A number of leading voices within football, including Micah Richards, Gary Lineker and Gary Neville, have a launched a campaign to secure an independent regulator for the English game.
The collection of former players, pundits and media figures urged supporters to sign a government petition in the hope of building momentum for change. It comes ahead of former sports minister Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review of the game, launched in the aftermath of the failed European Super League plot.
“As football fans, we were appalled by the attempt to set up a European Super League,” the 22 signatories said in an open letter to accompany the petition. “It was a direct threat to the integrity of the game; destroying the concept of sporting merit and open competition.
“Now we must make sure this never happens again. Without swift and direct intervention, the return of a European Super League will be a constant threat.
“It is time to act. We support: Government legislation to block any Premier League clubs attempting to abandon the country’s football pyramid; The appointment of an Independent Football Regulator.”
The subject of a regulator for the game is first on the list of terms and references for Crouch’s review. The letter calls for a body that would “represent the interests of supporters, protect against bad practices … and seek to prioritise the wider good of the game”.
SIGN HERE: