Football news - Tottenham urged to copy Liverpool’s furlough U-turn

Last week, chairman Daniel Levy announced that all 550 non-playing staff, including himself, had been furloughed to cope financially amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Liverpool followed suit on Saturday, but following a backlash from fans and former players the current Premier League leaders changed their mind, with chief executive Peter Moore issuing an apology.

Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Norwich City have also taken the decision to furlough some of their own staff on the government's scheme.

However, pressure is now mounting on Spurs to follow Liverpool’s example and perform a U-turn, with Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust urging their club to listen to supporters, calling on Levy and the board to “pause and rethink”.

In a strongly worded statement last Tuesday, Levy confirmed Spurs were taking advantage of the Government’s furlough scheme in order to "protect jobs”, with those involved set to be paid 80 per cent of their wages through April and May.

"We shall all need to work together to ensure the impact of this crisis does not undermine the future stability of the club," the statement read. "We have seen some of the biggest clubs in the world such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus take steps to reduce their costs.

He added: "When I read or hear stories about player transfers this summer like nothing has happened, people need to wake up to the enormity of what is happening around us.

"I have no doubt we will get through this crisis but life will take some time to get back to normal. I hope we will never take for granted so many basic things such as getting off the train at Seven Sisters, walking along Tottenham High Road, entering our stadium with our family and friends, and buying a beer and pie ahead of watching Spurs play at home.

"I wish everyone good health, a speedy return to normal life and watching Spurs at home in front of our fans. Stay safe."