West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has hit out at the government’s plans to introduce an independent regulator into British football.
On Wednesday night, it was confirmed that a new independent regulator will be introduced to stop English clubs from joining closed shop competitions (such as 2021 European Super League plans), preventing repeated financial failings at clubs, introducing a more stringent owners’ and directors’ test to protect clubs fans, give fans power to stop owners changing a club’s name, badge and traditional kit colours, and ensuring a fair distribution of money filters down the English football pyramid from the Premier League.
The news has been well-received by most in the world of football, but those thoughts are not echoed by West Ham’s co-owner Sullivan.
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In a damning response of the news given to Sky Sports News, Sullivan said that the “incompetent government” will make the idea a “total waste of money” and that it has only been done for “PR win.”
“A football regulator is a terrible idea,” said Sullivan, as published by Sky Sports. “The government are terrible at running everything. Look at the mess this country is in, we pay the highest taxes ever for the worst service from the worst government that I’ve seen in my lifetime.
“The regulator will have a huge staff that football will have to pay for. It will be a total waste of money, I bet it grows in size and cost every year. The Premier League is the best run and most successful league in the world, it gives more to the lower leagues, the PFA and grassroots than any other top league in the world. It’s a fantastic export.
“Why does an incompetent government think it will improve things, in every area this government is involved in, it has added staff for a worse service.
“The government are doing this for a PR win, they think it will be good PR to be seen to be backing the ordinary football fan and smaller clubs but I bet you it won’t get them a single extra vote. I believe in free enterprise and not government interference.”
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