IAN Evatt says plans for a European Super League are “fundamentally wrong” and has called for football to unite against the controversial proposals.

The Bolton Wanderers boss believes his own club, a founder member of the Football League in 1888, will be affected if the ‘Big Six’ Premier League clubs are successful in breaking away to form their own European competition.

Though the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool say they still intent to play domestic football – the governing authorities have warned they could be expelled if the ESL goes ahead, as proposed.

Evatt voiced his criticism of the plan, blaming insensitive ownership for ignoring the rich traditions of football on the continent.

“It just doesn’t surprise me anymore,” he said. “The owners of these big clubs have no understanding of the foundations of English, British, European football, the history of it. It is about greed and selfishness, that is all they are interested in.

“Football is a working-class game and for more than a century fans have built it, enjoyed watching it, been the heartbeat of every community. Now they are trying to rip the heart out of it for financial benefit.

“It is fundamentally wrong and we have to stamp it out.

“People in the game like myself, the media, the government, the supporters, can all make a stand and stamp this nonsense out right now. It needs to be done.

“They need to understand they are not going to take our game away from us and football out of the communities and out of the hands of fans. It should not be that way.

“Yes, football is a business but you can’t tell me these people are not earning enough money in the game right now. It is for nothing but themselves.”

The ESL plan has been met with massive backlash, with many predicting its formation is actually a response to a planned restructure and expansion of the Champions League which could see ‘bigger’ clubs take less financial reward from the competition.

Evatt does not believe it will go ahead if those in the game show solidarity.

“I hope everyone comes together and they keep this game the way it is,” he said.

“We know we can develop and improve things, football evolves, but there has to be a pyramid and a competition, relegations, promotions. You have to try and achieve something.

“Just because you call yourself a big club it doesn’t give you a divine right to stay in a division and earn billions of pounds, just because of a big fanbase. It is absolute nonsense. It makes a mockery of what the game is all about.”