I’ll always be grateful for Taylor’s help but he must address all the concerns

BEN PURKISS is absolutely right – the Professional Footballers’ Association needs modernising and fast.

But do I believe Gordon Taylor should stand down from his role as chief executive?

No, I honestly do not.

The Premier League is keeping on retiring chief executive Richard Scudamore in an advisory role because of the experience and insight he can give them.

Taylor offers the same to the PFA, which is why he needs to be a big part of any future transition.

He must, however, listen to everything being said and he has to act on the proposals and calls for action straightaway.

I’m not totally sure that all the ex-pros who have spoken out in the past few days have done it for the right reasons.

Some appear to be rabble-rousing and jumping on bandwagons at the point of critical mass, while others have their agendas.

But some of the journalists leading the way have been excellent and they, like me, have been taking the PFA to task or praising them when it was deserved for several years now.

There are a number of issues at the PFA which need addressing.

The management group is too small and that leads to members questioning where the possibility for them to contribute exists.

There’s also an issue with Taylor’s £2.2million-a-year pay and how it can be justified, as well as the length of time the CEO and chairman spend in office.

I don’t think either role should be filled by the same person for more than eight years, with single terms lasting four years like the US presidency.

I find it strange there’s no monthly newsletter telling members what’s going on, what’s being done, what they can invest in or where they can get help.

And it needs to embrace its members more and use their experiences to help those who need guidance or advice.

I find it astonishing that the PFA has never asked me to go into clubs to speak to members about what I have been through. Especially as Taylor (left) came to Doug Ellis’ house with me 20 years ago to talk to the Aston Villa chairman and manager John Gregory about my mental health problems.

I will always be grateful to him for that.

I’ve had ex-pros ring me to speak about problems they have been having because they know what I have been through with my mental health difficulties.

And they have told me they have tried the so-called PFA hotlines that have been set up to deal with problems, but either they have rung off or gone straight to voicemail and no reply was ever given to their message.

So Purkiss is right, there are major issues within the players’ union which need addressing and I sent Taylor a message on Sunday to tell him I’d love to discuss with him the things I believe should change. Over the years, he has never shied away from coming on radio shows I’ve done to speak candidly about issues and stories involving the PFA.

And I’ve called him out when I’ve felt it needed doing and backed him when the time was right too.

Now he needs to address all the issues presented to him and bring the union into the present day.