The British pound has been tracking the prospect of English football being given an independent regulator of late. It was a gradual decline as we waited and then a sudden collapse.
Next? Well, nobody in the audience at the Bluecoat art gallery in Liverpool is sure, but they are still hoping and have turned up on a rainy evening for drinks, nibbles and a conversation about “the very future of football”.
There are about 40 people here — 79,000 or so fewer than have attended an event to mark football’s present, A glorified friendly against GermanyWembley. The mood is upbeat, though, because it has been a good day for their cause – the first for a while.
The event, “Levelling up: creating a new future for professional football and the communities”, is one of 600 “fringe” talks during the four-day Labour Party Conference and has been organised by Fair Game, a coalition of academics, clubs and experts who have teamed up to fight for better governance and a more equal distribution of football’s wealth.
Mark Palios is one of the speakers. He is co-owner of Tranmere Rovers and a former player. He also serves as chief executive of Football Association. Uniquely qualified, then, to talk about football’s relationship with money.
“There are only three types of people who believe football can fix itself,” said Palios.
“Free-market zealots, those with a vested interest and people who believe in Hans-Christian Andersen stories.
