PFA yet to start review promised by Taylor

The Professional Footballers’ Association has still not formally approached Sport Resolutions to lead an independent review of its organisation, almost three months after chief executive Gordon Taylor made that recommendation.

On Nov 21, a statement from Taylor said that he was recommending a “full and open review into the structure and operation” of the organisation that he has led since 1981. He then said that he wanted “the highly respected” Sport Resolutions to lead the sort of review that had been strongly advocated by PFA chairman Ben Purkiss.

Taylor’s decision to hold a review had followed an internal war after Purkiss, who has been pushing for PFA reform, had his eligibility to continue as chairman questioned when he became a non-contract player at Walsall.

The huge backlash that ensued only subsided when Taylor did agree to a review, but a spokesperson for Sport Resolutions confirmed this week that they had not heard anything formally yet from the PFA and that no independent review had actually begun.

The PFA did not comment, but it is understood that the scope of the review is being considered by members of the management committee, which is still chaired by Purkiss.

Separately, the Charity Commission also opened a regulatory compliance case into the PFA Charity in November which remains ongoing. As chief executive, Taylor’s total remuneration has been around £2million in each of the past two accounting years. The majority of PFA funding comes from the Premier League’s broadcast income, paid as a donation to the PFA Charity accounts.