Cranie: Luton players want to do their bit to help the club during coronavirus struggles

Defender Martin Cranie has confirmed that Luton’s players are actively looking to ‘do their bit’ for the club during the current coronavirus pandemic.

With the EFL announcing last Friday that the football season was postponed indefinitely until it is safe to resume, clubs such as the Hatters are facing some desperate times ahead, with their income seriously affected.

Like many companies, Town made the decision recently to furlough a number of match-day staff, but were waiting on the outcome of discussions between the EFL and PFA before looking into deferrals or reductions of players’ salaries.

Speaking via video-link on Monday, Cranie said: “That’s the worst thing about it all, the people who are losing money, losing jobs – it’s just not a nice situation for anyone and you don’t want to see it happen to anyone.

“There is a big thing about wages at the minute, and there has been no agreement made on how we can help, but all the lads do want to help.

“It’s just getting to the place where it can be acceptable for everyone and we can do our bit for the club as well.

“We know there’s been meetings going on between the PFA and the EFL.

“It’s whether they can come to some sort of agreement which is suitable to everyone, because all the lads are in different stages and will be on different contracts, so it’s not going to be the same for everyone.

“It needs to be something agreeable that works for everyone, but I think at the same time, all the lads want to help out in some way to keep the club going.

“No-one wants to see people out of work or the club going under, so that’s not the problem, it’s just getting to a point where it can be agreed that it can help everybody.”

Health secretary Matt Hancock made headlines last week for insisting Premier League players should ‘take a pay cut and play their part’ during the crisis, a statement that has been met with plenty of criticism.

It didn’t sit too well with Cranie, who has played in the top flight during his career for Southampton, as he added: “I think it was quite harsh that they came out and singled out an individual group of players, rather than just sportsmen or people who are wealthy in general.

"It seemed to get directed at one group of players which I didn’t think is really fair when they don’t know what’s going on in the background.

“The players could be doing stuff personally, putting stuff together that no-one knows about, so I think it was quite unfair that it was directed straight at them.

“I’m sure the Premier League clubs are all doing stuff to help out.”

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