Culture Secretary Karen Bradley urges the FA to investigate “disturbing” revelations in footie after Sam Allardyce scandal
She says football must change for the sake of fans
ENGLISH football must clean up its act for the sake of the fans, the Culture Secretary warns.
Karen Bradley said the revelations surrounding the Sam Allardyce scandal are “very disturbing” and the police and tax authorities should have free reign to investigate.
He was axed as England boss for suggesting ways of getting around FA rules on player ownership.
She said: "I have spoken to the FA and am very pleased that they are working with Premier League and working across football and taking this very seriously.
“This is an opportunity for them to make sure that it is cleaned up.
“I stand ready to help the FA and others so that we clean it up, so that people know they can go and watch their favourite team they care about desperately - that fills so much of their waking lives and sometimes even their dreams - and make sure that when they go to watch that football team that there is no corruption and that they can support them know that’s the case.
"I want to see football get its governance sorted out."
But chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Damian Collins, poured scorn on the idea of the FA cleaning up its act.
He said: "There’s a cultural problem in football that football seems powerless or unwilling to do anything about.
"Football is incapable of investigating itself."
Leading football officials will meet City of London police this week.