League set for crisis talks
Pearson insists a cap on player wages must be introduced to help prevent spiralling financial losses as the economy heads into a recession.
Football League chairman Brian Mawhinney is thought to advocate a salary cap in all three divisions, particularly the Championship in which Plymouth Argyle currently feature.
A League spokesman said: "Given the prevailing economic climate, this is an issue that will be discussed with clubs once again."
League clubs are to meet on December 18 at Pride Park and, while the prospect of a salary cap is not top of the agenda, it seems certain to be debated.
Yet despite a general acceptance that there needs to be some form of control over player wages, not all Championship chairmen are convinced a salary cap is the answer.
Preston chairman Derek Shaw said: "A salary cap would be very difficult to control because there are lots of ways round it so that players can still increase their earning power.
"At Preston our wage bill has increased by £1 million per year for the past four or five years. If you don't pay the wages, you will get relegated from the Championship and it's very difficult to get back up – just ask Leeds and Nottingham Forest."
Shaw conceded that Preston, one of the more prudent clubs in the Championship, have been affected by the economic downturn. He added: "Our gates are down on average by about 1,000 on last year. But if we reduce ticket prices then we can't afford to pay the players' wages."
Bristol City chief executive Colin Sexstone has claimed a salary cap would widen the gulf between the Championship and the Premier League.
Although Sexstone is in favour of bringing players' wages down, he believes this can best be achieved by allowing market forces to take effect.
"We are against any kind of outside regulation," said Sexstone. "Regulation would create a bureaucracy which would become too big to control. We saw something similar in League One a few years ago where there simply weren't enough policemen to enforce it.
"I think all clubs are agreed on the need for wages to come down, but the market should dictate any such cut rather than accountants working for the Football Association or Football League.
"I can't see the Premier League even entertaining the idea. If we had a wage cap in the Championship, the gap would become too big to bridge.
"You would be left with a situation where the teams coming down from the Premier League would almost certainly be promoted straight back the following season."
Derby chairman Pearson said it was time to act, though, saying: "The game is close to meltdown at all levels. Club boards are under pressure to gain success and that leads them to paying ridiculous wages. It cannot carry on or it will end in disaster. There is a growing feeling now that some sort of wage cap has to come in."
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