Coronavirus: Hearts players asked to take 50 per cent wage cut; Italian FA boss warns same could follow elsewhere

Scottish Professional Football League was suspended last Friday “until further notice”

Hearts players and staff have been asked to take a dramatic 50 per cent wage cut amid financial fears.

The Scottish Professional Football League was suspended last Friday “until further notice” along with all non-league and grassroots football due to the coronavirus crisis, and it could be several months before normality returns to the game.

In order to prevent redundancies at the Tynecastle club, owner Ann Budge has taken cost-cutting steps that will reverberate across Scottish football.

In a statement on Hearts’ official website, she said: “In order to try to prevent a staff redundancy programme and to protect as many jobs as possible, I am proposing to implement a club-wide salary reduction programme.

“We have asked all full-time employees, managers, coaches, players and player back-room staff, with effect from the beginning of April, to accept a 50 per cent cut in their monthly salary. No-one’s full-time salary will fall below the living wage.

“In other words, if the 50 per cent reduction would take anyone’s salary below this threshold, the full-time salary will be set at £18,135.

“Given the uncertainty of the whole situation with which we have been presented, we cannot say how long these measures will be in place.

“We will, of course, be continuously reviewing the situation. Staff and players alike, who feel unable or unwilling to accept this revision to their contracts, will, of course, be offered the option of contract termination.”

Budge explained the background to the dire situation was due to “unprecedented and challenging times.”

She said: “As you will appreciate my priority is the health and well-being of our people and in addition to this, as chairman and CEO of the club, I must also do everything in my power to ensure that we keep our club safe and financially sound.​

“I cannot stress strongly enough that we need everyone to get behind the club to help us through this.”

Meanwhile, the head of Italy’s soccer federation Gabriele Gravina told Radio 24: ”It can’t be taboo to talk about salary cuts.

“We must understand that the emergency applies to everyone and our world must also have the ability to change. We have been called upon to make gestures of great responsibility.”

PA, Reuters