Albion chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber has vigorously defended Richard Scudamore in the row over the £5 million ‘golden handshake’ for the departing Premier League boss.

Scudamore, the outgoing executive chairman, will receive the payments over a three-year period.

Barber says they are “entirely normal” for a leading executive in high demand.

According to reports, the Seagulls and the other 19 clubs were asked by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck for a £250,000 contribution.

The Football Supporters’ Federation issued a statement condemning the golden handshake when fans are inconvenienced by fixture changes to fit TV schedules.

Liverpool fans made their feelings known at Watford on Saturday.

Banners in the away end at Vicarage Road read: “11,662 Premier League season tickets. 56,180 weekly shops for foodbanks. Scudamore’s £5,000,000. Greed.”

Barber, writing in the programme for Albion’s match against Leicester at the Amex on Saturday, said: “Sadly, much of what has been written and discussed, both in conventional and social media, was either misleading, inaccurate or simply untrue.

“Richard is not receiving a £5m ‘pay-off’; clubs have not been asked to write a cheque for £250,000, and we were not asked to vote on the matter at last week’s club meeting.

“Richard’s remuneration and contractual arrangements are determined by the Premier League’s own board, and by its audit and remuneration committee - not by individual clubs.

“Inevitably, the value of these things will be in line with the global market rate for a highly skilled and experienced executive who is already in very high demand.

“Richard’s services have been retained for three more years. During this period, Richard will not be able to take up a new role with a competing organisation and he will not be able to prise away the Premier League’s best talent.

“For these commitments, he will receive payments over three years from the league’s central funds - the means by which all of the league’s staff are paid.

“This is an entirely normal contractual agreement for very senior and highly sought after executives, and it has been designed by the Premier League’s board to protect the league’s commercial interests and those of it’s shareholders - including our club!”

Barber added: “I doubt there’s a football club, organisation, participant, supporter or community in this country’s that hasn’t previously or isn’t currently benefitting in some way from the outstanding success of the Premier League or the significant revenues that success has generated. Richard Scudamore deserves huge credit for that.”