Government Hiring As It Aims To Have Football Regulator In Place For 2024/5 Season

The Government is set to build a new unit which will help enforce an independent Football Regulator, as a Bill to reform the sport is widely expected to be brought forward in the coming weeks.

Applications for the role of Business Manager and Executive Support under the new Football Regulator Implementation Unit end on 5th February.

The successful recruit will work under the Chief Interim Office Martyn Henderson OBE - who was appointed in December - to help implement the new legislation. The new employee will be given a contract until March 2025 and will be remunerated with a salary between £33,095–£37,026 a year. Whitehall is looking for someone with a background in business management and experience with senior stakeholders.

A Football Governance Bill to legislate for an independent football regulator may receive its first reading before the February recess, a number of MPs have told PoliticsHome.

A shadow regulator could be set up and receive funding after the proposed Bill passes its second reading. After this has happened Government will be able to set up a transition team working on the shadow regulator. 

Industry sources told PoliticsHome they are hopeful the regulator could be in place by the 2024/25 football season.

Mike Baker, Director of Advocacy for Fair Game, told PoliticsHome it welcomed the creation of a Football Regulator Implementation Unit. However, he said the “devil will be in the detail” to ensure the regulator has teeth.

"We welcome the setting up of the implementation unit to create an independent regulator,” he said.

“It shows serious intent to implement the government's commitment and address the severe problems in the beautiful game. As ever, the devil will be in the detail, ensuring that the regulator