Shropshire landlords welcomed today’s EU ruling over TV football and claimed it could help struggling pubs cut costs.

Landlord Gary Stelling said he cancelled his ‘extortionate’ Sky contract at The Park in Wellington as it was costing him £10,000 a year.

And Mr Stelling, who is also landlord of Stellings Lounge Sports Bar in the town’s Whitchurch Road, said he would now look into installing a foreign decoder.

Mr Stelling said: “They have made enough money without any competition.

“Everybody else has competition so why shouldn’t they?

“I have got Sky Sports in Stellings but I had to cancel it in The Park because it was extortionate.”

Ellen Brannan, landlady at The Wheatsheaf in Frankwell, Shrewsbury, said she was paying hundreds of pounds a month on Sky Sports and would now look into the possibility of getting a foreign box.

She said: “The problem with Sky Sports is if you don’t have it, people will go elsewhere.

“Our bill comes to £800 per month, which would be more if we also got ESPN with the package, to show more games.

“That’s more than a mortgage. Now that the case has been won this is something we will look into.”

Portsmouth landlady Karen Murphy, who is at the centre of today’s landmark ruling after she won her right to use a foreign TV decoder to screen Premier League matches, said it had been a ‘Karen versus Goliath’ struggle.

She added: “It’s been the battle of the little guy – these corporate people feel they can throw money at things and just win.

“My reaction is relief, excitement, I’m thrilled.

“It has taken rather a long time, this has been going on for six years, but obviously it’s been worth it.

“I don’t know how it will pan out, I hope it doesn’t go back to the way it was as it’s not fair for the customer.

“I paid £800 for a year’s subscription compared with £700 a month for Sky in my small pub.

“In this climate that’s a massive, massive boost to our income.”

By Peter Finch and Paul Mannion