Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore "has increased the pressure on clubs to ratify its new financial regulations to combat the threat of a veto" at Thursday's shareholders’ meeting in London, according to Oliver Kay of the LONDON TIMES. In an e-mail seen by The Times, Scudamore has urged all 20 clubs to "endorse the plans." Scudamore also "took the unusual step" of suggesting the six clubs who opposed the motion at the previous meeting -- Aston Villa, Fulham, Manchester City, Southampton, Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion -- "may wish to reconsider their position." The required two-thirds majority passed in February when Reading "unexpectedly abstained." The regulations are expected to be approved, but Reading’s position was "thrown into doubt" Wednesday when Chair John Madejski said that it "would be wrong to 'start handcuffing' clubs and that they should be 'allowed to do what they want.'" Scudamore wrote: “Given the will of the clubs has already been expressed, I would expect clubs to at least maintain their voting position ... and actually hope some previous dissenters may see their way to approve the rules as being consistent with the will of the majority” (LONDON TIMES, 4/11).
