Premier League chief hits back in West Ham row
The Premiership is a money-spinner for all teams involved
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Saturday, 12, May 2007 03:16
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has slammed suggestions that his organisation have favoured West Ham in the on-going row over their punishment over the transfers of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
The Hammers were fined £5.5 million over their failure to disclose full details of the arrangement that brought the Argentinean pair to Upton Park, but escaped a potentially disastrous points penalty.
Fellow strugglers Sheffield United, Wigan Athletic and Fulham, along with already-relegated Charlton Athletic, have threatened to pursue the matter through the courts with the Latics chairman Dave Whelan accusing the Premier League of bias towards the London club.
"I don't get offended by much in this job but I find the suggestion that we wanted to keep West Ham in at the expense of so-called smaller clubs one of the most offensive things I've heard," Scudamore told the Daily Mail.
He admitted however that with top-flight clubs set for a fresh injection of cash next season after the sealing of a series of lucrative television rights deals, emotions were bound to run high as clubs fought to remain in the league.
"With the League being as good as it is and with it being as lucrative as it is, people are desperate to stay in it. It is an emotive time and people are hanging on to the Premier League by any means they can," he said.