Gary Sweet says Luton Town are in favour of Football League matches being played behind closed doors during the Coronavirus outbreak but admits the spread of the disease will cause a financial crisis for many clubs.
The EFL, Premier League and FA announced this morning that, contrary to yesterday’s statements and advice from Prime Minister Boris Johnson that sporting events should not be cancelled, that all games would be suspended until at least Friday April 3.
That means Luton’s games with Preston North End, Swansea City and Leeds United would all be postponed.
However, he UK Government yesterday advised that the peak of the disease will be up to 14 weeks away, and there are unofficial whispers from the corridors of football power that the suspension of football leagues could be extended beyond the April 4 fixtures, which include the Hatters hosting Reading.
Asked if he thought this would be the case, Town’s chief executive, Sweet, said: “The government advice yesterday was that the peak is not going to hit for another ten to 14 weeks, so it’s a ridiculous notion that there would be a continuation, as we know it, from the 4th of April.
“Yesterday, The Times leaked some information to suggest that games behind closed doors were being considered, and I think that was subject to the Government’s advice yesterday, which didn’t really go ahead.
“I personally, and actually our club, would be in favour of that. I think it would hit us hard financially, but I think to consider a longer suspension, into the summer for example, of Football League games is almost impossible when you start to consider that the transfer window could be opened, player contracts might expire at the end of June.
“You just cannot expect, if the ten to 14 weeks is completely accurate, when you’re dealing with a virus that nobody knows an awful lot about.”
Sweet, who also called for the Premier League to dip into their £1.5billion cash reserve to help out clubs that will be hit financially, said that an extension of games into the summer would not be practical.
“A swift conclusion to the season would be my preference and our club’s preference in this particular case,” he told talkSPORT, adding: “I think that what that does is clear the decks and allow us to start for next season, in the knowledge that we’ve got some time to get the virus under control, allow the summer to happen and I think we’d be in a much better position in that situation.
“Every club will have an absolutely huge dent in its cashflows during that period of time. A lot of clubs are suffering at that period of time.
“I think, however you look at it, we are going to be dealing with – along with a lot of other businesses, I should say – financial difficulty.
“We are going to be dealing with a really financially difficult period over the coming months, regardless of what the current situation is.
“We do not have an option just to play games as business as usual. We don’t have that option. “We’re going to have a financial crisis.”
