Ipswich Town Football Club have confirmed that ‘a number of off-field staff’ have been placed on furlough leave during the coronavirus crisis.

We reported last week that Ipswich would follow the likes of Newcastle, Tottenham and Norwich in using the government’s taxpayer-funded Job Retention Scheme.

With football in a prolonged period of shut-down, the club will receive government money to cover 80% of wages for their employees that are currently unable to work (up to a maximum of £2,500 a month). Owner Marcus Evans will then top-up all those wages to 100%.

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A brief club statement reads: “With the uncertainty over when football will return and no real revenue streams without games, the club have followed in line with a lot of other clubs in using the government’s Job Retention Scheme in relation to a number of off-field staff.

“The owner (Marcus Evans) has ensured though that all full-time staff will continue to be paid a full salary.”

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It’s understood that the club is now operating on a skeleton staff as the authorities continue to assess when, if indeed at all, this season can safely be resumed.

Yesterday, Liverpool reversed their decision to furlough some non-playing staff after a fierce backlash. In a letter to their fans, chief executive Peter Moore said: “We believe we came to the wrong conclusion last week and are truly sorry for that.” He added that the Reds have ‘opted to find alternative means’ to pay staff.

Meanwhile, Sunderland have announced that its first-team players, contracted academy players and backroom staff have all been placed on furlough leave and that, at this moment in time, they ‘have no intention to ask any players or staff to take a wage reduction or deferral on their salary, and the club remains fully committed to ensuring all employees are paid in full’.

League Two leaders Crewe have also put their players on furlough ‘to protect the long-term financial viability of the football club’.