MPs call for end to huge club debts
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An inquiry into football by a group of MPs has called for rule changes to prevent new owners saddling clubs with huge amounts of debt. The recommendations by the all-party Parliamentary Football Group would, if implemented, prevent takeovers similar to those of the Glazer family at Manchester United and Tom Hicks and George Gillett at Liverpool. Loans to clubs by owners such as Chelsea's Roman Abramovich would also be treated as debt. The MPs have no power to enforce any changes but could influence thinking on future policy. In their report on "English Football & Its Governance", the MPs say that the current "fit and proper persons" test should be changed so that it also takes into account whether any prospective new owner is preparing to raise debt on the club's assets. Other recommendations include for English football to adopt the Fifa president Sepp Blatter's "6+5" rule, limiting the number of foreign players in starting XIs. The MPs also say that there should be more independent members on the FA board, the Premier League board and the Football Regulatory Authority, and each club should have at least one fans' representative on the board.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments