Swansea City agree wage deferrals
Swansea City can confirm that the club’s first team squad has agreed to take a 20% conditional wage deferral for the next three months as football continues to come to terms with the economic challenges caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Chairman Trevor Birch, head coach Steve Cooper and his backroom staff, sporting director Leon Britton and senior members of the club’s office staff have also agreed to take wage deferrals for the months of April, May and June.
The wage deferrals are conditional in that the club repay the amount sacrificed over a 12-month period once football resumes in front of crowds again.
The club worked with the PFA and the players on finalising the deferrals.
“I would like to thank the players and staff for their cooperation and understanding during these difficult times,’’ said Trevor Birch.
“Swansea is a close-knit, family club, and there was an overwhelming desire from everyone to help protect the future of the football club for the supporters, the jobs of dedicated staff working within club, and the community that is so important to us all.
“The ever-evolving Coronavirus crisis continues to present many personal and business challenges, but we are all determined to do the best for Swansea City and its long-term future.”
Swans skipper, Matt Grimes, commented: “The squad was fully behind the decision. It was about making the right decision, the best decision, for Swansea City and the supporters, the community and those who work within the football club.
“We are all in this together, especially during these difficult times, and it is vital we emerge from this crisis with the heart of the football club beating strong.’’
Swans head coach, Steve Cooper, added: “We've all come to realise that the most important thing is the safety and health of everybody. Only after that can we think about football starting again.
"In the meantime, it was vital we were able to take these steps to protect the football club and what it means to the people of Swansea and even the wider football community.
"The players have shown a fantastic awareness of the situation and taking these steps proves they know and appreciate their responsibilities, and we are grateful for that."
The Swansea chairman did have this word of warning though: “There are likely to be more testing times ahead for the club, and football in general, and these deferrals will only assist cashflow in the short term.
“There are a number of clearly important issues which still need to be decided on, not least of which is the finishing of this season together with the fate of players whose contracts expire on June 30.
"Together with our season-long loan players, this affects 12 first-team squad members. We will closely assess the situation over the next few weeks as the picture hopefully becomes clearer.”
