Fleetwood Town owner Andy Pilley calls for salary cap or 'seven or eight clubs might go bust'

A salary cap is a key component of plans unveiled by the Fleetwood chairman three weeks ago to safeguard clubs’ survival amid the coronavirus crisis.

Speaking to The Gazette about a cap on player wages last week, Pilley said: “First of all, you need 75 per cent (of clubs) to agree to it.

“This is a democratic organisation. If 75 per cent agree to it, it’s the rules.

“And if you don’t get that rescue package, if you don’t agree to the salary cap, you are going to be in a league in which seven or eight clubs might go bust.”

A more level playing field would benefit many clubs, including his own, but Pilley may have difficulty convincing the bigger and wealthier clubs that it is the right way forward.

To that he said: “Rather than looking after their own best interests, the sensible thing would be for clubs to look after the integrity of the competition.

“If the integrity of the competition no longer exists, it becomes somewhat worthless.

“You have to be in a strong league, and a strong league will not exist unless there’s a rescue package. To do that I think you are going to need a salary cap.”

All involved with the Fleetwood club have been saddened by the death of former player Peter Chilvers, aged 88. Peter made 221 appearances for the club from 1949-60, scoring 47 goals.