A PROPOSED shake-up of the way football is run, including public disciplinary hearings for professional players, would strip the FA’s archaic council chamber of its executive powers in a bid to achieve greater strategic vision and more effective decision-making by the national sport’s governing body.

The recommendations of the Burns Review, published yesterday, include giving the 91-strong council the role of overseeing the executive board, debating football issues and approving proposed changes to FA regulations. All council members serve on at least two committees at present, ranging in purpose from rules and youth to the Sunday Cup and crowd control and safety.

In an effort to modernise the 141-year-old organisation, the recommendations include ending outdated customs, such as having a seat each for the Army, Navy and Air Force. A single seat for the combined forces is proposed and two seats representing all higher education, rather than only Oxford and Cambridge, as is the case.

Instead of withdrawing coveted positions of influence, however, Lord Burns has recommended transitional reform that would result in the council growing to accommodate new members. Groups not represented at the moment, including supporters and players, would gain up to three seats in the new football “parliament”.

Burns said that up to 120 councillors would be “manageable”. This number would fall as older members moved on to a new Council of Honour — to replace life membership for long service.

At executive level, Burns proposed slimming the board from six each to three each from the professional and amateur sides and at least two non-executive directors. This change will require directors to stand down in pairs.

“We have had a very muddled form of governance. The challenge is to persuade people to give up some influence in the short term for the collective good of the FA in the long term,” Burns, who was appointed after the Faria Alam scandal that cost Mark Palios his job as FA chief executive, said.

A change more visible to the fan would be the introduction of a semi-autonomous Regulation and Compliance Unit (RCU) to investigate and prosecute the conduct of players, managers, agents, coaches and referees. Burns, conscious of perceptions that the FA has conflicts pursuing members of its fraternity, proposed open disciplinary proceedings and published transcripts.

“It would lead to less feeling that everything was happening behind the doors of smoke-filled rooms,” Burns said.

The FA Premier League welcomed a “commendable and cogent report” and will encourage its clubs to support its key recommendations, despite a reduced influence in the new structure and more FA surpluses being distributed to the amateur game.

The FA board will have a special meeting in the coming weeks. The council will discuss the report at its next meeting on September 16. The review requires approval from 75 per cent of the FA’s shareholders, most of whom are council members. If adopted, the changes could be in place for the start of next season.

KEY POINTS

FA executive retains control of the FA Cup and Wembley stadium

Explore Football

• Premier League

• Football League

• Scotland

• European Football

• International Football

• TheGame

• Live Match Tracker

• The Fink Tank

• Fantasy Football