Spurs fans urge club to reverse furlough decision

Tottenham Hotspur's fans are urging the club to follow Liverpool's move and reverse its decision to make use of a government scheme to pay furloughed staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Spurs imposed a 20% pay cut on 550 non-playing staff in April and May to protect jobs, and chairman Daniel Levy said on March 31 that the club planned to use the government's furlough scheme where appropriate.

Liverpool reversed its decision to furlough some non-playing staff, and club CEO Peter Moore apologised to fans on Monday after facing sharp criticism from the government as well as supporters.

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust said the Premier League club's decision to use the government scheme, where employers can claim for 80% of furloughed staff's monthly wages up to 2,500 pounds ($3,000) per month - was harming its reputation.

"We have been saying consistently @SpursOfficial - pause and rethink," it said on Twitter. "We are now saying it clearly and in public - do not further damage the club's reputation, listen to your fans."

Levy said in his March 31 statement that the club would continue to review its position.

The north London club - the eighth-largest in the world by revenue according to a Deloitte survey - saw its revenue rise by 80 million pounds in 2019, when it posted a profit of 68.6 million pounds after tax.

Premier League players and managers have been criticised for not taking pay cuts during the league's suspension while many staff who earn a fraction of the players' wages are furloughed.

Professional football in England had been suspended until April 30. The Premier League said last week the season will only resume when the situation stabilises.