Andy Burnham: ‘The Sustainability Index… who could argue against that?’

ANDY BURNHAM delivered a ringing endorsement of Fair Game’s vision for the future yesterday at the launch of its manifesto at Plough Lane, the home of AFC Wimbledon.

The Mayor of Manchester ran through several key elements of the 48-page document Putting Pride Back In The Shirt and singled out the proposed Sustainability Index for particular praise.

The Index looks at redistributing the parachute payments down the pyramid based on how clubs perform against four criteria: Equality Standards, Fan Engagement, Financial Sustainability and Good Governance.

Currently clubs relegated from the Premier League are given £55m in a parachute payment - that’s more than is given to all 48 clubs in League One and League Two combined.

Andy Burnham said: “I feel that there is a groundswell of feeling that change is needed. We have to get back to protecting the best interest of our game, to protecting the great institutions of ours for future generations.

“That notion of a sustainability index seems to me to be unanswerable, who could argue against that?”

He went onto praise Fair Game’s proposals for protecting the heritage and traditions of clubs and tacking the owners and directors test and added: “I fully support independent regulation backed by government. I think the time has come. And the time has come for clubs themselves to step forward and say this is what is needed and that’s why Fair Game is so important.

“If the Fair Game manifesto was implemented in full, I believe it would have the support of 90% plus of football supporters in this country. It secures it for future generations. It deserves our support. And I’m here to give my support. We need to make this a moment of unstoppable momentum for change in English football.”