Leaked message sent to Newcastle United & rivals urges Premier League U-turn after controversial rule change

The vote is set to take place on Friday but Aston Villa have reportedly written to Premier League clubs requesting that the vote is postponed by 90 days amid an ongoing legal battle with Manchester City. According to a letter shared by The Telegraph Villa have backed Man City in the APT row and claim the ongoing civil war is ‘critically weakening’ the Premier League.

Man City claim the APT rules introduced by the Premier League shortly after the Newcastle United takeover in October 2021 are unlawful. Official documents published last month show the rule change was a response to the Newcastle takeover with the club mentioned 15 times in total.

A representative of Newcastle provided a written statement to be used as evidence in the case. The APT rules stifle the club’s ability to generate significant commercial revenue and more work is required in order to get deals approved by the Premier League to be of ‘fair market value’.

And Villa have proposed a postponement to the vote due to the ongoing uncertainties and potential fresh legal challenges that could emerge from Man City’s battle with the Premier League.

They wrote: “It is now abundantly clear that any vote (if passed) will result in immediate further litigation by Manchester City FC and an associated defence by the EPL [English Premier League], incurring material further costs and unnecessary distraction and devotion of time to this issue.“It is highly likely that the Tribunal will conclude within the coming three months, and that an APT rule that takes into consideration the Tribunal’s verdict will be supported by all clubs and cannot be contested.

Watch Geordie Journos on Shots: Reaction to three wins in a row for Newcastle United

“The imminent establishment of the Government’s new Independent Football Regulator (IFR) and its incorporation necessitates now more than ever that clubs within the PL present their cases to the existing regulator collectively as a united front, rather than each club presenting individually conflicting arguments.

“It is time for all EPL club executives and their owners to remember that whilst the clubs are adversaries on the pitch, we are partners in the EPL with a shared goal of increasing the quality of our product, its value and the EPL’s position in Europe.

“Further acrimonious back and forth exchanges that are immediately leaked to the press not only weaken the PL’s leadership and that of its executives, but moreover the PL as an organisation and critically as the custodian of the billions invested in the PL and in English football. This critically weakens the PL as an organisation in front of all its stakeholders, and most importantly the IFR.”

City have recently written to rival clubs to state they are voting ‘blind’ on any potential changes to APT rules as they remain ‘void’ amid a tribunal clarifying last month’s ruling in which both City and the Premier League claimed victory.

Villa have also proposed changes to the controversial £105million Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules limit, wanting it to increase to £135million to reflect inflation since the rule was initially introduced. The proposal was ultimately rejected despite several clubs, including Newcastle, being forced to sell players in June in order to adhere to PSR and avoid a points deduction.