Mark Ives' Update A Week On From 3UP Campaign Launch

Seven days after the big announcement that all 72 clubs took the unprecedented step of supporting a letter to the English Football League board, the CEO has provided a further update.

More than 20 years on from a second promotion place being awarded, the message couldn’t be clearer: it is time for another.

But Mr Ives has moved to address a suggested financial procedure imbalance, and highlighted the work carried out to make sure the health of member clubs is not compromised.

He says he is "thrilled" by the reaction to the campaign and vowed to leave no stone unturned to ensure a fair deal for our clubs and their supporters.

“One of the arguments I’ve read since the launch is about the financial checks that are carried out by the National League and that they’re not as robust as they are in the EFL,” he said.

"We refute that position quite firmly and you need to only look at the facts and the history of clubs that have gone into liquidation - since 2013, there haven’t been any in the National League since we changed our regulations.

"We have our own financial regulations that make sure that clubs are sustainable. We have a situation where – to be part of the National League – that we get a report on a monthly basis from HMRC that tells us if any clubs are in arrears with them so we can address it at the earliest opportunity.

"If you look at the clubs that have moved forward out of the National League, they move forward with a much firmer, sounder financial position. Some of the clubs we have inherited, we have had some difficulties.

"We have got a firm financial position. However, it is also our position that we align ourselves as close as we can with the EFL regulations so that any club that’s going up or going down have little off-field problems as possible.

"This year, we’re introducing the Salary Cap Management Protocols (SCMP) in line with the EFL – so that argument goes away because we’ll have the same regulations."

Click here for all the information on the 3UP campaign.