League deal agreed

THE DEAL has been done — but Athletic still have reservations over the agreement between the Premier League and the Football League over solidarity payments.

The Premier League’s take-it-or-leave it offer was accepted yesterday, which means Athletic and other League One clubs will pick up a guaranteed £325,000 over each of the next three seasons in exchange for regulatory change in the lower leagues.

The deal also means that parachute payments from the Premier League to relegated sides will more than double to £48million over four years, with many chairman worried that this would lead to a further widening of the gap between the Championship and the divisions below.

“We voted in favour, but felt that we were forced into a corner by the Premier League with no room for manoeuvre,” said Athletic chief executive Alan Hardy, referring to today’s 5pm deadline before the offer was revoked by the Premier League.