Some Birmingham City fans have flocked to a tweet that was recently posted by Brian Dick of Birmingham Live which shares the news that Blues defender Harlee Dean has “agreed to defer half of his salary”, as reported by Birmingham Live, who quote Dean’s recent conversation with talkSPORT’s Jim White as the source of the Birmingham City defender’s announcement.
A recent report from the Telegraph claimed that Birmingham City became “the first Championship club” to ask players to take wage deferrals due to the postponement of English football which was originally announced by efl.com on 13 March.
This piece explains that the Blues have asked players to accept “half of their monthly wages until June”, with the club intending to pay the players that money back “in four instalments when the football season resumes”.
Following the news that the Blues have asked players to take a temporary wage cut, Dean recently confirmed via talkSPORT that he has agreed to the club’s proposal, stating that it wouldn’t “sit right” with him “if someone at the club got laid off” as a result of the 28-year-old defender not agreeing to a wage deferral. The Daily Mail have also published a report claiming that “many of Birmingham’s players have agreed” to their club’s proposal of a ‘wage deferral’.
Some Blues fans have been reacting positively to the reports that Dean has agreed to a wage deferral on social media. Read the positive reactions of some Birmingham City supporters to these recent reports in the tweets below.
|
|
Harlee Dean speaking to @talkSPORT #BCFC #KRO https://t.co/PLe9PEukJC
— Brian Dick (@briandick) March 25, 2020
Outstanding leadership. Well done Harlee.
— jordan4: stay home & wash your hands ? (@Craigyj80) March 25, 2020
You know what, fair play Harlee, I criticised him in past, but this is what a captain is about, Leadership.
Bravo ??????#BCFC #KRO #upthepep #HammerDown— Stu KRO ?????? (@stuartroberts18) March 25, 2020
Fair play Harlee top class again?? he mentions some may not? Why? Understand they’ll get the money back but don’t understand how they can’t live off their weekly wage even with 50% taken away? Applies to any earning over £6,000 a week
— Matt Chance (@_chancey_) March 25, 2020
Absolutely brilliant Harlee !
— Dalmar Ragnarsson (@DalmarBluenose) March 25, 2020
Harlee Dean the non players saviour, Harlee Dean he gives half his cash away! 1-2-3-4
— BedworthBlueNose (@bedworthbcfc) March 25, 2020
Refreshing and honest, hats of to him ??
— Phil Hyde (@PhilHyde9) March 25, 2020
What do we think?
The postponement of professional football in England may make this time a difficult one for some football clubs financially, as they will see a lack of matchday revenue with no football matches being played “until at least 30 April“. As a result of the financial difficulty that clubs may suffer during the postponement of English football, it may be understandable why the Blues have felt the need to request players take a wage deferral during this time.
Considering that he has selflessly agreed to a wage deferral in order to “ensure no jobs are lost at the club“, it may also be understandable why some Birmingham City fans have been full of praise for Dean’s decision to temporarily reduce his income.