Government approves plans to introduce independent regulator for English football - but not until 2024

It comes after Number 10 endorsed the findings of a fan-led review into the state of the men’s game, which were published in November of last year.

The new legislation will allow the regulator the power to sanction clubs who break financial or other rules.

The regulator will also apply an “enhanced” owners’ and directors’ test that will replace those used by the Premier League, EFL and FA. This will include an ‘integrity test’ for individuals looking to buy clubs.

A statement from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport added: “The regulator will also be given the power to exercise financial oversight of clubs, including information gathering, investigation and enforcement powers. The review recommended looking at financial distribution, including solidarity payments.

“It is the government’s view that this should be solved by the football authorities in the first instance.”

The government has also pledged to give fans a greater role in the running of clubs and says it will consider options such as a ‘shadow board’.

Fans will also be given a ‘golden share’ of their clubs, to ensure that “heritage issues” — such as changes to club stadia, logo, name and kit — are protected.

The review was chaired by former sports minister Tracey Crouch following a number of high-profile crises in the sport, such as the failed European Super League and the collapse of Bury FC.

Crouch called the government's endorsement of the review "an enormous step forward" but also said that the unclear timeframe for making the changes was "worrying".

No direct timeline for implementing the changes has been announced but the government said a white paper - policy documents which set out proposals for future laws in detail - will be published in the summer.

The Premier League said it "recognises and accepts the case for reform" but that a regulator "is not necessary".

An independent regulator is something Blackpool fans campaigned for as far back as four years ago.

In 2018, towards the back end of the club’s boycott against the Oystons, a petition was launched which unfortunately gained little traction outside the Fylde coast.

The subject of improved regulation was put to former EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey during a meeting with Blackpool fans in 2018.

Harvey, who left the EFL the following year, gave short shrift to the idea though.

“No doubt the circumstances at Blackpool Football Club are on the extreme end of the scale,” Harvey said during that meeting, which was attended by The Gazette.

“But generally most of our clubs are fine.”

That came in response to an impassioned plea from Christine Seddon, the former chair of Blackpool Supporters’ Trust.

She said: “As fans, when we have complaints, who do we go to? We need an authority.

“The current system should simply not be allowed to continue.

“This has been going on for too long. Other clubs are suffering, it’s not just us.

“We need somebody who is going to stand up for the fans. We recognise you are not the people to do that.”