Premier League Clubs Neglecting the EFL: Barry Fry Speaks Out
Barry Fry, the director of football at Peterborough United, has criticized the Premier League for its lack of support towards lower-league clubs. Fry’s comments come after Peterborough received a £4 million sell-on fee from Ivan Toney’s recent move from Brentford to Saudi club Al-Ahli. Despite the substantial transfer fee, Fry believes that the EFL teams have experienced their worst transfer window to date.
Premier League clubs spent an astonishing £2 billion during the summer transfer window, with Chelsea leading the pack by spending a whopping £208 million. This amount is £1 billion more than what Serie A clubs, the next-highest spenders in Europe’s major leagues, invested. While the significant spending by Premier League clubs grabs headlines, Fry is most concerned about the lack of a new funding deal for the 72 EFL clubs.
Fry expressed his fear for the future of EFL clubs, stating, “I am frightened to death about the future of EFL clubs. Premier League clubs don’t give a s**t about anybody but themselves – they forget where they’ve come from half of them.” His concerns highlight the growing disparity between the financial resources available to Premier League clubs and those in the lower divisions.
Karren Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham, argued in a recent column that the lower leagues are earning and generating more money than ever before. She cited Championship clubs’ £300 million in player sales and the £935 million paid by Sky to the EFL over five years. Brady also pointed out that the Premier League, under the leadership of CEO Richard Masters, is contributing £1.6 billion over three years to support the game at all levels.
However, Fry believes that the EFL is not receiving a fair deal from the Premier League. He stated, “We have the best system in the world going through the EFL right down the pyramid, and it’s going to be destroyed by the Premier League.” Fry insists that a fair distribution system and government regulation are necessary to protect the lower leagues from financial collapse.
The current business climate further exacerbates the challenges faced by club owners. Fry acknowledges that many owners are struggling with their own businesses and do not have spare cash to support their football clubs. He emphasizes the importance of every club to its community and calls for greater support and appreciation for the entire pyramid system.
Fry’s comments shed light on the growing disparity between the Premier League’s financial power and the struggles faced by EFL clubs. While top-flight clubs continue to spend exorbitant amounts on transfers, the lower leagues are left to fend for themselves. The concerns raised by Fry and others highlight the need for a fairer distribution of funds and stronger support for clubs at all levels of English football.