West Ham players, in conjunction with the other 19 Premier League teams’ players have issued the following statement.
Over the course of the last week we, as a group of Premier League players, have held numerous talks together with the vision of creating a contribution fund that can be used to distribute money to where it’s needed most in this crisis; helping those fighting for us on the NHS frontline as well as other key areas of need. This is a critical time for our country and for our NHS, and we are determined to help in any way that we can.
We can confirm that after extensive conversations between a huge number of players from all Premier League clubs we have created our own collective player initiative, #PlayersTogether, and have partnered with NHS Charities Together (NHSCT) in order to assist them in generating and distributing funds quickly and efficiently to where they are needed most.
The contributions that this initiative will generate will help NHSCT quickly grant funds to the front line to support in a number of ways, including to help enhance the well-being of NHS staff, volunteers and patients impacted as well as helping them in their work supporting many other critical areas of need both now and in the longer term.
#PlayersTogether is about we, as players, collaborating together to create a voluntary initiative, separate to any other club and league conversations, to help get much needed funds to those that need it right now. To try and help, along with so many others in the country, make a real difference.
Our prayers and thoughts go out to everyone affected by this crisis. By sticking together, we will get through this.
Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.
#PlayersTogether
Wait a second, whilst this is a great gesture of course (as long as the players actually contribute, we should get figures), but wasn’t this whole debate about players taking a cut to ensure the lower paid staff at the clubs were continued to be paid and clubs not needing to take advantage of the govt furlough process?
Looks to me they’ve solved a completely different problem, one that has no transparency and is likely to be tax deductable.
Absolutely right!
Just looking at our club if the players continue to get their full wages we have a £50 million deficit as likely to be reduced tv income, big delay on season ticket income for 2020/21 season plus all the other sales from hospitality and clothing etc. This is despite owners putting in £30 million via shares! The players scheme is a complete cop out!!