“Wait till their prey is at its weakest, then pounce!" - Sheffield Wednesday fans have their say on Manchester United and Liverpool-led Project Big Picture

Sheffield Wednesday fans have hit out at controversial plans led by Manchester United and Liverpool which would radically alter the financial landscape of football.
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Project Big Picture (PBP) has been devised by the two North West giants and endorsed by EFL chairman Rick Parry, the former chief executive of Liverpool and the Premier League.

It advocates fundamental reform of the game and would effectively see the so-called ‘big six’ control the running of the top flight in return for redistributing greater funding down the football pyramid.

PBP would also involve:

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- Football League clubs taking 25 per cent of future Premier League deals;

- an end to parachute payments;

- the scrapping of the League Cup and Community Shield;

- reducing the number of Premier League clubs from 20 to 18;

Sheffield Wednesday fans have criticised the Project Big Picture plan devised by Manchester United and Liverpool. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Sheffield Wednesday fans have criticised the Project Big Picture plan devised by Manchester United and Liverpool. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Sheffield Wednesday fans have criticised the Project Big Picture plan devised by Manchester United and Liverpool. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

- The play-off structure being amended, with three Championship clubs – those in third, fourth and fifth place – joined by the 16th-placed Premier League club;

- The votes of only six of the nine longest-serving Premier League clubs needed to make major changes – effectively one club, one vote would be scrapped

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PBP has divided many in the game, with its critics dubbing it a ‘power grab’ which would only benefit the interests of the ‘big six’ – while some EFL owners and chairmen have welcomed the proposals, saying they will help to inject much-needed cash into financially-stricken lower league clubs.

However, Wednesday fans on social media are far from convinced by the plans.

On Twitter, a 24-hour poll of Wednesdayites attracted 551 votes – with 76 per cent of respondents saying PBP isn’t a good idea, 14 per cent aren’t sure either way and just 10 per cent believing it should get the green light.

For it to be passed, 14 of the 20 Premier League clubs would need to agree to it.

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On Facebook, Davvey Cammack wrote: “More power to the big six is the real thing they want. Why should clubs who had wealthy owners inject hundreds of millions before FFP was set up to give them a significant advantage over everyone else? All clubs should have an equal voice.”

Nigel Lawes is also sceptical of the motives, saying: “Wait till their prey is at its weakest, then pounce! That's the game they're playing.”

And Tim Whymark posted: “If the 'big six' want more power tell them to form a European Super League. Go back to Divisions One to Four and make the domestic cups as they were.”

Meanwhile, Bob Higgins said: “They've packaged this up very nicely for you media types to spread to us. They just want control and to shunt their B teams into the league and Rick Parry is telling us all how wonderful it is.”

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