Gary Sweet has called for punishments for the Super League six clubs, befitting crimes “far worse than anything Luton Town has ever committed” over their failed European breakaway power grab.
As part of the 2020 consortium that are now custodians of the Hatters, the chief executive helped save Town from oblivion in 2008 after previous owners had gutted the club. Yet, it was the board and supporters as a whole who were punished with English football’s biggest ever points penalty, which ultimately relegated them out of the Football League for five years.
However, this week Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham all committed to join a midweek European closed shop competition dreamt up by the 12 self-appointed elite clubs of the continent, without the consent of UEFA, FIFA or their domestic bodies.
But after supporters reacted with anger and protests at over the greed behind the plans, all six English clubs backed out and, after a tumultuous 72 hours, the Super League was toast.
Now the focus is on what punishments should be dished out to the rogue clubs, with fans calling for sanctions and the #PunishThe6 hashtag trending on social media.
As well as unveiling his 12-point plan for how to rescue football from rogue owners, Sweet called for the process to begin with punishments for the Super League six.
Last night’s Luton drew 0-0 in the Championship with Reading with slogans including ‘Sanction The Six’ flashing around Kenilworth Road’s pitchside electronic advertising hoardings.
And, in his match-day programme notes, the Hatters chief wrote: ‘The rapid rise and demise of the self-proclaimed European Super League has explicitly demonstrated that the journey towards further commercialisation of the sport is not losing momentum and unless we, collectively, capitalise on the opportunity to protect football at this time, an ESL-type proposal will emerge time and time again, most probably under a more granular strategy, by stealth (as if we wouldn’t notice!?)
‘This, of course, is exactly what has happened over recent years and decades, placing the power with the pound.
‘However, whilst a depressing thought, I’m far from depressed at future prospects, as long as the true lovers of our great game can take action.Firstly, the six rogue clubs must be punished for entering into a commercially binding agreement when it was more than evident it would damage the English football pyramid and everything that relies upon it.
‘Speaking as a director of the Club that has received football’s greatest ever punishment in a single season, a 30-point deduction for crimes committed by our predecessors, I think we have every right to demand that the self-appointed ‘big 6’ should receive punishments by the Premier League and The FA befitting to the crime – which I see as far worse than anything Luton Town has ever committed.
‘If sanctions aren’t delivered it will be yet more evidence that football simply cannot control itself and clearly fears upsetting those very chancers that have sought to damage the game.
‘If fans of the big 6 are protected resulting in these clubs escaping punishment, not only does it open up claims of false punishment by supporters of other clubs that have previously been punished but it also clears the path of any sanctions upon any crime a club wants to commit in future because fans must be protected. Football regulations will become a free-for-all.
‘All of a sudden, football authorities are recognising supporters again, having seen the power they can inflict. Where was the concern for Luton supporters in 2007 and 08 when we had to suffer a 40 point deduction?’
Terrible development. It will come back, so momentum has to be maintained to deliver genuine structural change so we don’t end up with some crap change in future just on the grounds that it isn’t as bad as the SL.
But we need to remember our then chairman had our club as one of the founding signatories inaugurating the Premier League. In a parallel universe maybe there is a Luton that didn’t get relegated in 92, that was bought by yank debt or oligarch cash.
We need to make sure that we would never welcome anything like that our club. That we remain happy with our progress even if some seasons that means relegation (remember that there is a generation that currently has only experienced the ups). We must remember not to call for a manager’s head, or demand transfers and wages beyond the club’s means just to try and achieve more. Cos make no mistake, the fans of the money 6 are complicit in this, as are the fans of lots of other clubs (including those now on their uppers like Bolton, Bradford, Portsmouth and Sunderland, and most of the championship clubs).
Fans have to maintain a realism that focusses on sustainable survival first, and recognises success is fleeting. But don’t bet on that as a given among a majority of football fans. There is a sizeable chunk that are very greedy – not for profit, but for a very narrow definition of success. They need educating.