ENGLISH football is at risk of losing clubs and leagues in the coronavirus pandemic, the Football Association’s chairman has warned.

Greg Clarke also urged everyone to ‘share the pain’ as talks continue between Premier League and English Football League clubs and the players’ union the Professional Footballers’ Association over player wage deferrals and cuts.

The FA announced on Monday its top earners were taking a 30 per cent pay cut, with other members of senior management taking a 15 per cent cut.

Clarke told the FA Council: “Football faces economic challenges beyond the wildest imagination of those who run it.

“The pandemic will be followed by its economic consequences and all business sectors will suffer.

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“We face the danger of losing clubs and leagues as finances collapse.

“Many communities could lose the clubs at their heart with little chance of resurrection.

“In the face of this unprecedented adversity, all the stakeholders within the game from players, fans, clubs, owners and administrators need to step up and share the pain to keep the game alive.”

Premier League clubs agreed they would consult with players over conditional reductions and deferrals up to 30 per cent to offset the potential and actual losses caused by the pandemic.

The EFL is negotiating with the PFA for what is understood to be an even higher percentage of deferral.

The PFA wants each club’s need to make the savings to be assessed on an individual basis.

The English professional game remains committed to completing the 2019/20 season.

But Clarke said: “We must have a plan to ensure that English football is not decimated should this season be lost and next season blighted.

“We hope we do not need this plan, as we are all determined to finish the professional football season, however we would be fools not to develop such a contingency plan.

“Those that lost their clubs because English football did not rise to the challenge would rightly judge us harshly.”