Delaying football reforms could allow vested interests to ‘hijack process’

Delaying reforms to English football could allow vested interests to “hijack the process and maintain the status quo”, a prominent campaign group has warned.

The government has endorsed recommendations made in the fan-led review into the men’s game, including the establishment of an independent regulator which will have power to sanction clubs who break rules.

A new owners’ test will also be introduced, while fans will be given more say in the running of the sport.

Our Beautiful Game – a manifesto group which is chaired by former Football Association chairman David Bernstein and also contains ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville – has welcomed the move.

Yet it also expressed fears at the lack of firm timetable for legislation, with the Government due to issue a more detailed response in a white paper to be published this summer.

“This is clearly an important moment in the right direction,” Bernstein said in a statement to the PA news agency.

“However, we are extremely concerned that the matter is not to be included in the upcoming May Queen’s Speech.

“We believe that a unique opportunity exists to implement this progression agenda and it must not be lost.

“Delay could play into the hands of vested interests in football who would only be delighted to hijack the process and maintain the status quo.

“There must be dangers in any delay and we urge all those who have got the interest of English football as a whole to make their opinions known to Government.”

The fan-led review, which was chaired by Tracey Crouch and published in November, made 10 recommendations on how to improve football governance.

It followed a number of high-profile crises in the sport, such as the failed European Super League and the collapse of Bury and Macclesfield.

The English Football League (EFL) supports the introduction of a regulator, if it would help deliver a reset of the game’s finances, but the Premier League said it “is not necessary”.

Our Beautiful Game, which also includes MP Andy Burnham, ex-FA executive director David Davies and former governor of the Bank of England Lord Mervyn King, published a manifesto calling for change in October 2020.

Members, who met on Monday, believe significant issues that have arisen since their manifesto was originally released could have been influenced by a regulator.

These include the proposed European Super League, Project Big Picture, governance of the National League and high-profile club ownership issues, such as those at Chelsea and Newcastle.

“We appreciate that independent governance of football needs to be put in place with great care and we understand that this is the reasoning for another white paper,” continued Bernstein’s statement.

“But we want everybody to be clear that unnecessary delay will bring still greater danger to club finances, to the way clubs are bought and sold, and the many other current issues facing football.”

EFL chairman Rick Parry said the priority of his organisation was to make clubs financially sustainable at all levels of the football pyramid.

He also reaffirmed calls for a fairer split of revenues with the Premier League.

“We have made it clear that the EFL would support the introduction of an independent statutory-backed regulator, if it provided the means by which we can deliver a reset of the game’s finances,” Parry said in a statement.

“It should be recognised that the EFL has been calling for a 75/25 split of revenues with the Premier League, without achieving any tangible progress.

“We also welcome that the Government is open to granting the regulator a ‘backstop’ power to implement redistribution across the pyramid, if football is unable to agree a solution itself.

“Our shared priority remains to safeguard our football pyramid in the interests of football supporters and clubs throughout the country and we look forward to working with the Government to ensure that the reforms required are achieved as quickly as possible.”

The Football Supporters’ Association also called for imminent action.

“There’s no time to dwell on the ball,” said FSA chief executive Kevin Miles. “Each day drafting white papers is another day when a club might cease to exist.

“Another day for a dodgy owner to get their hooks into a club. Another day for remote billionaires to try and create European Super League 2.0.”

Shadow culture minister Jeff Smith believes the hold up will frustrate supporters.

“However the Government try to spin it, today’s announcement of a white paper and further delay will come as a disappointment to fans,” he said.