Mps Report Wants Policing Of Club Debt

A lobbying group of MPs has released a report highlighting the debts of Premier League football clubs and is pressurising the Football Association to introduce regulations to stop prospective owners from introducing new debt to clubs.

The report highlights Liverpool and Manchester United’s debts of over £350m and £750m respectively and said debt was ‘a matter of great concern’, also stating that there were ‘severe doubts’ about the sustainability of debt levels in the medium and long term.

The all-Party Parliamentary Football Group report also said it penalised clubs who lived within their means.

The group has called for a tightening up of the FA’s Fit and Proper Persons Test for potential club owners, saying that debt plans should be taken into account, and that proposed takeovers should be rejected ‘where it is considered against the long-term interests of the club’.

The MPs, who have no power to enforce any changes, also want loans to clubs to be treated as debt.

The group, chaired by Feltham and Heston MP Alan Keen, conducted a wide-ranging report into all aspects of the game in England, including finance, supporter representation and the development of the national game.

Witnesses at the hearings, which took place over a seven-month period last year, included representatives from the Professional Footballers’ Association, FA, Premier League, the Football Supporters’ Federation and members of the media.

Other topics addressed by the group included nurturing home-grown players, fan representation on club boards, disabled supporters and women’s football.

It also wants the Football Regulatory Authority to be strengthened and be responsible for the proper persons test.

Other highlights of the report included support for the establishment of an FA Women’s Super League, encouraging an affordable season-ticket policy and better access to council-owned pitches for junior players.