FA under pressure to power-share with League

The Premier League has declared it is not attempting to wrest control of the game from the Football Association, despite its demands for a greater say in commercial issues affecting its clubs.

It insists it is not threatening to boycott the FA Cup or withdraw their players from England duty, as it is seeking compromise rather than outright conflict.

Three of the Premier League's four representatives on the 12-man FA board were among a delegation that held talks with leading FA figures, including the chief executive, Adam Crozier, yesterday.

They handed over their draft proposals, which could include the establishment of a "professional game board', encompassing representatives from the Premier League and Football League, but not the FA or the amateur game.

The FA executive board is currently made up of four Premier League representatives, two from the Football League and six from the amateur game, as well as Crozier and the FA chairman Geoff Thompson.

The issue was further discussed by the board at their scheduled meeting yesterday and, while no agreement was reached, both parties have issued conciliatory statements.

The pressure is nevertheless still on the FA to give some ground, especially over the issues of image rights and commercial appearances of England players, as well as perimeter board advertising at FA Cup ties and England games. The Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "Our four board members have engaged in a very constructive dialogue with colleagues at the FA.

"Recent events have resulted in ideas being put forward to improve the running of the game and to ensure that we can all unite behind the common purpose of promoting FA competitions and the success of the national team, as well as League and club interests. This issue starts and ends on how best the game can be managed, ensuring decisions are made with full transparency and best information."

Feelings are running high, especially in the wake of last week's announcement of a deal being struck with the England squad for their share of the FA's new commercial rights programme.

The Premier League members of the FA board have argued that they had not given power to the FA executive to conclude the deal, although this point is strongly contested by the FA.

An FA statement read: "At no time did any member of the FA's executive act outside the board's authority regarding the new 'Team England' players' agreement."

That issue still raised tensions, however, with the bottom line being that the leading clubs want a greater say in commercial issues which indirectly or directly affect them.