Project Big Picture to be abandoned as Premier League offer further support to lower divisions

Premier League clubs - including Leeds United and Sheffield United - met on Wednesday to discuss the PBP plans, with Football Association chairman Greg Clarke warning on Tuesday that his organisation stood ready to intervene if it felt the proposals brought forward threatened the structure of the game.

He said he had walked away from PBP discussions last spring "when the principal aim of these discussions became the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few clubs with a breakaway league mooted as a threat".

The PBP proposals, led by Liverpool and Manchester United, became public earlier this week following news of discussions with EFL chairman Rick Parry and have split opinion.

The plan's backers wanted to reduce the Premier League from 20 to 18 clubs and scrap the EFL Cup and under the plan, the EFL would get 25 per cent of all future TV deals, which would be negotiated jointly, plus a £250m bail-out.

The proposals drew support from many EFL clubs, with Rotherham United chairman Tony Stewart, Middlesbrough chief Steve Gibson and Barnsley co-chairman Paul Conway among those backing the radical move to restructure finances across football, while also potentially saving struggling lower-division clubs from going to the wall.

The plan required 14 of the 20 current top-flight clubs to vote in favour, but encountered major oposition from those who felt it represented a power-grab by the top six clubs.

But the project has been abandoned, with the Premier League issuing a statement saying that the stakeholders have agreed to work together on a plan for the future structures and financing of English football.

The statement read: "All 20 Premier League clubs today (Wednesday) unanimously agreed that "Project Big Picture" will not be endorsed or pursued by the Premier League, or The FA.

"Further, Premier League Shareholders agreed to work together as a 20-club collective on a strategic plan for the future structures and financing of English football, consulting with all stakeholders to ensure a vibrant, competitive and sustainable football pyramid.

"Clubs will work collaboratively, in an open and transparent process, focusing on competition structure, calendar, governance and financial sustainability.

"This project has the full support of The FA and will include engagement with all relevant stakeholders including fans, Government and, of course, the EFL.

"Also at today’s meeting it was agreed to make available a rescue package which aims to ensure that League One and League Two clubs will not go out of business as a result of the financial impact of COVID-19 and be able to complete the 2020/21 season.

"League One and League Two clubs rely more heavily on matchday revenue and have fewer resources at their disposal than Championship or Premier League clubs and are therefore more at risk, especially at a time when fans are excluded from attending matches.

This offer will consist of grants and interest-free loans totalling a further £50million on top of the £27.2million solidarity payments already advanced to League One and League Two this year, making a total of £77.2million.

"Discussions will also continue with the EFL regarding Championship clubs’ financial needs. This addresses Government concerns about lower league clubs’ financial fragility.

"Football is not the same without attending fans and the football economy is unsustainable without them. The Premier League and all our clubs remain committed to the safe return of fans as soon as possible.

Earlier, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden urged EFL chief Parry to "stop being distracted over this latest wheeze" concerning the revolutionary plans and focus on talks with the Premier League to secure a rescue package for his competition.

Dowden took a dim view of the proposals which first became public knowledge over the weekend, describing them as 'Project Power Grab' and reiterated that a fan-led review of the game's governance would have to be brought forward "imminently" if the leagues could not settle their differences.

Dowden told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee: "I've made clear my scepticism and concern about this.

"We know from the conversations we have had that the EFL clubs will not be allowed to go bust, there are the resources there, but we need a comprehensive deal and this is a distraction at best from that.

"What it demonstrates is that we were wise to put in our manifesto provisions for a fan-led review because it genuinely brings into question the ability of football to govern itself properly.

"I have met extensively with (Premier League chief executive) Richard Masters and (EFL chairman) Rick Parry and we are all pretty convinced this deal can be done.

"The Premier League have indicated their willingness to do this, I hope the EFL will stop being distracted by this latest wheeze over the weekend and come seriously to the table and do the deal."