'A Faustian Pact that would have made Machiavelli blush' - Leeds United chief Angus Kinnear slams 'treacherous' Project Big Picture

The Elland Road CEO has welcomed the collective rejection of what to him was a 'Faustian Pact' - an act he has likened to selling the Premier League's soul in return for riches.

Project Big Picture was a set of proposals put forward by the owners of Manchester United and Liverpool, with the backing of EFL chairman Rick Parry, which would have given special voting rights to nine Premier League sides, reduced the top flight by two clubs, abolished the League Cup and parachute payments and provided a rescue package for the EFL.

It was rejected unanimously at a Premier League meeting last week and has drawn stinging criticism from Kinnear.

"This week followers of football politics will have revelled in the particularly colourful publication of 'Project Big Picture'," he wrote in his programme notes for tonight's home game against Wolves.

"Fortunately for the domestic game, if the press reports are to be believed, a Faustian Pact that would have made Machiavelli blush was as transparent as it was treacherous. Hence, one of the most unedifying episodes in the glorious history of the Premier League was suitably short lived as the FA, Football Supporters Association and (in a rare moment of clarity) the Government joined all 20 clubs in the Premier League in unanimously denouncing the plan."

Kinnear welcomes the alternative agreement that has been reached, with top flight clubs instead proposing to 'work together as a 20-club collective on a strategic plan for the future structures and financing of English football, consulting with all stakeholders to ensure a vibrant, competitive and sustainable football pyramid.'

An immediate financial bailout for League One and League Two clubs and an emergency fund to ensure no EFL club would go bust was also proposed, but swiftly rejected by the EFL clubs. An EFL statement said: "The need for continued unity across the membership base was fundamental to discussions across all three divisions, and therefore there was a strong consensus that any rescue package must meet the requirements of all 72 clubs before it can be considered in full.

"The League has been very clear in its discussions of the financial requirements needed to address lost gate receipts in 2019/20 and 2020/21, and while EFL clubs are appreciative that a formal proposal has now been put forward, the conditional offer of £50 million falls some way short of this."

According to Kinnear, the majority of the Premier League clubs are not intent on pursuing 'elitist greed' but instead want to help their EFL counterparts.

"The Premier League have instead agreed to accelerate a review into the long-term strategy for the professional game that was already in train," he said.

"Structuring a meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders – including, most critically, supporters – has the best chance of delivering far-reaching improvements while simultaneously proving sustaining the football pyramid and handing the over the keys to the top-flight (in exchange for the price of a second choice left-back) are not mutually exclusive.

"Separately an immediate League One and League Two bail-out package was agreed, that will supplement the hundreds of millions of pounds that are already cascaded from the Premier League through the football pyramid, to prevent Covid-related insolvencies and curtailment. The week therefore ended with all clubs taking a positive step towards the unity and commonality of purpose which have always been at the foundations of the Premier League’s success.

"The populist narrative on the Premier League is often focused on elitist greed, but the reality is the majority of owners and executives are fans of English football who have first-hand experience of the EFL and empathy and friendships with our EFL counterparts. There is no lack of appreciation of their predicament or desire to contribute to a solution."

He also insists the government should contribute to the survival of EFL clubs by working towards a return of fans to stadiums.

"The Government must also play its part and not persist in discriminating in their treatment of football in favour of other comparable industries. The safe and phased return of crowds is key to all levels of our game but particularly to the lower leagues (many of whom normally operate below capacity naturally facilitating a proportion of the required social distancing). The Government needs to quickly rationalise how the indoor London Palladium can be 50 per cent full for an “Evening with Arsène Wenger” but the same number of people can’t be outdoors in the stadium he inspired which is 26 times bigger."