Skip to main content

"If you want some accessible but informative insight into football then I suggest you couldn't do better than the Political Economy of Football website, which is not only intelligible but comes with the added bonus of being written by Addicks fan Wyn Grant."
Ben Hayes - Charlton Athletic programme

Football Governance

Share/Save

QPR decision delayed

Submitted by WG on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 20:01

Considerable uncertainty surrounds the outcome of this year's Championship competition after a decision on charges brought against Queen's Park Rangers over the Faurlin affair was delayed.   It had originally been intended to come to a decision by 4 p.m. on Friday, but an outcome is not now likely until Monday.  The club will still receive the Championship trophy on Saturday.

Bates buyout at Leeds

Submitted by WG on Wed, 04/05/2011 - 07:10

Ken Bates has become the controlling shareholder at Leeds United, but this move does not completely resolve the mysteries surrounding the ownership of the club and leaves some unanswered questions.

Failing football governance in England

Submitted by WG on Fri, 29/04/2011 - 23:02

This is a contribted article by Duncan McHardy:

Anxious times for Super Hoops

Submitted by WG on Tue, 26/04/2011 - 08:32

The promotion celebrations of Queens Park Rangers fans were truncated yesterday after Norwich scored a last minute goal, denying the West London side the certainty of promotion.  However, given the current state of the table and the remaining fixtures it would require a bizarre combination of results to stop the Super Hoops going up.

Fraud probe at County?

Submitted by WG on Wed, 20/04/2011 - 08:36

The Serious Fraud Office is considering whether to launch an investigation into how Notts County FC was taken over by a convicted fraudster. 

Two years ago the club was 'gifted' by the supporters' trust to Munto Finance, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands and claiming to be from the Middle East.   It promised significant investment in the club, but these promises turned out to be a sham.   Russell King, the man allegedly behind the deal, served a jail sentence for insurance fraud in the 1990s.

Less debt would be better for United

Submitted by WG on Wed, 09/03/2011 - 19:19

Giving evidence to the House of Commons select committee inquiry into the governance of football, David Gill, the chief executive of Manchester United, admitted that 'it would be better' if the club did not have to pay gross interest of £45m a year on net debt of £370m.


However, he denied that it had had a detrimental impact on the performance of the team.  'It hasn't hampered investment in players and facilities, and we've taken a long-term view on investment that we wouldn't have if we were still a public company,' Gill said.

League supremo warns of debt precipice

Submitted by WG on Tue, 15/02/2011 - 18:53

Football league chairman Greg Clarke has told the Commons committee investigating football that clubs are heading for a 'debt precipice'.  Interviewed later on Radio 5, he said that debt was on the increase and even if one took steps to cut it now it would be five years before any effect was seen.  At the risk of repetition, it is perhaps worth pointing out that what matters with debt is not its absolute size but whether you can service it.

Triesman says FA backed out of regulating

Submitted by WG on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 16:39

The House of Commons culture, media and sport committee has started its enquiry into football and one of the first witnesses was former FA chairman Lord Triesman.   He didn't mince his words.  Describing English football governance as 'thoroughly unsatisfactory', he said that 'apart from onfield discipline, [the FA] has backed out of regulating.'

Should January transfer window go?

Submitted by WG on Tue, 01/02/2011 - 10:21

There have been calls for the winter transfer window to be scrapped because of its distorting effect on the market.  Richard Bevan, chief executive of the League Managers' Association said in the transcript of an interview to be shown on BBC Midlands Late Kick Off show tonight, 'It doesn't create stability and it doesn't create a level playing field and certainly in the Football Leafue they are very keen that the domestic window to be scrapped.'

Football's negative image

Submitted by WG on Sun, 30/01/2011 - 09:51

The furore over the sacking of Sky pundit Andy Gray over sexist remarks has attracted massive attention in the media over the past week.   As far as one can judge from radio phone-ins, imprompu polls and vox pop, fans are divided in their opinons.  For some of them it is simply banter or what 'most men would say anyway', an illustration of political correctness gone mad.   For others, it reflected the fact that football had not caught up with changes in society.