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Southampton strikers Shane Long and (left) Danny Ings. Mark Kerton

Southampton players become first in the Premier League to defer wages

The south coast outfit has reached an agreement with the squad, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl and his coaching staff.

SOUTHAMPTON HAVE BECOME the first Premier League team to announce an agreement with their players over wage deferral during the coronavirus crisis.

Saints have announced measures to help the club and non-playing staff through the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Southampton’s players, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl and his coaching staff have agreed to defer part of their salaries for the months of April, May and June “to help protect the future of the club, the staff that work within it and the community we serve”.

In addition, the club have confirmed they will not use the Government’s job retention scheme to furlough non-playing staff during that three-month period.

Fellow Premier League sides Tottenham, Newcastle, Norwich and Bournemouth have said they intend to utilise the Government scheme, with Liverpool reversing their decision to do so following widespread criticism.

In a statement, Southampton said: “Our owners, Mr Gao and Katharina Liebherr have put measures in place to ensure that all staff not deferring part of their salaries will continue to receive 100% of their pay, paid in the normal way until 30 June.

“Any decision on the future beyond this date will be made in advance of this, but only when more information is known.

“In these unprecedented times we are dealing with many challenges to our business model and day-to-day operations.

“The situation is ever-evolving and we will continue to monitor and assess the impact to the club over the coming weeks before deciding any further action necessary.”

Southampton have confirmed that “all activity at Staplewood Campus, St Mary’s Stadium and our other sites continue to be suspended except for essential activities” due to the coronavirus, with the situation to be reviewed at the end of April.

The statement added: “Everyone at the club remains fully committed to the community we value so highly in Southampton.

“We will continue to offer our full support to the city of Southampton through the work of the Saints Foundation and provide any further assistance we can.

“We ask everyone connected to the club and the city of Southampton to listen and adhere to the Government’s advice.

“Meanwhile, we will continue to prepare our club for a return to the pitch and make sure that, when safe, we are ready to play and serve the people of Southampton again. Until then, We March On. Together.”

The top-flight clubs have come under pressure to reach agreements with their players, with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden saying on Thursday that the Government scheme was only intended for their use as a “last resort”.

Mr Dowden told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “They need to think carefully about whether they really need to take advantage of this.

“This scheme is designed for struggling businesses to make sure that if they are faced with a position where they have to make staff redundant, rather than making them redundant they furlough them.

“So football clubs should only be using it as a last resort and I think the fans and the public at large are going to take a pretty dim view if they are not using it except in the last resort.

“This scheme wasn’t designed for people who have millionaire players and billionaire owners.”

On Wednesday evening, it was confirmed that a collective initiative called #PlayersTogether was working with NHS Charities Together to get funding to where it was most urgently needed during the crisis.

The letter, shared by a large number of Premier League players via social media, made clear that these contributions were “separate to any other club and league conversations” regarding wage cuts and deferrals.

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    Mute Robb Stark
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    Apr 9th 2020, 10:59 AM

    Well done Saints.

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    Mute Aidan Butler
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    Apr 9th 2020, 11:26 AM

    As a loyal saints supporter this makes me very proud.We May not win anything in football but we may have won the “decent thing to do cup”

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    Mute Brian Les
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    Apr 9th 2020, 11:52 AM

    @Aidan Butler: So far it’s Leeds, Birmingham in the championship and Saints in the prem

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    Mute Seaniecp
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    Apr 9th 2020, 1:52 PM

    @Aidan Butler: plenty to be proud of there. Fair play to them.

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    Mute Caoimhín O'Cheallacháin
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    Apr 9th 2020, 1:07 PM

    They should all follow suit

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    Mute Mel Roberts
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    Apr 9th 2020, 2:11 PM

    @Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: for a front line health worker in the middle of a pandemic you have some amount of free time to have a dig at pleasers and clubs and what they earn

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    Mute Mel Roberts
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    Apr 9th 2020, 2:49 PM

    @Mel Roberts: players even

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    Mute Mel Roberts
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    Apr 10th 2020, 3:52 PM

    @Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: I’ve just shared a unique thought of my own in saying that you have some amount of spare time for someone who is a supposedly a frontline health worker in the middle of a pandemic. Hard lad you promising to shut someone’s mouth from behind a screen. I look forward to you trying to fulfil your promise

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    Mute Caoimhín O'Cheallacháin
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    Apr 10th 2020, 5:28 PM

    @Mel Roberts: troll. Ur not very clever are you? That’s not a unique though Mel first of all. It’s an observation and not a very good one at that. It takes a minute to write a message. Although I should remember now that your not the smartest tool in the box so might take u most of the day. Oh I’ll fulfill the promise. And u have still have yet to tell me what manure I was talking again…. Or do u want me to break that question down into smaller more simpler parts for you to comprehend?!!

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    Mute Mel Roberts
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    Apr 11th 2020, 9:55 AM

    @Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: the fact that you still use text speak tells me that you clearly aren’t a clerical worker in the health service. You can’t string a sentence together in proper grammar yet it is me who is not the brightest. Do you want my address big lad if your going to shut me up? I’m here all day every day so feel free

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    Mute Caoimhín O'Cheallacháin
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    Apr 11th 2020, 11:59 AM

    @Mel Roberts: yes please. Again you are not able to answer my question? You said I talked utter manure previously but now it’s three times and you still haven’t answered the question. You that slow on the uptake? “In proper grammar yet”… Think you mean correctly. You are the simpleton who should have at least made sure your own grammar is perfect before writing such a comment.

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    Mute Mel Roberts
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    Apr 11th 2020, 3:02 PM

    @Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: Mate I was grammatically correct in what I just said. You are the guy that writes in text speak pal yet call me a simpleton. Did you hear your mummy talking about you and decide to throw that word about then? I thought it was pretty obvious that when I said you were talking manure I was referring to your entire comment. I mean a big smart boy like you should have been able to understand that. Then again you are the key health worker living in your parents attic probably threatening people behind a screen

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    Mute Caoimhín O'Cheallacháin
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    Apr 11th 2020, 10:36 PM

    @Mel Roberts: you are stupid. Yes you said it was manure but never said why? I’m guessing you never went very far in school. Just by telling me it’s manure doesn’t make it so…. You have to explain yourself. English was definitely not a strong subject for you. I’m not threatening you…. It’s a promise. You got personal with me. You insulted me. And now I’m the keyboard warrior because I didn’t put up with your bullshit. I said it before and I’ll say it again but you are stupid.

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    Mute Mel Roberts
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    Apr 12th 2020, 10:13 AM

    @Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: I never got personal with you at all pal. I told you your comment was utter manure because that was exactly what you were spewing. It’s a promise is it? And how do you intend to go about keeping it? I’m sure if you are a front line health worker your employer wouldn’t take too kindly to you making threats to people on public forums

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    Mute Caoimhín O'Cheallacháin
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    Apr 12th 2020, 11:38 AM

    @Mel Roberts: I give up!! Still can’t explain urself. You antagonised me. I’ll stand up for myself. Simple as. I’m no mug… And just because I might work for the health service doesn’t mean I can’t shut up some load mouthed keyboard warrior who actually has nothing of note to say for themselves. Mate I’ve asked you repeatedly to explain why what I said was manure and all a bright intellectual that you are all you could say is “that’s what you were spewing”. Fool

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    Mute Mel Roberts
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    Apr 12th 2020, 2:51 PM

    @Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: unlike you I have a life and I couldn’t even remember wheat it is you were speaking about but I know it was utter muck what you came off with. And I wasn’t the only one that thought it. I think we have established that you aren’t a front line health worker mate. You are using that for whatever sick reasons you may have to drum up some sympathy for yourself. You are the one that is getting personal and making threats. I’m more than happy to pass you my address if you want it but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t come knocking if you I did

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    Mute Mel Roberts
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    Apr 12th 2020, 2:51 PM

    @Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: unlike you I have a life and I couldn’t even remember wheat it is you were speaking about but I know it was utter muck what you came off with. And I wasn’t the only one that thought it. I think we have established that you aren’t a front line health worker mate. You are using that for whatever sick reasons you may have to drum up some sympathy for yourself. You are the one that is getting personal and making threats. I’m more than happy to pass you my address if you want it but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t come knocking if you I did

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    Mute George McCarthy
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    Apr 9th 2020, 2:45 PM

    “You’ll never walk alone” turned out to be a bit of a porky

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    Mute Tricksy
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    Apr 9th 2020, 1:37 PM

    Brilliant gesture from the players . The minister for health in Britain will be delighted after he put players at the focus of his comments lately . Next up will be the formula 1 drivers and the muti billionaire owners of clubs .

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    Mute devils avacado
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    Apr 9th 2020, 2:55 PM

    @Tricksy: How about rugby players, cricket players, CEOs of big companies, and least we forget the extremely wealthy royal class and people of nobility, a lot of Dames, Barrons, Earls, Dukes, and Viceroys with deep pockets,, has anyone tried to shame them into coughing up for the cause?? Why has it been all about the footballers??

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    Mute Tricksy
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    Apr 9th 2020, 5:57 PM

    @devils avacado: I totally agree with you , my comment was meant to be cynical. These government ministers taking the high moral ground , while their pals , the big backers of their politics are getting away Scot free . They support each other . Players are handy pickings .

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