Reforms to save football clubs must be implemented before next election, Red Wall Tories demand

LANDMARK football reforms to save clubs must be implemented before the election, Red Wall Tories have demanded.

The caucus of northern Conservative MPs fear the radical plan to help struggling sides could be “kicked into the long grass”.

Times Newspapers LtdRed Wall Conservative MPs have written to Rishi Sunak in an attempt to save football stadiums and terraces across the UK[/caption]

They have asked Rishi Sunak to make a cast-iron pledge to include the Football White Paper in next month’s King’s Speech.

They have asked Rishi Sunak to make a cast-iron pledge to include the Football White Paper in next month’s King’s Speech.

Proposals include forcing rich Premier League teams to channel cash to poorer lower clubs with the backing of a legal regulator.

Strict tests to avoid dodgy owners either bankrupting or riding roughshod over fans’ wishes are also included in the draft blueprint.

In a letter to the PM, Chair of the Northern Research Group John Stevenson said: “Our clubs are more than an asset or building, they are our heritage.

“It is for this reason they must be safeguarded… We would therefore welcome a commitment from you that the Bill will be included in the upcoming King’s Speech.”

He added: “We must do everything we can to ensure more communities don’t lose what are the heart and soul of our northern towns.”

An EFL spokesman said: “Football clubs in the North and elsewhere are the heartbeat of their local community, they continue to have a significant impact on the everyday lives of people, and we fully support the Northern Research Group’s position to call on the Government to seize the opportunity to move this forward positively so we can achieve a sustainable and lasting future for our game.”