Burnley chairman to continue to fund non-playing staff in “short to medium term”

Speaking to presenter, and Burnley fan, Tony Livesey on BBC 5 Live, Garlick was asked about a number of Premier League clubs making the decision to furlough staff and use the Government’s job retention scheme.

The club have already announced that they will continue to pay casual staff during the coronavirus pandemic, and Garlick said, as regards the prospect of some being furloughed: "It is a conversation certainly we have had over the last week or so.

”We have taken the decision, short to medium term, that ourselves as a club, will fund non-playing staff going forward.

”We will not be furloughing them.

"Now, if we got to, say, July and the season hadn't re-started, and the next season isn't looking as if it is going to start, that is a different position, and we might have to revisit it then.

"But at the moment we are going to be funding that ourselves, and are not going to be furloughing.

”I think if it was a League 2 clubs I could get it, if they can’t find the money at the end of the month, and maybe they don’t have wealthy owners, I do understand that.

”My worry is if we don’t restart the season, we might get another Bury, and we mustn’t let that happen.

”That’s really critical.“

Garlick had said on Saturday the club could potentially lose up to £50m should the season not resume, although that led to some headlines in national newspapers suggesting Burnley “could go bust.”

He set the record straight in that regard: “That is for us, the absolute worst, doomsday scenario, ie we don’t finish the season and there’s no new season in sight.

”I personally don’t think it’s going to come to that, I think we will start when it’s safe - we need to start, people want to see football again, it’s the game everyone loves.

”If, for whatever reason we didn’t, we have some reserves at the club. We’ll get through it, we’re not going to go bust, like some statements said.

”But, it’s not going to be easy.”

As regards players’ wages, with some clubs asking to take a 30% cut, Garlick added: “I think our players are fantastic, they do a great job for us as a club and do a lot for our community as well. They probably do their own things as well that I’m not aware of.

”These are intelligent people who think for themselves. We will not be unilaterally trying to impose things on any players.

”If they decided in any way, to help us, we’d be grateful, but we wouldn’t think any less of them if they didn’t.

”But talks are ongoing.”