MPs push for tax breaks for ailing clubs
Sports minister Richard Caborn and paymaster general Dawn Primarolo are to meet with MPs from the All Party Football Group to discuss possible tax breaks to help supporters take over ailing football clubs.
Link: Oldham FC gets 11th-hour reprieve
The move comes soon after the football league agreed to impose a 10 point penalty on clubs that go into administration and comes at a time of growing concern over football finances.
The immediate focus of the meeting will be on whether the Inland Revenue could give tax breaks to clubs in administration so that it would be in the interests of administrators to hand over the clubs to supporters’ trusts – the majority of football debt is owed to the Inland Revenue or Customs & Excise.
Another proposal being considered by the government is to change the law to allow Football League clubs to be set up as mutuals as opposed to private companies, The Guardian reported.
At present, second division side Oldham Athletic, in administration, has just under month to find a buyer or face being shut down.