Premier League chairmen are fully behind Gam£ 39, insists under-fire Scudamore

The Premier League last week announced plans to play 10 top-flight matches overseas from the 2010-11 season, creating a 39-game season.

Fans are vowing to fight the proposal and the Football Supporters' Federation has set up a petition which they intend to pass on to Scudamore, while Sportsmail's Just Say No campaign is attracting widespread support.

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But Scudamore insists Premier League clubs remain behind the idea despite 75 per cent of fans telling our online poll they do not support it and Wigan chairman Dave Whelan expressing grave reservations.

• Whelan 's Gam£ 39 fears

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"My shoulders are fairly broad. You take this job knowing it's always going to be an easy ride," Scudamore joked to Sky Sports.

"You work for the 20 clubs. Most importantly you have to work from your base that surrounds you and is closest to you.

"It's important we have the support of the 20 clubs and we still have the support of the 20 clubs to investigate and look at the proposal and bring it back.

"The media have tried to make up some idea that people are breaking ranks, but everyone is in the same position.

"They want to know answers to some questions. They want to think through some of the implications for the competition. They want to know whether the whole thing stacks up and that's exactly where we are, so the clubs are solid.

"We had a good meeting yesterday at the professional game board of the Football Association where we explained some more details to our Football League and FA colleagues.

"Because it's the start of the consultation process our professional game colleagues, both Football League and Premier League, were enthusiastic and could see the merits in the proposal but like all of us need a lot more work to be done.

"I have a cupboard full of models as to how it could and couldn't work. Fans can impact on things like that, on the basis of what is the fairest way. None of the solutions are entirely self-evident."

Both Whelan and Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner are reportedly against the idea and Scudamore added: "In fairness to Dave Whelan, if you read exactly what he said, it is 'I'm neither condemning it nor condoning it. I need to see whether the numbers stack up'," he continued.

"In a sense that's where all 20 clubs are. There are lots of questions yet to be answered and we need to see whether it stacks up.

"We need to see whether it's worth it. Is the gain worth some of the downside?

"I can deal with the Randy Lerner stuff easily. He was quoted in relation to a direct question of 'Would the Premier League take a game abroad like the NFL did coming to Wembley?'

"Randy Lerner is quite clear, distancing himself from that report. Randy's position on this is very different because it's a proposal that involves all 20 clubs. It's systematic and done for very different reasons.

"It's a strategic play that involves all 20 that creates and makes sure our solidarity mechanisms and that the league stays together when doing this rather than cherry-picking the odd game or a club or doing something differently.

"So Mr Lerner is entirely comfortable with this proposal."