It comes at a time when Wrexham have become the latest club to face crisis with the news of potential re-development of their Racecourse Ground which could involve rotating the pitch to allow a sell off of some of the land.
Managing Director John Reames (remember him from
The Football Supporters Federation were demanding a ‘Fit and Proper Persons’ test in their blueprint for football and the Football League clubs have somewhat surprisingly taken this on board and voted it in at the League’s annual meeting. All directors will now have to provide a declaration indicating that they meet the new criteria.
It has taken eight years since it was first recommended by Sir John Smith in 1996 and the issue was then taken up by the Football Task Force three years later.
The new rule may not go far enough but it is a start and will now mean that it will be a breach of Football League regulations for the following to be a director or to hold a majority interest in a Football League club.
- Anyone subject to a ban from a Sports Governing Body relating to the administration of that sport
- Anyone with an unspent conviction relating to fraud or dishonesty
- Anyone that is disqualified from acting as a director of a
- Anyone currently subject to a Bankruptcy order
- Anyone who has been a Director of a club that has been in administration twice during a five-year period or a Director of two different clubs that have each gone into administration in a five-year period
All current League club Directors will provide the League with a declaration by July 31st indicating that they meet the above criteria and as such are a fit and proper person to hold office at a League club.
All new Directors will have to sign a similar declaration on appointment.