Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham slams Premier League chief executive Richard Masters for REFUSING to release minutes of Everton 10-point penalty hearing despite parliamentary request
- Masters appeared before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee last month
- The parliamentary committee published his response to their requests
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Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has criticized Richard Masters’ decision to reject Parliament’s request to release his evidence to the independent commission, asking “what are they trying to hide?”
The Premier League chief executive had been asked by Dame Caroline Dinenage, the MP who chairs the DCMS committee, to produce minutes of the board meeting that had given Everton a 10-point deduction for financial offences.
The Merseyside club broke the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and last year received the heaviest points penalty in the division’s history.
In his response to the request from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Masters said Everton were given two months’ notice of their likely punishment and stressed that it is not their “practice” to publish meeting minutes as they are a “private company”. ‘.
However, Burnham, who is a Toffees supporter, responded to the league chief’s letter – which had been published on Friday – with a scathing rebuke, insisting it proved the case for the introduction of a statutory regulator.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham hit out at Richard Masters’ response to the request from the DCMS committee
Burnham asked what the Premier League was trying to hide after the refusal to release the minutes of the meeting
Premier League boss Richard Masters refused a request to share his evidence to the independent commission that handed Everton a 10-point deduction last year
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‘”… as we are a private company it is not our practice to provide or publish minutes of Premier League board meetings…”‘ Burnham began, quoting Masters’ comments in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“The Premier League could not have made a better case for a statutory football watchdog if they had tried. What are they trying to hide?’
The Premier League chief executive had attracted the ire of fans during his government grilling last month when he referred to “small clubs” while talking about Everton and Nottingham Forest’s spending.
The Masters responded to a question about fairness by insisting the rules are ‘standard guidelines for everyone – not just small clubs’.
Responding to the backlash he received from his comments in the aforementioned letter published by DCMS, he refused to apologize and apparently insisted that what he said was not his intention.
The Toffees were thrust into the relegation battle after breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules
Masters referred to “small clubs” when grilled over Everton and Nottingham Forest’s spending offenses in front of a parliamentary select committee
“As I said in my evidence, Everton and Nottingham Forest are valued and respected members of the Premier League,” he said. “Both clubs enjoy successful histories, have strong and passionate fan bases and make a significant contribution not only to the vibrant competition of the Premier League, but also to their cities and communities.
“In reflecting the committee member’s phrasing of the question, I did not intend to suggest otherwise. It would be wrong to infer from this that there is unfair treatment based on the size of the club, as suggested in the committee’s media statement.
“What I did was actually the opposite, in that the Premier League board apply the rules consistently, regardless of the club involved.”
Everton appealed their 10-point deduction and the verdict is likely to be announced next week. However, the club faces the prospect of further sanctions after being charged with yet another breach.