Thomas confirms Cobblers players and staff will continue to be paid 100 per cent of their wages

Due to the suspension of football during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, ‘a significant number’ of the players and non-playing staff were placed on furlough at the end of last month, with the club pledging to top up their pay to ensure they received their full wages.

Some clubs are struggling to cope with the financial strain of not playing fixtures, and with the season set to be suspended until at least the end of May or early June, there has been talk of players deferring a percentage of their wages, or even taking pay cuts in a bid to help.

On Tuesday, the EFL and PFA issued a joint statement stating that ‘up to a maximum of 25 per cent of players’ wages for April may be conditionally deferred’ for those league one and league two clubs ‘engaged in deferral negotiations with their players’.

But Thomas has confirmed the Cobblers are not in such a situation, and that everybody at the club will continue to be paid in full for as long as is possible.

“There has been quite a lot of discussions about player wages and the responsibility that players have in this situation,” said the Town chairman.

“From our perspective as a club, as with the staff, we are not going to ask the players for any deferrals or cuts right now.

“We are going to pay people 100 per cent, especially through April, and then we have told everybody we are going to review it as things happen.

“This is a very fluid situation, moving all the time, so we are going to review it as it happens, but at the moment we are committed to paying people 100 per cent.”

This is certainly a very trying time for all sports clubs up and down the country, and especially in football.

There have been stark warnings from some within the game that clubs, particularly in the lower leagues, will cease to exist if the suspension continues and they don’t get the financial help they need.

But Thomas is fairly relaxed about the financial situation at the PTS Academy Stadium, even though he like everybody else wants to get playing again.

“We are in a decent place,” said the chairman, whose Town team haven’t played since losing 2-1 to Mansfield Town back on March 7.

“We are not going to say everything is fine, but we are working hard behind the scenes to try and ensure we can get through this.

"There has obviously been a lot of Government help, help from the EFL who have advanced monies for next year, and the Premier League are talking about that.

“So there has been help that way to help with any immediate cashflow issues, and, although it might not always seem it, we are a well-run club that tries to do right thing.

“That is what we are trying to do, what we are trying to make sure of.

“Our staff and our players are highly important to the club, they are the backbone of the club, and we are going to try and make sure we can all get through this together.

“Listen, there may be some further conversations down the road, but I think the players and the staff would all understand that if there is a more serious impact on incomes and finances then we all might have to share in some of that pain.

“But at the moment we are very much sort of moving forward in ensuring that we pay people.

“Our players are certainly not on Premier League money, so it is very difficult to talk of them in the same sort of scope as the top flight players, and people will be surprised at the levels (of pay) that our players are on, or league two players in general.

“They are probably on not far off what many people are on anyway, and a lot of people live pay cheque to pay cheque.

“I think as a club we have to take some responsibility in this for sure, and that is what we are trying to do.”

And he added: “As long as we can continue what we are doing in terms of the 100 per cent pay, then we will do.

“I have spoken to the staff and the players on Zoom in the past 24 hours, and that is our commitment.

“We will review it each month, and we will probably review it each day internally, and just hope that when it is safe to do so, we can get back out and playing football again."