EFL chairman doesn't want a 'begging-bowl culture' from clubs to the Premier League during coronavirus outbreak

Luton Town and the rest of the English Football League should not get their 'begging bowl' out to the Premier League and ask for financial support during the coronavirus pandemic, according to EFL chairman Rick Parry.

Last week, the EFL said it would release a £50m short-term relief fund to help clubs with cash-flow issues, although this was money that the clubs were already due to receive over the final few months of the season.

A number of club chairman, including Town chief executive Gary Sweet, have insisted the Premier League should help by releasing some of their huge reserves of cash, especially with the season now suspended until April 30 at the earliest.

This isn't the view of Parry though, who speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, said: "I'm not a fan of the begging-bowl culture.

"(Rather than) just looking for handouts, it's better to go with a self-help mentality, saying 'this is what we've done, this is the problem that we find ourselves in, so how can we all help to produce a better future?'

"I think it's much better, in dialogue with the Premier League, to talk about sustainable futures and how we might be able to have a reset going forward."

That went against what Sweet had hoped would happen when the season was originally suspended, as he said: "If the football family exists, the football family needs to act now.

"There’s only one way that distribution can happen and that’s from the top to the bottom.

“The Premier League has a £1.5billion cash reserve. What is going to happen to that if they can’t help clubs lower down the pyramid?"

Commercial director at League One club AFC Wimbledon, Ivor Heller, had suggested top flight players should offer 20% of their salaries to help the lower levels of the pyramid.

But Parry urged a more sustainable solution for the EFL's 71 member clubs needed to be looked at, referring to the spending taking place before the pandemic struck, continuing: "We've already been looking at measures to control costs.

"In the Championship, wages represent 107% of turnover of clubs.

"That is completely and utterly unsustainable in any climate. In this climate, it comes home to roost very quickly when there's no money coming through the door.

"We need to have better cost-control measures. I'm sure we will because, if this doesn't focus minds, frankly, what will."

Finally, Parry dismissed claims that the season could be finished by June, adding: "The idea that this is going to be neatly over in June and next season starts in August, I think is wishful thinking.

"I think there's going to be a knock-on effect for 18 months so we need a lot of flexibility."