'Spread Premiership cash to smaller clubs'

The massive wages of Premiership players have long been the cause of resentment and today's revelations about Manchester United will add to the debate.

Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat sports spokesman, branded football authorities "impotent or incompetent" in their running of the game in a Commons motion yesterday. Mr Russell, a Colchester United fan, said: "The money is not being circulated. It is being siphoned up by players in Premiership clubs, aided and abetted by their agents."

The MP is campaigning for more money to be distributed to benefit all levels of the game, particularly cash-strapped clubs like York City.

In response, Oliver Houston, spokesman for Shareholders United, the Manchester United supporter-shareholder group, said: "Linking rewards to success seems sensible. The only shame, perhaps, is that they haven't given them share options. But then we would say that, wouldn't we?

"Uefa have offered to sponsor a debate aimed at ensuring the top clubs can all compete on a level playing field by imposing proportional maximum wageparity, but no one has taken them up on it yet. In the long term that seems the best way to go to preserve the health of the game."

However, Charlton chairman Richard Murray has warned that Premiership wages are spiralling out of control and the top flight is heading for a fall in popularity.