Women becoming a big issue for FA

The FA look as if they will need to find three women board members with immediate effect to adhere to Government governance regulations.

It was always expected that two women had to be appointed to join heather Rabbatts on the 10-strong board to meet the percentage of females required by the new Sport england code.

But Rabbatts, the first woman and mixed race representative to break the 150-year white male stranglehold of the FA’s top table, is expected to stand down at next month’s meeting.

Rabbatts, who has paved the way for more gender and racial diversity throughout english football, is busy with other commitments and considers this is the best time to leave. She has achieved, or set in motion, changes she wanted to make during five ground-breaking years on the FA board as the anti-discrimination flagbearer.

however, a succession plan is partly in place as FA ambassador and former player Paul elliott, who has taken over from Rabbatts as chairman of the inclusion advisory board, will attend board meetings in an ex-officio capacity with David Gill.

Finding more women is problematic but two obvious candidates are Football League director Debbie Jevans and Tottenham’s head of football operations Rebecca Caplehorn.