Gillingham received less than most in League 1 when it came to the money dished out by the Premier League last season.

The basic payment from the top-flight for all third-tier clubs during the 2019/20 campaign was £675,000 but additional money was paid out dependent on academy status and community work.

Those grants to the clubs in League 1 were dwarfed by the £16.92m paid out to Sunderland, a figure that included parachute payments. In contrast, the Gills were handed £1.139m.

Tranmere, who were relegated, received less than £1m while Wycombe Wanderers - promoted by the play-offs - were bottom of the pile with £770,000. Bury took £775,000 but dropped out of the division early on because of financial difficulties.

Apart from Sunderland, troubled Bolton took over £1.8m, Coventry £1.6m and Ipswich £1.4m but as the table proved at the end of the season, money isn’t everything. Bolton went down, Sunderland stayed put and Ipswich finished behind the Gills.

The figures were released on Wednesday by the Premier League, who have been asked to do more for clubs in the lower ranks of the football pyramid during the pandemic. This year’s solidarity payments, for the 2020/21 season, were issued early to help teams survive in the short term.

A statement said: “The Premier League has for many years supported clubs in the English Football League (EFL) and the National League, not just with core solidarity payments to assist their general costs, but also investment into their wide-ranging community programmes, and to fund their development of young players in their academies.

“This funding is received annually and is in addition to the rescue package to address the immediate financial challenges faced by EFL clubs as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The rescue package was agreed in early December between the EFL and the Premier League, with a £50m fund to be distributed between League 1 and 2 clubs in the form of a standard grant (£30m) and monitored grant payments (£20m) for those most in need. The Gills received a minimum £375,000 from that fund.

The Premier League came under fire from the government during the early stages of the Covid pandemic but have been keen to promote their own contributions, declaring that their annual tax contribution to the economy from clubs and players is £3.3bn.

Total payments to the 72 clubs in the EFL during the 19/20 season was £409.3m. They say they have also invested £364m in grassroots football pitches and facilities over the last two decades.

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