Dyke to give way to ‘more of a conciliatory figure’

Ian Watson

Greg Dyke has announced he will not seek re-election for another term as Football Association chairman.

Dyke had initially said he would stand for a further year in office but opposition to proposed reforms from some FA councillors and a minority of board members has made him change his mind.

The 68-year-old said “a more of a conciliatory figure than me” would be needed to pick up the pieces after the fight to get the reforms through the FA Council. He will now leave the governing body in the summer.

Dyke read a prepared statement to the FA board on Thursday saying: “During January, however, as work on options for governance reform crystallised, it became clear to all of us that there wouldn’t be a unanimous position on governance reform in the board.

“What now appears to be the case is that there is a majority position on the board for much needed significant reform. I fully support this but I recognise it is going to be a fight to get through the FA Council.

“I had already decided that if no reform was possible I was going to leave anyway this summer, a position I had shared with a number of colleagues.

“What I now see is that even if we get the reform through (which will be a difficult and divisive process although essential), I am probably not the best person to pick up the pieces following the inevitable discord.”