Overspending English football clubs shown the yellow card by Brussels

Clubs with a deficit of over 45 Million Euro could be banned from European Competitions.

The EU, with support from UEFA, has made moves which could result in top clubs like Manchester United and Manchester City being excluded from UEFA Competitions including the Champions League and Europa League in an attempt to stop football clubs spending more than they have coming in. East Midlands MEP and Conservative Culture spokesperson Emma McClarkin has condemned this plan and urges the EU to look beyond the balance sheet of our football clubs.

The move came to light following a meeting yesterday between the European Parliament’s Culture Committee and UEFA representative William Gaillard, Michel Platini’s number two at the powerful football organisation.

Under their plan clubs would be forbidden from having a deficit of over 45 Million Euros and those with deficits less than this number would be encouraged to submit plans to break even over a limited number of years. However, expenditure linked to clubs infrastructure such as training, youth academies and social or community projects would be exempted.

The move is an attempt to prevent clubs such as Portsmouth going under whilst, surreptitiously some believe, trying to create a more even playing field for top flight clubs.

Speaking after the meeting, Emma McClarkin MEP said,

“Whilst we welcome moves that encourage football clubs to exercise sound financial judgement, this plan could adversely affect a number of top flight football clubs. Their balance sheets might look as if they are spending more than they have coming in but some are actually the most valuable sports clubs in the world.

“Their exclusion would compromise the quality of European competitions.

“It would be a matter of grave regret and loss to European tournaments if top British Clubs such as Manchester United and Manchester City were excluded purely on the basis of financial performance.”