The fallout from the failed European Super League has continued, with five senior officials from the six English clubs involved stepping down from their advisory roles within the Premier League.
Manchester United’s outgoing executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and Liverpool chairman Tom Werner have stood down from the Premier League’s Club Broadcast Advisory Group.
Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano have left the Club Strategic Advisory Group (CSAG), and Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck has left the league’s Audit and Remuneration Committee.
The 14 other Premier League clubs have campaigned hard to have them removed from their influential positions after the European Super League was announced – and quickly dismantled – last week.
The news comes a week after the Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Masters, contacted the clubs to request their executives consider their positions and relinquish their roles on working groups.
The five major clubs whose executives have quit their roles – and the sixth side involved, Tottenham Hotspur – announced on 18 April that they will be joining the breakaway European Super League.
The announcement, which was intended as a money-spinning competitor for the Champions League, caused anger and uproar within the football community.
Fans protested outside stadiums, pundits criticised the clubs on TV, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the plans as “very damaging”.
Even players and managers from the six clubs themselves criticised the move, while West Ham’s vice-chairman Karren Brady said “trust has been vanquished” between the 14 other clubs and the breakaway clubs.
Just 48 hours later, the clubs pulled out and apologised to fans for their intention to be involved in the competition.
Manchester United’s Ed Woodward announced that he would be leaving the club at the end of the year.
However, the fallout has continued, with fans calling for the owners to sell the clubs.
Meanwhile, the Premier League is continuing to look into the circumstances leading to its announcement and whether any of the organisation’s rules were broken.