Search: 'Brian Mawhinney'

The Premier League feels once again the need for change. "Game 39" is the radical new idea

A new phrase entered football last month, one that we will be hearing a lot more of. The Premier League’s “Game 39” plan, involving an extra round of matches being played at five venues in other countries, met with almost universal derision when it was announced by chief executive Richard Scudamore in early February. The media and supporters’ groups condemned it straight away, and were soon followed by football officials from around the world. Even the FA, not known for taking an adversarial line with the Premier League, chanced some mild criticism of the plan once FIFA’s Sepp Blatter had dismissed it out of hand.

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The Burns Report changes are finally implemented at the FA. Bruce Wilkinson reports

Almost three years since Lord Burns was asked to put together a report into the structure of the FA, 21 months after it was presented and seven since it was ratified, the governing body’s shareholders have finally voted for the changes. When Burns originally looked at the governing body he immediately realised that its Byzantine structure made quick and incisive decision-making almost impossible. He declared that the FA Council was not representative of the diverse interests of the game and was out of touch with modern thinking. The author also highlighted a number of conflicts of interest among voting members.

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Brian Mawhinney comes up with a ridiculous idea

Anyone who watches matches regularly would know that the proposal to stage shootouts at the end of drawn Football League games is a stupid idea. Which is why it’s alarming that the suggestion was made by the chairman of the League, Brian Mawhinney who, one would assume, attends matches regularly. If he does indeed pay attention at matches, you would think he’d be aware that shootouts won’t make them more exciting. They would in fact have the reverse effect – teams already inclined to play for a draw would have even more incentive to do so with the prospect of gaining an extra point.

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Thursday 1 Emre is accused of having racially abused Ali Bangura of Watford; the Newcastle player was previously charged with insulting Everton’s black players in December. Anton Ferdinand will face trial for alleged assault over an incident at an Essex nightclub last year. Alan Knill is dismissed by Rotherham, who are without a win in 14 games.

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Cardiff fans were prevented from travelling to Wolves, with the full approval of the League. Nigel Harris reports

What links Graeme Souness and Cardiff City fans? Neither were able to get into Wolves during January. While Souness’s takeover bid failed, Bluebirds followers were banned by the whims of the West Midlands Police (WMP) and Wolves’ chief executive, Jez Moxey.

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