Bristol City CEO Mark Ashton may have spoken in favour of a salary cap in the Championship and been a driving force behind the concept, but significant doubts have been raised by three clubs.
Ashton has previously outlined Bristol City’s support for a salary cap and believes it’s vital for the long-term survival of the game as EFL clubs continue to face the reality of playing matches behind closed doors with no revenue.
Ashton, who also sits on the EFL board, has long promoted the concept of a salary cap among the clubs, to try and curb unsustainable spending, spiralling wages and avoid clubs trying to finance success beyond their means.
Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown has also spoken of his support for a salary cap, believing it would help to create a more level playing field.
"The salary cap is a very, very good idea, because it’ll bring some common sense into the game and then we’ll actually compete on a more level playing field as well," he said last year.
"Because if we’re all working to the same salary cap, then it’s down to the skill and the judgement of the coaches and the people involved in the club to get the best out of those players, to get the best performances on the pitch to get you top of the league."
But the conventions and traditions of football have made it a tough sell among member clubs, and it is now being reported by Mail Online that plans to introduce a new £18million salary cap in the second tier next season are now in doubt.
The report claims that an open letter has been sent to other clubs by the promotion-chasing trio of Brentford, Bournemouth and Norwich City, which picks apart the proposals and suggests that a cap introduced in haste could become something clubs and the EFL may regret in years to come.
Plans were discussed at the latest meeting of Championship clubs, with some clubs voicing their concerns over the impact it could have on the division in restricting how much clubs can spend on wages, regardless of their revenues.
Any changes need the backing of two-thirds of the 24 sides in the Championship to be voted through and BristolLive understands that the majority of the division's clubs remain broadly in favour of the proposals with talks still ongoing.
