Opinion: Football is facing a major test of its collective conscience - and the Premier League must act to help protect Sunderland’s rivals

In a year which has seen no shortage of watershed moments, this feels like a particularly important one in sporting spheres.
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We now know with certainty that supporters will not be able to return to stadiums on October 1. Indeed, the prospect of spectators returning at any point during 2020 looks remarkably slim.

It’s a decision that has naturally split opinion given that restaurants, shopping centre and other hospitality venues remain open - and it’s a crying shame that, after a weekend in which seven EFL clubs showed that fans can be welcomed back safely, their progress will now be placed on pause for several weeks, at the least.

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But we can’t dwell too much on the merits - or otherwise - of this decision.

Opinion: Premier League clubs must act now to help sides lower down the pyramidOpinion: Premier League clubs must act now to help sides lower down the pyramid
Opinion: Premier League clubs must act now to help sides lower down the pyramid

For right or for wrong, the decision has been made and the consequences must be dealt with.

And those consequences could be dire for some of Sunderland’s rivals.

It’s no secret that clubs have struggled financially to get to this point, and now concerns over the sustainability of sides in the EFL will come under fresh scrutiny. Indeed, one League One co-owner has already suggested that without some form of bailout, we will be ‘lucky’ if only two teams fail to complete the third tier season.

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A fresh injection of finance now seems the only way forward.

Clubs have navigated their way through to this point in the hope of supporters being able to return, but financial forecasts will now have to be torn up and re-plotted.

A majority of League One and League Two clubs are going to need financial assistance in the coming weeks and months. Even sides such as Sunderland - who will be better-equipped to deal with this pandemic than many - can’t continue in this climate forever without some form of financial support.

And for that, the Premier League has to step-up.

While recent years have seen the chasm between the top flight and the EFL grow wider and wider, now is the time for a showing of solidarity.

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It’s probably quite a worn-out analogy, but the Premier League could secure the future of a whole host of clubs for the financial equivalent of what Sunderland’s near rivals paid for a failing Brazilian striker.

Football is now facing a major test of its collective conscience - and the options are clear.

We either pull together as a pyramid, with wealth distributed evenly to ensure that 92 clubs can finish the 2020/21 season and start the 2021/22 season afresh.

Or they keep the purse strings shut tight, and we face seeing more historic names fade away.

This is the true watershed moment in all of this.

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We’re about to find out what the Premier League are all about – will they will put the interests of the game as a whole at the front and centre of their plans, or focus purely on their 20 clubs?

It’s a question we cannot ponder on for too long, given the urgent financial pressures facing some clubs.

Now is the time to act, otherwise the footballing pyramid could disintegrate beyond recognition.

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