'I feel we have to help', insists Wigan Athletic chief

Birmingham City yesterday become the first Championship club to ask their players to take wage deferrals – and it remains to be seen whether others will follow.

It’s understood squad members earning more than £6,000-a-week at St Andrew’s have been asked to take a 50 per cent cut in their salary for the next four months.

The money will be paid back in stages when the season restarts.

And Cook says those who have earned a healthy living from the game need to look at the big picture.

“Football, especially at the top level, where some lads earn obscene amounts of money, I feel we have to help,” he told Sky Sports News.

”We must make sure that financially we do everything we can to help.

”I’m not talking about your Tranmeres, and clubs like that...they shouldn’t have to give 10 per cent.

”If you’ve got a player on £1,400 a week, he shouldn’t have to give away £140.

”But when we’ve got some players and managers, even in the Championship, earning heavy...we’re the ones who should be giving, without a doubt.”

Championship clubs discussed the prospect of wage deferrals last week as they look to stave off financial problems.