Soccer-PFA chief Taylor donates 500,000 pounds to players' NHS fund

Professional Footballers' Association chief Gordon Taylor has donated 500,000 pounds ($617,000) to the Premier League players' fund for the National Health Service (NHS), British media reported on Tuesday. The 75-year-old Taylor, who is reported to have an annual salary of 2.3 million pounds, had been criticized for refusing to take a pay cut during the coronavirus crisis while wage cuts for Premier League players and managers are being discussed.

The PFA represents players at all levels of the game in England and Wales, including low-paid lower league footballers. Sky Sports reported that the PFA has made a separate, 1 million pound donation from members of the executive team to the fund.

Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson has been involved with team mate James Milner in organizing the fund as a way to support NHS staff dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. The league has agreed to make a 20 million pound donation separately to the NHS and local communities.

Players and managers have been criticized for not taking wage cuts during the crisis, but Taylor defended them by saying players were willing to give up some of their income but not to let club owners keep it. ($1 = 0.8104 pounds)

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