Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer debate over parachute payments in Leeds United promotion verdict
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have insisted parachute payments to relegated teams Leeds United, Leicester and Southampton, give them an advantage over other clubs in the race for promotion from the Championship.
Lineker claimed it is vital for relegated clubs to achieve promotion and bounce back to the Premier League as quickly as possible, naming Leeds among the contenders this season.
Shearer commented that it is a huge advantage to those clubs, and a big part of why relegated clubs so often go straight back up to the top division.
Lineker was speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast [22 January] as he gushed: “Southampton, what about them? They’ve set a new club record of 21 games without defeat and are now second, they’ve had an incredible run.
“You’ve got Leicester, you’ve got Southampton now one and two, and Leeds not far behind. You’ve got the parachute payments which are vital and make a big difference. When you’ve been relegated like those three clubs, it’s vital you bounce back quickly, isn’t it?”
Shearer then chipped in, saying: “It’s a huge advantage for those clubs, which is why we see a lot go down and come back up.”
A four-way race
For Lineker to leave out third-placed Ipswich from his promotion contenders in favour of Leeds perhaps shows the level of expectation Daniel Farke’s side is facing in their push to bounce back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.
However, with Ipswich still a place above Leeds with a four-point gap and a game in hand, which would see them move back up to second with even a draw, they have to be considered the more likely side to go up.
The four leading teams in the Championship look the most likely to battle it out for the two automatic promotion places, while West Brom and Coventry currently round off the playoff places, but with just six points separating sixth and fourteenth, it’s as unpredictable as ever.
There is no doubt the relegated Premier League teams have an advantage, and with parachute payments that gap becomes even wider, but there are only two spots up for grabs and anything can happen in the Championship, especially the playoffs.
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