Aston Villa fans call on Christian Purslow to kick out Project Big Picture

In an open letter, the Villa Supporters’ Trust urged chief executive Christian Purslow “to ensure this selfish ill-thought-out restructuring proposal is kicked out forthwith”.

Top flight clubs were today discussing controversial plans to radically alter the structure of the domestic game for the first time since they emerged at the weekend.

The proposals, drawn up by Liverpool and Manchester United, would see the Premier League provide £350million to bailout the EFL and support the FA through the coronavirus pandemic. But the top flight would also be cut from 20 to 18 clubs, with the so-called ‘Big Six’ taking greater control of how the sport is run.

Though Villa are very much in favour of providing a financial support package to the EFL, the club holds deep reservations over any deal which would see its own influence in the Premier League diminished, a view thought to be shared by the majority of top flight clubs.

Those in the EFL were largely supportive after yesterday being given a full briefing on the plans, which have been criticised in many quarters as an attempted “power grab” by the Big Six.

In a statement, FA chairman Greg Clarke claimed Liverpool and Manchester United threatened to break away from the Premier League during preliminary discussions over a restructure earlier this year.

Clarke warned any changes to the game’s structure must benefit the whole of football.

He said: “When the principal aim of these discussions became the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few clubs with a breakaway league mooted as a threat, I of course, discontinued my involvement and counselled a more consensus-based approach involving all Premier League clubs and its Chair and CEO.

“Our game needs to continually seek to improve but benefits need to be shared.”