March 31 – Aberdeen have become the first Scottish side to join the Union of European Clubs (UEC).
In a statement, Aberdeen FC chairman Dave Cormack said: “Joining the UEC is a natural step for us. Throughout our discussions, it became clear that we share a common understanding of the key challenges facing football today and an alignment of what some of the potential threats are on the horizon.”
“There are recurring themes across most of the domestic leagues in Europe, and we believe the UEC is the right platform to help drive meaningful change, from improving financial and competitive balance to ensuring youth development is properly recognised and rewarded.”
With more than more than 140 members from 25 different countries, the UEC is lobbying group for middle-seized and smaller clubs across Europe. The organisation wants to redress the growing financial disparity in the European club game and the influence of the big clubs at the EFC, formerly the ECA. They want a fairer distribution to ensure competitive balance.
At the last European Leagues general assembly, the UEC rolled out a third policy proposal that would redesign the flow of revenues in European football. The Union proposed to scrap UEFA’s solidarity payments and pool some of the prize money from European club competitions for the benefit of domestic clubs, who don’t participate.
Dennis Gudasic, general secretary of the UEC, added: “Aberdeen FC is a historic club that stands for strong values and forward-thinking leadership. Their commitment to fairness, solidarity and reform aligns perfectly with the UEC’s mission. We are delighted to welcome them and look forward to their active contribution as we continue to advocate for a more balanced, democratic and sustainable future for European football.”
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at [email protected]