to the idea but it will need to happen down the line because it simply will not be sustainable in the long term. He strongly campaigned for the introduction of a cap throughout his tenure as the Chairman of the League, which he concedes that many did not approve of him due to the fact that he was so vocal on the matter.
In particular, Mawhinney was questioned about Stockport County whose club has faced administration since the month of April last year, and there is still no resolution. If they do not figure out a way to get out of the whole by next season the team will be in breach of Football League regulations. He stated that if he were a fan of the team he would be quite concerned.