Compared: Leeds United’s wage bill vs Championship rivals as three relegated sides drop down — Leeds All Over 14/7/24

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Kris Smith

Ex-Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale recently hit out at the current disparity between the Premier League and the EFL on finances, using the Whites’ wage bill as proof that change is needed, and it’s still a strong wage bill this season.

Last season in the Championship saw Ipswich Town break the mould of the three relegated sides bouncing straight back to the top flight, but their outlier of a season didn’t take away from the comparative strength of the sides at the top.

Those outside of that group don’t feel like there’s a level playing field in play, even with PSR dictating every club’s move quite strictly.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live earlier in 2024 (via LeedsLive), former Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale wasn’t happy with the fact that there has been no offer on the table for EFL teams from Premier League clubs to see the TV revenue filter into the lower tiers.

Such a disparity between clubs at the top of the pyramid and those who haven’t had that chance, like Ridsdale’s current club Preston, was pointed out as he used Leeds, Leicester, and Southampton’s parachute payments as an example.

He said this:

“All we want is to make sure we have a sustainable and competitive EFL and obviously you see the cliff-edge between the Premier League and the Championship, with the parachute clubs coming down getting something like £50m in the first year and £40m-odd in the second year, having got relegated.

“We’ve got teams at the top of our division paying five times more in wages than (Preston) are, and that’s showing because they’re at the top end of the Championship – and they’re doing that based on parachute payments that are coming down from the Premier League.

“The top three teams are Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich, then Southampton are fourth. Three of those four came down last year and have got parachute payments. If we don’t keep it competitive and sustainable, then English football is finished.”

There’s little argument that can be made against the fact that recently relegated sides have an inherent advantage in their ability to spend more than their rivals that have been in the EFL for years, and that shows in the wage bills.

According to Capology, Leeds still lead the way in wage bills for this season, even though wage cuts following relegation seemingly haven’t been taken fully into account:

Championship 23/24 wage bills 

Club       Annual payroll

1. Leeds United                                 £41,028,000

2. Burnley                                           £35,324,000

3. Sheffield United                          £21,450,000

4. Luton Town                                   £20,015,000

5. Norwich City                                  £17,850,000

6. West Brom                                     £17,230,000

7. Cardiff City                                     £15,132,000

8. Watford                                          £12,086,000

9. Stoke City                                       £10,580,000

10. Middlesbrough                          £10,414,000

11. Bristol City                                   £10,204,000

12. QPR                                                 £10,138,000

13. Swansea City                              £10,000,000

14. Coventry City                              £9,762,000

15. Blackburn Rovers                      £9,222,000

16. Sheffield Wednesday              £8,968,000

17. Preston                                         £8,489,000

18. Hull City                                        £8,774,000

19. Sunderland                                 £8,556,000

20. Millwall                                         £7,492,000

21. Plymouth Argyle                       £6,150,000

22. Derby County                             £5,104,000

23. Portsmouth                                 £4,292,000

24. Oxford United                            £3,537,000

Wage bills subject to change with transfers in and out

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