FSF stress ridiculousness of Scudamore’s £5m leaving present

Oli Fisher

The Football Supporters’ Federation has urged clubs to reject a plan to give outgoing Premier League boss Richard Scudamore a £5million leaving present.

The proposal comes from Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, who chairs the league’s audit and remuneration committee and led the search for Scudamore’s successor Susanna Dinnage.

Her appointment was confirmed on Tuesday but it was overshadowed by the news that Buck had informally asked his fellow club bosses to contribute £250,000 each to thank Scudamore for his 19-year record of negotiating bumper broadcast deals.

In a statement, the FSF said: “Premier League clubs have always told fan groups that budgets are planned in advance and there’s not a surplus of cash lying around from their extremely lucrative TV deal.

“In the meantime, loyal football supporters continue to be inconvenienced by fixture changes to fit TV schedules, often losing out on travel costs or struggling to get to and from games in the first place.

“Now it appears clubs can stick their hands down the back of the sofa and find £250,000 at a moment’s notice. Fans strongly oppose the ‘golden handshake’ and we urge clubs not to make a decision which is hugely unpopular with supporters.

The 59-year-old Scudamore, who has been paid more than £26million during his time in charge, was unaware of Buck’s idea and is understood to be embarrassed that it took the spotlight off the appointment for a woman to British sport’s biggest job.

So far only one club, Cardiff, has come out in favour of the plan, and Press Association Sport understands the proposal will be privately discussed again in London where club bosses have gathered on Thursday for a scheduled Premier League shareholders’ meeting.

The FSF’s objection to the idea follows earlier criticism from fans’ groups including Everton’s The Blue Union and Liverpool’s Spirit of Shankly.

 

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