By Andrew Warshaw at SportAccord in London
April 8 – Keith Harris, the guru of football takeovers, has warned the gap between rich and poor clubs will become even wider as a result of the current economic crisis.
Speaking at the SportAccord conferencehere, Harris said the new television deal for Football League clubs will inevitably lead to a downturn, with some clubs squeezed to breaking point.
Last week, the Football League signed a £195 million television deal to start in 2012-13 – worth £69 million less than the current three-year deal.
Harris, chairman of investment banker Seymour Pierce and a former Football League chairman, says that can only mean one thing.
“The revenues streaming into football are concentrated on the very few at the top,” he said.
“The squeeze will come at the bottom where clubs will be cast off and almost become feeder clubs or, dare I say it, semi-professional.”
Harris, painting a grim picture of future spending priorities, said the need to win at all costs will mean non-player expenditure being slashed right across the board.
“There will be a lot more spending on players’ wages and every other cost that is not necessary will be squeezed till the pips are dry,” he said.
Harris, who brokered billionaire takeovers at the likes of Aston Villa and Manchester City, also revealed he still believes Liverpool and Everton should groundshare.
Liverpool’s American owners are assessing whether to redevelop Anfield or move to a new stadium.
But Harris says neither is the best option.
“It [groundsharing] has worked well in Milan and Munich, so why not, it makes common sense,” he said.
“There are two stadia that need refurbishment and rebuilding.”
Harris says he had frequently advised the two Merseyside giants to share since the respective fan groups do not hate each other as much as other rival clubs in England.
“It makes so much common sense yet unfortunately the notion that technology can turn red to blue in a switch is lost,” he said.
“But it will be forced on it one day and it will be a change for good.”
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