Clubs to discuss Premier League's "Future Structure"

The Premier League are expected to inform their shareholder clubs of record breaking overseas TV deals at Thursday's secretive landmark summit. They will also encourage a call for a major redistribution of the enormous wealth generated by £3 billion worth of broadcasting contracts.

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Bolton chairman Phil Gartside has some interesting views.

Clubs will voice their fears over the massive cost of relegation, and want the vast TV funds to be more fairly distributed to ease the burden of relegation.

Last season, champions Manchester United earned £52.3 million from Premier League television contracts while West Bromwich Albion, who finished bottom, received £31.6 million. Clubs like United, however, also get considerable sums from UEFA for being in the Champions League.

Chairmen, chief executives and owners have finally been handed the agenda for the meeting and ESPN Soccernet has been told that it contains the profound title of "Future Structure of the Premier League".

Such is the sensitivity of the changes that the "shareholders", otherwise known as clubs, will discuss that the chairmen have not even been given advance sighting of Phil Gartside's re-structuring document.

Bolton Wanderers chairman Gartside was originally expected to propose "Premier League 2" earlier this year but it was not discussed by the other Premier League clubs.

It is unclear exactly how the new system would work. While there is sure to be relegation between the two Premier League divisions, it is not certain that there would be promotion and relegation from the newly-formed top division of the Football League.

It has been suggested that the Premier League could follow the SPL model and only allow clubs to be promoted if they pass strict regulations over the standard of their ground and more controversially the size of a club. It could present a ceiling for clubs such as Doncaster Rovers and Swansea City who currently play in the second tier of the English game.

ESPN Soccernet has already been told that the Gartside blueprint, while not palatable in its conception for a two tier league without relegation from Premier League 2, will open up a debate about the direction and future shape of football's elite clubs.

Gartside has long advocated the formation of a second division for the Premier League, but up until now that has had very little, if any support. But the addition of Scottish clubs Celtic and Rangers could open up new revenue streams both from broadcasting deals and other areas.

While some clubs would support a closed shop, with no relegation, they appreciate that would be one of the most unpopular moves of all time with football fans across the country. One insider tells me: "There is little support to abolish relegation."

The Premier League only divulged the details of the 39th game when the "shareholders" were arriving for a meeting, and there is similar confidentiality surrounding this meeting.

An insider told ESPN Soccernet: "Yes, the agenda for Thursday's meeting finally arrived on Wednesday, and it talks about the Future Structure of the Premier League and notes that there is a Paper enclosed, but there is no Paper enclosed, so we can expect to be handed it when we arrive for the meeting on Thursday morning. There is the usual paranoia about leaks - to guys like you!

"The agenda contains usual things that are discussed: FIFA, UEFA and there is reference to the overseas contracts which will be finalised and signed off in January, but there has been plenty of talk already of record levels of overseas sales."

With billions of pounds worth of TV contracts, a new improved Barclays sponsorship contract, and now overseas rights hitting record levels, the calls will grow for a massive re-think on the distribution of wealthy

ESPN Soccernet has learned of the movement within the Premier League to seek greater amounts to cushion those clubs relegated than the current two-year parachute payments, halved in the second season.

Even so, the level of parachute payments doubled as part of the last TV contract. Those figures could rise yet again.

The insider told ESPN Soccernet: "It can cost £40 million to go down and no company these days can take a £40 million hit and hope to survive, and a football club is no different. Something needs to be done here, and while Phil Gartside's Paper might not be the answer for everyone, it is sure to start a much needed debate about the future shape of the Premier League and its distribution of it finances."