Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has waded in on the debate that has crept up in recent days, regarding Premier League footballers taking pay cuts.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, recently called on Premier League players to take wage cuts to help ensure financial stability for their respective teams, and reduce the usage of the furlough scheme at top-flight level.

There has been efforts from the likes of Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson to try encourage this to happen, but as of yet, there has been no distinct cut across the board in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Leeds have been leading the way in the Championship with the senior management team and first-team players taking wage deferrals, to ensure all non-playing staff can be paid in full - this in stark contrast to many other second tier clubs who have utilised the furlough scheme.

Speaking on the topic of, former Whites shot-stopper Paul Robinson said to MOT Leeds News: “Each club has handled it differently. The way Leeds have handled it is excellent and they’ve been the market leaders, the first to do it.

“But it depends on the club and the state of the finances and how many people they employ.

“If you’re talking Leeds you’re talking two or three hundred staff. If you’re talking Man United you’re into the thousands, two or three thousand staff. It’s a different level of football, different levels of staff.

“The way the players have been targeted for no reason whatsoever is completely wrong. To be pointed out as scapegoats is ridiculous.

“There is the ability for footballers to help out, but for this to be pointed out publicly and to be used as scapegoats is completely wrong.

“There are so many people living in other countries, in tax exiles, but they don’t point out that football players live over here and pay 50% tax straight into the government’s pockets in tax.”

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