Brighton player wage cuts remain someway off after emergency meeting as PFA question proposal

Hancock urged top-flight professionals to "take a pay cut and play their part", perhaps unaware that Premier League captains were already in discussions about how players could help during the coronavirus outbreak.

Brighton however, have been praised by many for their response to the coronavirus. Their top three earners from the non-playing staff; Barber, technical director Dan Ashworth and head coach Graham Potter all took significant voluntary pay cuts for the next three months.

The players remain on full pay but some have made their own charitable donations. As yet Albion have not applied for the furlough scheme.

Albion also promised to donate 1,000 tickets to NHS workers for future matches when football resumes after the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, they were one of several Premier League clubs to donate meals to local homeless charities after fixtures were postponed.

The club also launched a telephone campaign to check in on elderly and vulnerable supporters who are self-isolating at home.

Albion's proactive approach has been welcomed but the thorny issue of player wages remain up in the air.

The Premier League suggested players take a 30 per cent wage cut or deferral, only for the Professional Footballers' Association to issue a statement saying such a move could result in a £200million tax deficit.

Wayne Rooney said the way the last few days had panned out have been a "disgrace" and the former England captain called into question Hancock's reasons for focusing on players at a time of national crisis.

But criticism from Rooney and other high-profile figures has not led to change of tack from Hancock, who on Sunday instead doubled down on his call for players to do more.

"I've seen that some, for instance footballers, are now making significant donations to charities and I really welcome that, that's exactly what we need to see," the Health Secretary told ITV News.

"But instead of having a row about this I think that people should come together and make a contribution.

"The hospices of this country have traditionally been largely funded by charity and charity shops.

"Those shops have had to close so I'm putting more money - taxpayer's money - into hospices to support them but why don't our footballers club together and support our hospices and support the national effort that we're all in?

"I think that is the sort of thing that would go down really well and help bring the country together."

PFA chief Taylor has been taken aback by the Health Secretary's comments.

Taylor told Telegraph Sport: "I found it astonishing that Matt Hancock could come out like that when he's got his own issues with trying to get the necessary protective health equipment for our NHS workers and didn't have the tests in place either."

The PFA joined the Premier League, League Managers Association and representatives from all clubs on a conference call on Saturday.

Talks will continue this week and Taylor has implored clubs to give the detailed financial information they had been expecting in order to make sure money goes to the right places.

"I think if they can't do that and explain the position fully then they have every right to expect players to mistrust what is happening," he said.

Asked if players were concerned about where the money would go, Taylor said: "Exactly that. They want the complete due diligence. They're not stupid. They've not just got their brains in their feet. They want to know the reasons for it and where it's going."

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