SFA urged to hire a former police officer to stamp out the nonsense
English FA’s first compliance officer says SPFL needs ‘ tough character’ in the role
THE Scottish FA have been urged to consider appointing a “tough character” with a police background who can withstand intense political pressure, threats and abuse when Clare Whyte leaves her role as compliance officer.
The SFA announced yesterday that Whyte, the former procurator fiscal depute who succeeded Tony McGlennan back in August 2018, would be departing in January to take up a new opportunity.
Many of Whyte’s decisions during her tenure have angered clubs, players and supporters and Ian Maxwell, the SFA chief executive, hit out at the “personal”, “unacceptable” and “grossly unfair” criticism of her last year.
Maxwell’s broadside came after a group of Rangers fans, who were unhappy Ibrox goalkeeper Allan McGregor had been banned retrospectively for two games for a foul on Lewis Ferguson of Aberdeen, launched a petition to have her sacked.
Every person to hold the high- profile position to date – Vincent Lunny, who was the first SFA compliance officer appointed back in 2011, McGlennan and Whyte – has been a lawyer by profession.
However, Graham Bean, the English FA’s first compliance officer and a football consultant who advises Premier League clubs, managers and players down south on disciplinary matters, believes a former police officer would be perfectly suited to the job.
“The SFA don’t necessarily need somebody with a legal background,” he said. “I was a former police officer, a former detective, when I joined the FA. I had life experience, communication skills and investigative skills.
“I had 20- odd years’ experience in investigation. I had worked in the drug squad, serious crime squad and divisional CID. I investigated the whole spectrum of crime from shoplifting right up to murder.
“The FA brought in a legal adviser to help me. I did the investigations and then passed my findings over to him and then, very much like the CPS ( Crown Prosecution Service), he would review the evidence and determine if it was sufficient to charge.
“That could be a good route for the Scottish FA to go down. I think you need to have an investigative background so you can look into not only the on- field stuff, but also situations where people try to pull the wool over your eyes. You need to have the ability to see through that and go down the avenues the evidence takes you.”
Bean added: “You have to be strong. Within the game, there is a lot of pressure put on you in terms of the way you go about doing your job and you have to be strong enough to withstand that pressure. You have to be a bit of tough character.
“It is all very well saying you understand the game. But there is a difference between understanding the game and understanding how the game works. You need to have a good working knowledge of how the game operates behind the scenes.
“Within the game there are cliques and groups and people who stand together and you need to be able to identify when you are doing an investigation who the friends and enemies of the particular person or club you are investigating are and work out whether you are going to get support from them or not.
“I think somebody with a police background would be suited to the job. You are used to pressure, you are used to being castigated by society in terms of name calling and threats. They are used to that side of it. You are also a proven investigator as well. A police officer has the ideal portfolio.”
Bean, the former chairman of the Football Supporters’ Association who spent 14 years at the FA, suspects whoever the SFA bring in is as their new compliance officer will face exactly the same sort of treatment as Whyte suffered.
He knows from personal experience that it is vital they continue to receive the full backing of the governing body’s hierarchy.
“When I was working at the FA there was a perception that we favoured the bigger clubs,” he said. “We used to have that accusation levelled against us all the time. That was wrong. But, irrespective of whatever we did, we couldn’t get that stigma away from us.
“You will always get people who are so fervent they won’t accept anything you do. It will always be the wrong decision. Supporters will always
You are used to being castigated in terms of name calling and threats
complain about their perceived enemies regardless of how just a decision is.
“It is a shame, but that is the emotion of football. Unfortunately, when you work in football, particularly football governance, you have to be thick skinned.”
Bean continued: “You have to be a good communicator, very fair- minded and transparent. But you have to know where the line is between being amenable and cracking the whip so to speak.
“I have always been quite straight to the point. That plain speaking was good in the role. But, at the same time, I was still somebody you could have a conversation with. You need to have a friendly side.
“It was like all jobs, it had its ups and downs. I felt I wasn’t supported at the FA. I had some tough times. But at the same time I had some enjoyable times. It is rewarding if you are given the support, but if you aren’t given the support it can be a very lonely place.”