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MPs' report tells football to reform or face government intervention

Don't think it will go anywhere.
English football has been told it must introduce reforms within a year or the government may impose changes.
The ultimatum appears in a new report from the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
The MPs' report outlines concerns about financial management, the balance of power between the Premier League and the Football Association and the impact of significant risk-taking by owners.
Sports minister Hugh Robertson MP said: "We welcome the report."

Much greater reform in football is needed to make the game inclusive, sustainable and driven from the grass roots, where it should be

John Whittingdale MP
Chair of the committee
Robertson, who once described football as "the worst-governed sport in Britain", added: "The report from the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee (CMS) shows the will there is across Parliament for football to modernise and change for the better.
"We have been clear that we want the football authorities to carry out the reforms they promised by the start of the 2013-14 season - most notably around improved governance and diverse representation at the FA, the development of a licensing system and greater financial transparency.
"If football does not deliver then we will look at bringing forward legislation."
The FA, Premier League and Football League responded in a statement: "Significant headway has already been made on many of these proposed reforms, not least on sustainability and transparency.
"The remaining reform proposals are the subject of consultation within the game and we are confident that the necessary progress will be made."

There is a worrying trend as financial interests take hold that the game is becoming remote from the communities from which the clubs originated

Clive Efford MP
Labour shadow minister for sport
The CMS committee issued its first report in July 2011. The government then responded, identifying three "immediate priorities" for action by football's power-brokers: a complete restructuring of the FA board, the implementation of an FA-administered licensing system for the professional game and significant changes to the make-up and processes of "football's parliament", the FA Council.
"While some progress has been achieved, much greater reform in football is needed to make the game inclusive, sustainable and driven from the grassroots, where it should be," said John Whittingdale MP, chairman of the committee.
"The proposals for reform so far simply don't address the fundamental problems: the licensing model, the way supporters are engaged at club level and the membership of the main board, which is not fully representative or able to balance interests adequately."
Some changes have been introduced, notably through Heather Rabbatts and Roger Devlin joining the FA board as non-executive independent members.
But a series of proposed reforms - billed as "extremely radical" and "progressive" - were rejected by the FA Council last October.
That followed more than a year of negotiations between the FA, the Premier League and the Football League to reach agreement on a joint proposal.
The reforms are believed to have faltered over fears they handed increased powers to the professional game and the FA executive.
The council also rejected a request to allow FA chairman David Bernstein to stay on in office past the automatic retirement age of 70, a decision that the Robertson has since described as "crazy."
English league clubs entering administration since 2007
Boston United - April 2007
Leeds United - May 2007
Luton Town - November 2007
Bournemouth - February 2008
Rotherham United - March 2008
Darlington - February 2009
Southampton - April 2009
Stockport County - April 2009
Crystal Palace - January 2010
Portsmouth - February 2010
Plymouth Argyle - March 2011
Portsmouth - February 2012
Port Vale - March 2012
Bernstein, appointed three years ago, has been praised for his leadership and his efforts to repair international relations following the fallout from England's failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
The FA has also, under his tenure, looked to tackle the recurring issue of racism by releasing a discrimination and inclusion action plan.
Today's report reinforces how the FA must now, in the midst of celebrations for its 150th anniversary, appoint a new leader and negotiate with football's stakeholders to introduce the necessary reforms that will ward off government intervention.
Many supporters' groups are also critical that governance of the professional game - and the requirements of any club licence system - would be administered by the FA but with the rules, crucially, left to the leagues to determine.
Establishing a policy on ticket prices, an issue highlighted recently by Manchester City returning 912 tickets to Arsenal after their fans baulked at paying £62 to attend, is just one area over which the FA would cede control under the current proposals.
Greater representation for supporters and tackling issues that concern them such as ownership and effective financial regulation is an issue critics hope can now be tackled.
"The involvement of fans is essential for the future vitality of the game and there is a worrying trend as financial interests take hold that the game is becoming remote from the communities from which the clubs originated," said Labour's shadow minister for sport, Clive Efford MP.
With many clubs facing perilous financial predicaments in recent years the committee also says measures to safeguard their future have not gone far enough.
"The financial proposals were hugely disappointing: the financial risk-taking by clubs is a threat to the sustainability of football as a family and community orientated game, which it should be," said Whittingdale.

Comments

  • Much as their sentiments are right, sort your fucking mates in the banks out first, eh?
  • Actually, I think we should be positive about this. I wrote the other day that legislation is the only way that we can reduce the power of the FAPL over the rest of football. I didn't realize this committee was so far down the track. It means among other things that there are MPs who can be identified as having detailed knowledge of what's wrong with football at the moment.
    In particular it worth noting that Clive Efford is the shadow minister for sport. He's the Eltham MP and knows a lot about our recent history. He was around at the time at the Valley Party and lost a bet with Steve Dixon involving beers for each vote we would get.

    Let's give these guys a break. This is the most powerful body in existence that has identified what's wrong with football and has the clout to do something about it.
  • Actually, I think we should be positive about this. I wrote the other day that legislation is the only way that we can reduce the power of the FAPL over the rest of football. I didn't realize this committee was so far down the track. It means among other things that there are MPs who can be identified as having detailed knowledge of what's wrong with football at the moment.
    In particular it worth noting that Clive Efford is the shadow minister for sport. He's the Eltham MP and knows a lot about our recent history. He was around at the time at the Valley Party and lost a bet with Steve Dixon involving beers for each vote we would get.

    Let's give these guys a break. This is the most powerful body in existence that has identified what's wrong with football and has the clout to do something about it.


    Issue would be Fifa who threaten expulsion to country's where governments interfere in football. (if memory serves me well)
  • edited January 2013

    Actually, I think we should be positive about this. I wrote the other day that legislation is the only way that we can reduce the power of the FAPL over the rest of football. I didn't realize this committee was so far down the track. It means among other things that there are MPs who can be identified as having detailed knowledge of what's wrong with football at the moment.
    In particular it worth noting that Clive Efford is the shadow minister for sport. He's the Eltham MP and knows a lot about our recent history. He was around at the time at the Valley Party and lost a bet with Steve Dixon involving beers for each vote we would get.

    Let's give these guys a break. This is the most powerful body in existence that has identified what's wrong with football and has the clout to do something about it.


    Issue would be Fifa who threaten expulsion to country's where governments interfere in football. (if memory serves me well)
    Well that is another battle we need to have. FIFA, an unelected bunch of tossers with numerous accusations of corruption levelled at them, are above national governments and their citizens? People underestimate the good work that select committees do, or their power. It was exactly this body which hauled Murdoch before them. His son's career has never recovered. If they can bring the Murdochs to heel, they can have Blatter for toast in five minutes. Followed by a main course of Richard Scudamore and a dessert of Abramovic.

    Football fans need to engage with the MPs on this committee, get their points across, and give them the feeling that their citizens are behind them. This system is the envy of many European countries. Let's not treat it with apathy.

    Maybe in the near future the Trust could invite Clive Efford for a beer. He can pay and we will drink them on behalf of Steve Dixon :-)

  • Maybe in the near future the Trust could invite Clive Efford for a beer. He can pay and we will drink them on behalf of Steve Dixon :-)

    Efford is MP for Eltham and can be found in either The Park Tavern or The Bankers Draft fairly regularly.
  • Clive Efford is also a Millwall fan.
  • The two states of football fans: moaning that they want some body to intervene in football and moaning that some body has intervened in football. A testing line that these organisations walk down. Meanwhile a bunch of MPs get to do a bit of grandstanding, pretending to appeal to what focus groups have told them that grass-roots fans want.
  • Is this from the Government or Gestapo? What about non football related busineses?
  • The two states of football fans: moaning that they want some body to intervene in football and moaning that some body has intervened in football. A testing line that these organisations walk down. Meanwhile a bunch of MPs get to do a bit of grandstanding, pretending to appeal to what focus groups have told them that grass-roots fans want.

    That last sentence is not fair. In fact it is the sort of cynical comment that stops decent politics from working more effectively on people's behalf. Yes some of them grandstand when the TV cameras are rolling (which they were not in this case). A lot of them (such as my MP) work bloody hard, listen to their constituents, don't fiddle their expenses, nor take back-handers, unlike too many politicians in most EU/G8 countries.

    Why not cut them some slack, credit where it's due?

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  • Clive Efford is also a Millwall fan.

    For this purpose, that'll do!

  • edited January 2013

    Clive Efford is also a Millwall fan.

    And also a Black Cabbie so you have to be Millwall or West Ham under LTDA rules.
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