League backs salary cap

Nationwide League chairmen have voted overwhelmingly in favour of proposals to introduce a salary cap.

A working party, which was set up in May and is headed by QPR chairman David Davies, delivered its findings to a Football League meeting in Oxford on Thursday.

Included in those proposals was the introduction of a 60% cap on players' wages.

We are suggesting the collection of the players can't be paid above a certain level

QPR chairman David Davies

The meeting voted in favour of the plan, with the proposal to tighten the cap to 50% in future seasons.

Davies explained: "We're not saying any individual player will have his wages capped, but we are suggesting the collection of the players can't be paid above a certain level.

"We are looking at a pot of money that is so large that no player in his own right is going to be able to demand that kind of wage.

"But when the club has reached a collective upper limit, it can turn round and say 'we're not going to push ourselves too far'."

Top clubs agree salary cap

The idea of a salary cap was mooted after the collapse of ITV Digital and the ensuing financial difficulties of many lower division clubs.

The plan is similar to that proposed by the G14 group, which includes 18 of Europe's top clubs, who have agreed in principle to a self-imposed wage cap of 70% of annual turnover.

The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) was initially opposed to the proposal, but has since said that if it meant improving many clubs' financial situations, it would back wage limits.

PFA softens stance on salary cap

Football League spokesman John Nagle added: "We can't allow spiralling wage costs to put our clubs out of business.

"The PFA understand that the clubs need to be there to employ their members.

"This is a difficult issue but just because something is difficult does not necessarily mean you should avoid doing it."