The £1 billion provided by the Premier League out of the new £5.14bn television deal for grassroots football, solidarity payments to lower leagues, help for the disadvantaged and other purposes has been generally welcomed by fan organisations.
They have also welcomed the intention to make the Premier League a living wage organisation, although some doubts have been expressed about how this will apply to sub-contractors such as match day stewards.
The £1 billion provided by the Premier League out of the new £5.14bn television deal for grassroots football, solidarity payments to lower leagues, help for the disadvantaged and other purposes has been generally welcomed by fan organisations.
They have also welcomed the intention to make the Premier League a living wage organisation, although some doubts have been expressed about how this will apply to sub-contractors such as match day stewards.
However, non-league clubs are worried that clubs at Step 3 and Step 4 of the non-league system in the Northern Premier, Southern and Isthmian (Ryman) leagues will lose out. Football Conference clubs at steps 1 and 2 already receive solidarity payments amounting to £6.9m over three seasons under the present deal.
Grass roots clubs are also eligible for assistance, for example for building 3G pitches, but clubs in Steps 3 and 4 could be left in a no man’s land. One of the problems is exactly how one defines ‘grass roots’.