Related links

News

• Wyness - 39th game not dead
• Scudamore - PL is not greedy
• Platini questions global motives
• PL delay Fifa global meeting
• FA firmly against 39th step
• FA to meet over Prem plans
• Triesman wary of damage
• Global plan to be reconsidered
• PL push ahead with 39th game talks
• Hong Kong open to Prem Plan
• Eddington pessimistic over Prem plans
• Scudamore - Clubs back plans
• Lamb keen on added funds
• Duo to shun Prem plans
• Fergie unhappy over 39th game
• Whelan worried by global plan
• MLS keen to be involved
• Prem keen to prevent breakaway
• Hahnemann blasts 39th fixture
• O'Neill undecided on Prem idea
• Fifa to discuss proposal
• Wenger open to Prem plans
• Fergie slams Premier League
• View from the clubs
• Going global divides opinion
• Lalas welcomes Prem idea
• Quinn calm on overseas games
• Scudamore explains fixture idea
• Gold excited by Prem plans
• Bruce open to abroad move
• Overseas fixtures
• Premier League look abroad

Teams

• Middlesbrough

Also see

• Boro fixtures
• Boro stats
• Boro forum

Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb insists that money is the deciding factor in his stance to back the Premier League's plan to play abroad.

Under the scheme for an extra game to be played during the English season, clubs in the top-flight could earn £5million extra per season.

And Lamb admits figures of £5million are just impossible to ignore.

"It's not all about money, but it's not far off being all about money when you sit on my side of the table," Lamb told a Middlesbrough fans' forum.

"Everything is expensive - players are expensive, contracts are expensive.

"If we can get £5million more a year out of playing in a foreign country, it's £5million more we have got to spend on the Riverside Stadium and our squad, and it would be a big help to us.

"We are very fortunate we have stability in the club and we have Steve Gibson behind us, who is there to pick up the pieces.

"In the last financial year, this club lost £17million, but we retained our Premier League status.

"That's because of Steve Gibson. But I cannot keep going to Steve Gibson with a begging bowl every year and saying, 'chip in another £17million, Steve'.

"I have got to consider anything that will bring more money into the football club to allow us to buy the best players that come on the market that we can afford and who want to come to Middlesbrough."

Confident

Lamb is confident the plan for an extra game will get the go-ahead but he is not sure when.

"I think there's a fair chance," he continued.

"If I was a betting man, I would say there's more chance of it happening than not happening.

"But it might not be done in the timescale the Premier League indicated, which would be at the start of the 2010-11 season. It might take a little longer.

"I would find it odd that you could play 39 games and it might mean that one of those is against a team you have to play three times.

"But that is the only reason I can find for not doing it.

"Taking a game abroad and playing it, I don't have any problems with.

"The Premier League is if not the best league in the world, then certainly the richest. That's why we have so many foreign players over here earning a fortune.

"Why shouldn't we take it to the fans who pay almost as much as the English fans at the moment?

"Our overseas TV income is pretty much close to matching the UK broadcasting income and in the next deal in three years' time, it is anticipated that worldwide TV income will exceed UK income."