The government’s proposed new football regulator would create a “closed shop” for top teams, West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady has warned.
The Football Governance Bill, which would lead to the creation of a regulator, was debated in the House of Lords on Wednesday.
Baroness Brady, who has held senior positions at clubs for 30 years, told peers there were “hidden dangers in this bill”.
“Some aspects of this legislation risk stifling what makes English football so unique, the aspiration that allows clubs to rise and succeed in our pyramid system. The ambition that allows fans to dream,” he said. she declared.
The government wants a regulator to be able to “improve the resilience of club finances, tackle crooked owners and managers and strengthen supporter engagement”.
The bill was introduced after a similar measure by the previous government ran out of time to pass before the general election.
But his Conservative peer Brady said the planned “extreme redistribution” would “replace our shiny but brutal meritocracy with the likelihood of a closed shop where survival, not aspiration, becomes a ceiling”.
Supporters groups and the English Football League are among those to have welcomed the bill, although the Premier League has insisted an independent regulator is not needed.
Labor Baroness Fiona Twycross defended the bill.
“Irresponsible owners, unsuitable financial models and inadequate regulation have cast a shadow over too many of our clubs and it is too often supporters who have had to fight to protect identity, heritage and even existence of their club,” she said.
“The football industry has not gone far enough in addressing these issues, despite ample opportunities to do so. That is why we are introducing this bill.”
Independent peer Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson said she was concerned about the lack of consideration of women’s football in the bill.
“There is one obvious exclusion and that is women’s football,” the Paralympic athlete said.
“If the aim of this bill is to ensure the financial viability of the future of football, should it not be for the whole of football?
“Many will argue that no regulator is needed, but I think excluding women’s football from this bill could actually hinder its growth, so it will continue to be an afterthought when it should be at the forefront of football innovation.
