FA Would Block Relegation Plan

The Football Association has revealed that it would block any plans to abandon the promotion and relegation structure from the Premier League – after League Managers Association (LMA) chief Richard Bevan revealed yesterday that several foreign-owned clubs wanted to scrap the system.

Bevan also added that increased foreign ownership of Premier League clubs made the prospect more and more real.

Blackburn joined the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea when they were taken over by Indian-owned Venky’s Group last season, meaning that nearly half the league’s 20 clubs are now under foreign ownership.

Premier League rules state that 14 votes from their 20 members are needed to make changes.

Bevan also added that a new owner of a Premier League club would not necessarily need to be foreign for them to see there would be money to be made from scrapping relegation.

However, it is within the FA’s power to reject any proposal that alters the game’s structure.

An FA spokesman told The Sun newspaper: ‘The FA’s share can be used so it has to approve any major rule change.’

‘This covers changes to promotion and relegation.’

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