'Bigger, better, stronger': why the appeal of the EFL has never been greater | Soccer League

YoIt's the time of year for celebrations. Across England and Wales, from Fratton Park to the Racecourse Ground (also known as STōK Cae Ras), from Pride Park to Portman Road, mass jubilation has erupted in the stands as the structure of the football pyramid changes one more time. It is a unique celebration and Trevor Birch, the former striker, accountant and administrator who is now the English club's chief executive Soccer LeagueHe has witnessed more than most.

“I think I'm qualified to comment, given that I probably average 75 to 80 games a season,” says Birch, whose life in football has seen him be present for many of the moments that have shaped the modern game. “Derby, I was there for that.. There were about 30,000 people there, which was extraordinary, and over 20,000 in Portsmouth. Both clubs have been in administration, so it was fantastic to see them vibrant again, with brilliant supporters. It is a rejuvenation that the pyramid makes possible.”

Birch is talking to him Observer at the end of a season that serves as a perfect example of what he calls the Football League dichotomy. As is almost usual, the EFL has featured stories of rebirth and growth in all three divisions, and relegation and promotion have continued to change until the end.

Spectators have passed through the turnstiles in record numbers, more than 23 million, an increase of more than 6% compared to 2022-23. Likewise, average attendance across the league has increased by 10%, new investment continues to flow into clubs around the world and sea change is underway. £935 TV deal with Sky that will mean more than 1,000 games will be screened live in the UK each season starting in August. However, at exactly the same time, the latest financial statements from the 72 clubs that are part of the Premier League report cumulative losses of £471 million in the 2022-23 season.

“On the one hand, we have the brilliance of the competition, the excitement, the commitment of the fans and the quality of football,” says Birch. “On the other hand, there is the ever-present question of sustainability, of the losses that are incurred in the championship when trying to compete against clubs relegated from the classification. first division. This then spreads to all leagues due to salary inflation.

“We must be careful with the stress that causes us to basically function, like a football pyramid, a benefactor model in which all clubs have more or less the support of their owners, which could generate instability at any time. .

“You buy a football club thinking you're going to be successful and get promoted, so when that doesn't happen, when you don't win games or get promoted, you think: 'What's going wrong?' or: 'Is it time to go out?' In all the administrations that have occurred in recent years there has been an owner who has said: 'Enough is enough, I cannot or do not want to finance the club's current obligations.' “That in itself creates a very unstable situation.”

This argument is not new to Birch. He led the deal that sold Chelsea to Roman Abramovich In 2003, perhaps the definitive benefactor-owner of the Premier League era and a man accused himself of distorting competition in football. Birch then served as Portsmouth manager in 2012, when the club was fighting a liquidation order after chasing its top-flight dream. More recently, the EFL has been championing competitive balance in talks with the government and the Premier League about how to reform English football.

“Ambition and optimism don't need to be thwarted,” says Birch. “We are operating in a free market and we should not want to limit investment in clubs and their ability to pursue their dream. But at the same time we do not want it to be done in a reckless way that endangers the structure and sustainability of the club.

“We are trying to solve that with the so-called new agreement with the Premier League because they have moved so far away from the rest of the pyramid. “We’re trying to at least recalibrate that relationship.”

That new agreement has not been closed and football's imminent independent regulator does not have the preservation of “competitive balance” as part of its mandate. However, Birch is hopeful that talks with the Premier League will resume this summer and says there is “no particular problem” between the officials of both competitions. “We might have similar views to your executive,” he says. “It is their ability to pass a resolution with their clubs (that is the problem), they have not been able to get the necessary approval from the club. “We are still here waiting for an offer, which leads to an awkward relationship.”

Birch says the EFL has little leverage in trying to reach a deal with the Premier League. But he is not pessimistic about the state of the Football League and its appeal to fans and investors alike. Looking back over the course of his career, he is confident that English football is now in better shape than it was a generation ago.

“We are much stronger as a collective 92,” he says. “When you look at the quality of the games, if you look at the structure of the organization, the structure of the teams, throughout the league, I think things are bigger, better and stronger. Look at League two The fields in winter have grass. And of course we don't have VAR, which is also an advantage for the fans.

“When I was at Leeds in 2004 (during the club's financial crisis) I couldn't get anyone interested in buying the club. We have now increased investment from foreign owners, continue to develop and attract interest in the EFL. And yes, it's the proximity to the Premier League, because that attracts attention globally, but then you just look down a little bit and see the EFL and see the quality of the product. Perceptions have changed.”