COVID-19: Aston Villa players and coaches accept 25 per cent wage deferrals

In a move that will secure the jobs of non-playing staff at Aston Villa, the first-team squad have accepted a wage deferral due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Aston Villa players, coaches and senior management have agreed to a 25 per cent wage deferral.

Aston Villa players, coaches and senior management have agreed to a 25 per cent wage deferral for four months to assist the club financially during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Premier League has been on hiatus for over a month due to social distancing measures implemented by the United Kingdom government in an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19, so clubs are having to operate without gate receipts and other matchday revenues.

While many companies have utilised the government's furlough scheme, leaving the state to cover 80 per cent of workers' wages up to £2,500 per month, football clubs that took up that option have been widely criticised, with Tottenham, Liverpool and Bournemouth all reversing their decisions.

 

Although Norwich City and Newcastle United continue to take advantage of that job retention scheme for some employees, Villa have ensured all non-football staff will be paid in full thanks to the deferrals and continued "substantial funding" from majority shareholders Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.

Villa chief executive Christian Purslow said: "I am pleased to announce today [Saturday] measures to protect the livelihoods of our precious staff and their families.

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"First-team players, first-team coaches and senior management have all agreed to defer 25 per cent of their salaries for four months to assist the club during this period of uncertainty, with a further review taking place at the end of this period.

"During the two seasons since Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens rescued Aston Villa, they have supported and funded the rebuilding of the club with a huge level of personal financial investment.

 

"They are continuing to provide substantial funding which, combined with these significant salary deferrals, enables Aston Villa to confirm that all non-football staff - full and part time - will be retained and paid in full throughout the lockdown. There will be no furloughing of staff.

"Our players and staff feel great solidarity with the many clubs in the football pyramid who have financial problems and we believe it is right and proper that the Premier League as a whole takes action on its finances collectively to enable it to be able to continue to provide vital funding throughout the game in England."