Man Utd legend slams Premier League's £925m decision delay that will impact Sunderland, Leeds & Co

Salford co-owner and Manchester United legend Gary Neville has accused the Premier League of negligence towards the rest of English football.

In a scathing attack, he has branded the failure to agree a new funding deal for the EFL as an “absolute disgrace”.

Monday’s shareholders’ meeting in London ended without an offer being made as top flight clubs feel the priority is to thrash out a new financial system to replace the current profitability and sustainability rules (PSR). Premier League clubs met on Monday with the view to voting on a proposed new six-year deal that would see money filter down to the EFL, with reports forecasting that it could be worth up to £925million. However, that discussion was put on hold, with priority given to reforming their own financial regulations amid ongoing questions regarding profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

“I am more interested in the vote they didn’t have, which was to support the rest of the Football League which they keep bumping down the road and it’s an absolute disgrace,” Neville told Sky Sports.

“It is about the welfare of the game and the sustainability of the whole league. The Premier League at this moment in time are negligent in their dismissive nature, just pushing it down the road, thinking ‘maybe a regulator will sort it, maybe we’ll sort it’ and not doing anything.

“That’s not good governance, it just demonstrates to me that they are not looking after the whole game like they should be. It angers me every time I see they have a Premier League meeting and seem to look after themselves but not look after the rest of football.”

The Premier League, which earlier outlined its stance in a statement, made no comment when contacted by the PA news agency for a response to Neville’s remarks.

The Government has repeatedly said it wants the football authorities to agree a new financial settlement among themselves, but has warned that one could be imposed upon them by ‘backstop’ powers set to be given to the new independent regulator. The EFL is yet to comment.

What has the Premier League said about the meeting?

On Monday night, a Premier League spokesperson said: “At a Premier League shareholders’ meeting today clubs agreed to prioritise the swift development and implementation of a new league-wide financial system. This will provide certainty for clubs in relation to their future financial plans and will ensure the Premier League is able to retain its existing world-leading investment to all levels of the game.

“Alongside this, Premier League clubs also reconfirmed their commitment to securing a sustainably-funded financial agreement with the EFL, subject to the new financial system being formally approved by clubs. The league and clubs also reaffirmed their ongoing and longstanding commitment to the wider game which includes £1.6 billion distributed to all levels of football across the current three-year cycle. The Premier League’s significant funding contributions cover all EFL clubs and National League clubs, as well as women and girls’ football, and the grassroots of the game.”