Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Town chief Brian Caldwell fears for EFL clubs

Chief executive Brian Caldwell feels lower league football clubs face ‘real concerns’ over their futures – but adds Shrewsbury Town enter new Covid-19 measures from a position of strength.

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Town and all lower league football clubs suffered a concerning setback yesterday when the government announced that the return of fans to stadia, scheduled for October 1, had been ‘paused’ for up to six months due to fears of a second wave.

Clubs outside of the top two divisions have pushed for the return of supporters due to a lack of matchday income and the latest update – just days after Shrewsbury’s successful pilot fixture at Montgomery Waters Meadow – throws the future of Football League clubs in the air.

Caldwell explained that Shrewsbury’s sound financial footing leaves them in as healthy as position as can be expected heading into the uncertain weeks and months ahead.

“Matchday income is so important to League One and League Two clubs as it’s a far higher percentage of turnover than in the Premier League and Championship, due to their TV monies, so it must be a real worry for clubs,” Caldwell told the Shropshire Star.

“Luckily we have one of the strongest financial positions in the EFL but I would think that there will be quite a few clubs waking up to this potential news today with real concerns for the future of their clubs.”

Town had hoped, in the wake of the Sports Ground Safety Authority rating their pilot against Northampton as ‘10 out of 10’, to use four stands to welcome all 2,700 season ticket holders, while social distancing, to the Meadow in the next home league game against Gillingham on October 3.

The Meadow CEO does at least hope that, having completed a successful pilot fixture, Shrewsbury are in a position of strength for when the green light is given for fans to return.

Caldwell added: “Having done so well with the pilot at the weekend we hoped we would be able to move on to the next stage for the Gillingham game and be able to operate our full social-distancing plan in opening all four stands.

“My hope is that by at least running a successful pilot we are in a better place than the other 65 EFL clubs who haven’t done one, whenever we can move forward.”

Speaking in May, Caldwell warned that no supporters at stadia until 2021 could mean losses of up to £2million to Shrewsbury Town and other clubs.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday: “I recognise the implications for our sports clubs which are the life and soul of our communities, and my right honourable friends the Chancellor and the Culture Secretary are working urgently on what we can do now to support them.”

It is is understood Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden met with a range of sports leaders yesterday afternoon.

The situation remains fluid but sport bosses are not believed to have reached any agreement regarding emergency funding.