Former Goodison Park and Aston Villa legend, Gray, believes that restricting clubs from spending to abide by financial rules will lead to other leagues attracting top players, potentially lowering the standard of the Premier League. He argues that smaller clubs have faced financial problems, while larger clubs can navigate these rules, impacting the competitiveness of the league. Gray, who won the League title with Everton, points out that financial constraints maintain a repetitive cycle of success for a small group of clubs, such as preventing ambitious teams like Aston Villa from investing in better players.

He mentions that this limitation is not beneficial for the football landscape in the country and questions why up-and-coming clubs are not allowed to spend and compete against established powerhouses. He emphasizes the excitement generated by lower league clubs like Wrexham and urges for careful monitoring without restricting teams from acquiring top talent. Gray expresses concerns about the potential influence on the league’s overall quality.