Nigel Clough: Former Burton boss fears for future of lower-league clubs

Nigel Clough spent 16 years as Burton boss in two different spells

Former Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough believes clubs in League One and Two face uncertain futures because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 54-year-old resigned as Brewers boss on Monday to protect other jobs and will be replaced by Jake Buxton.

It remains unclear whether the League One season will resume or be curtailed like League Two.

"I think the future is incredibly precarious for clubs in League One and Two," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I know there are some owners who will have the funds to keep their clubs going but the vast majority are going to find it very tough.

"There's been advanced payments from the Premier League but that just means they're not going to be getting them in January so what money is going to be coming in then? We rely on people coming through the turnstiles.

"It's very tight. There are a lot of players out of contract so do clubs start handing out new contracts on 1 July when they don't know when they're going to be able to even come back to training?

"There are so many unanswered questions."

Clough was in his second spell with the third-tier Brewers having returned to the Pirelli Stadium in 2015.

He confirmed that after negotiations with chairman Ben Robinson it was decided that his departure, along with assistant Gary Crosby and brother and chief scout Simon Clough, were "in the best interests of the club".

Difficult to resolve League One

League Two sides have already "unanimously indicated" they want to end their campaign immediately but hold play-offs.

Bury's expulsion means there are just 23 teams in the third tier this season, so the campaign would be cut short if a majority of 12 teams back the proposal.

Clough said that the position League One was left in when football in England was suspended on 13 March makes it difficult for the league to go the same way as League Two.

If the season is brought to an early conclusion, using the unweighted points-per-game system proposed by the EFL, eighth-placed Wycombe Wanderers would move into the play-offs at the expense of Peterborough United - one of the sides determined to carry on playing.

"There's a lot of self interest out there, as you would expect. There are a lot of clubs out there who were hoping to get in the Championship this season," former Derby and Sheffield United boss Clough added.

"I was on a manager's call last week and I think it was John Coleman at Accrington who said that we should just promote Coventry and Rotherham because they probably deserve it and then maybe, because it's so tight, increase the play-off places down to 10th place and play a quarter-final.

"I know that is more games and we don't know if we'll be able to get back playing again but it's just a way of trying to satisfy the teams who are there or thereabouts because there's going to be a lot of disappointed big clubs."