Portsmouth chief executive Mark Catlin has revealed that just six League One clubs voted against the new EFL salary caps, which Sunderland were so against.
The new salary cap in League One will see clubs restricted to an annual wage budget of £2.5m, regardless of the potential revenue you are able to generate.
Sunderland were strongly opposed to the EFL's proposals, believing them to unfairly level the playing field by restricting them on wages despite their ability to spend far greater while still running sustainably.
But Catlin, reacting to the vote in favour of the salary cap being imposed, revealed that self-interested voting resulted in it being approved - with one club's last-minute change of heart ultimately helping it dramatically pass through.
Catlin told Portsmouth News: "We’re very disappointed, one more vote and we would have been able to stop it.
"But we have to respect the views and opinions of the majority of the clubs in League One. So we now have to move on to the next stage.
"Sixteen was the required number of votes and the number who voted for it was 16.
"Unfortunately, a couple of clubs changed their minds this morning which was disappointing. I was speaking to clubs pretty much daily and it was taking up huge amount of time, so I knew it would be close.
"I knew one was in the middle and likely to abstain, but I spoke to one club this morning who said they were going to flip their vote. After speaking to the EFL at length this morning they changed their mind. That’s their decision.
"We have to respect the majority rule and we’re part of a democratic organisation."
Despite being respectful of the decision, Catlin did say that he believes clubs acted in self-interest, much like the vote earlier this year to curtail the season.
He revealed there were just eight clubs voting against it, and he said there was no surprise that those eight were the club's he considered to be bigger clubs, able to generate more money and therefore be sustainable with a higher wage budget than £2.5m.
He continued: "You can’t cry about it, you just have adapt and get on with it. While we’re hurting over the decision, we always knew it was going to be close.
"But given the size of the clubs in the league it made sense for at least 16 clubs to vote for it.
"Given the current financial position of clubs you would expect them to vote in their own self-interest. I can’t knock that.
"I understand the vote in League Two was 22-2. That shows the size of the clubs involved.
"In League One there are eight clubs I would consider big. They are the ones who didn’t support it."
