The Government has given the FA five months to clean up football’s debt problems or face legislation to prevent clubs from running up massive debts that they have no intention of repaying.
A Select Committee inquiry into football governance was tasked with cleaning up the game with clubs like Portsmouth continuing to play in the Premiership whilst avoiding settling debts with HMRC.
It is not known if the same legislation will apply to Scotland and the SFA.
Responding to the Select Committee the Government has given the FA a deadline of the end of February to come up with suitable sanctions to deal with clubs gaining a playing advantage whilst virtually insolvent.
A proper licencing system is required with the document warning: “The government believes that there is a legitimate role for the national governing body, working hand in hand with competition organisers, to ensure that appropriate and consistent checks and balances are in place to protect the overall financial integrity of the national game and its long-term viability.
“If that does not happen the Government will introduce a legal requirement on the Football Association to implement the appropriate governance clauses by the swiftest possible means.
“To do that the Government will seek to secure, using all available channels, appropriate legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows. There is a strong case for such legislative proposals to be formally considered in pre-legislative scrutiny.”
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Just a thought, have the Celtic board seen this coming and have put there house in order early.
Is entry to the premiership possible at any time, with sky losing the court case last week is there a sea of change coming.
You never know… Reid might have got a heads up from his buddies in Westminster.
Government interference in the running of a football association? FIFA and UEFA won’t like that. Shouldn’t be too long before England and their teams are threatened with expulsion from competitions run by those bodies if they’re consistent with previous policies.
I think this would basically fall in line with what FIFA and UEFA want anyway to be honest, 1 guarantee is nothing like this would be implemented in Scotland until Rangers are home and dry.