Following the Structural Review of The Football Association by Lord Burns, in May 2007 The FA shareholders voted in favour of a reformed management structure.

The FA’s Selection Panel – chaired by Lord Mawhinney and consisting of Roger Burden, Sir Dave Richards and John Ward - unanimously decided to recommend Lord (David) Triesman as The FA’s first independent Chairman. This recommendation was approved unanimously by The FA Board today and will be put to The FA Council on the 16 January for their approval.

Subject to this official appointment, it is hoped that Lord Triesman will take up his post as early as possible after this date. He will be stepping down from his Ministerial post in the Government prior to taking up the Chairmanship.

Lord Triesman has been a Government Minister since 2004, initially as a Government Whip, then at the Foreign Office and latterly at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).

At the Foreign Office, in addition to being the Minister responsible for relationships with and UK interests in Africa, the Americas, the Commonwealth, the Caribbean, David Triesman was in charge of the Foreign Office’s business arm (trading fund), responsible for a budget of approximately £350million pa.

At DIUS he had responsibility for establishing the right balance of protection and commercial exploitation of copyright material and other rights between owners including those in professional football where there are extensive interests, other sports and consumers. In addition he was Minister responsible for the budgets, properties, staffing, IT and communications strategies for this new Ministry.

Before joining the Government, Lord Triesman was General Secretary of the Labour Party and earlier of the Association of University Teachers – where he represented 44,000 members.

A distinguished academic by profession, Lord Triesman has been involved with football for many years. A youth footballer, he continued to play in the amateur game until 1980. For eight years he was a Senior Football Referee, registered with London and Middlesex FAs, and he has also coached under 15 and 16 teams in Camden. For years he has been a Tottenham Hotspur season ticker holder. Most recently, he has been involved as a Patron of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, which undertakes community and education projects in North London and in Africa.

Commenting as Chairman of the Selection Panel, The Rt. Hon. the Lord Mawhinney (Football League Chairman and a Member of The FA Board) said,

“I am delighted that David Triesman has been the unanimous recommendation of our Selection Panel. He combines excellent managerial and leadership skills with a life-long passion for the game. Throughout his career, he has never shied away from taking strategically important decisions, and has delivered strong results. He has an infectious enthusiasm for football at all levels in England, I believe that he will play an invaluable role in developing our game in the years ahead.”

Lord Triesman added,

“'I am delighted and very honoured to have this remarkable opportunity to help lead change at the heart of English football at The Football Association. I am confident we are capable of resuming our role as world leaders from Wembley to the sport played at every level. That is the challenge and that is my goal. I know it is passionately shared by The FA and everyone in English football'.

Notes to Editors

(1) LORD TRIESMAN CV

DAVID TRIESMAN
The Lord Triesman of Tottenham

Education and qualifications

  • 1965-68 University of Essex: BA(Hons)
  • 1968-69 University of Essex, MA, Philosophy
  • 1969-1972 University of Cambridge, King’s College: Post-Graduate doctoral research

Employment and professional history

  • June 2007-present Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Minister for Intellectual Property and Quality, Scenario planning, Students (including the £8billion sale of the student loan book), and management and business.
  • Responsible for the UK Intellectual Property Office, for all commercial and legal policy on copyrights, trade marks, patents, etc. and the legal response to crime in this area. Establishing the right balance of protection and commercial exploitation of copyright material and other rights between owners including those in professional football where there are extensive interests, other sports and consumers.
  • Minister responsible for the budgets, properties, staffing, IT and communications strategies for this new Ministry.
  • May 2005-June 2007 Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Foreign Office Minister in the House of Lords. Minister for Africa, the Americas, the Commonwealth, the Caribbean, British Overseas Territories, FCO Services (Chairman: Ministerial Board).
  • Establishing networks at Head of Government level and Secretary General Level at the UN, African Union and UN.
  • Responsible for Public Diplomacy as Chairman of the Board, covering the BBC World Service, British Council and various scholarship and fellowship schemes. Annual budget responsibility approximately £475million.
  • Responsible for the FCO’s business arm (trading fund) which operates world wide building embassies, consular facilities, provides secure IT and about 150 other services to the FCO, Customs, Serious Crime teams. FCOServices has a CEO (drawn from banking and insurance) and a Board.
  • Responsible for the UK Consular Service worldwide; responsible for consular support for the last football and cricket world cups.
  • All associated media work.
  • Jan 2004-May 2005 Government Whip (Minister). Government spokesman on higher and further education (DfES); science, technology, innovation, energy policy, employment policy (DTI); Europe (FCO); overseas aid and development (DfID). Lord in Waiting to the Royal Household accompanying or representing Her Majesty and other members of the Royal Family.
  • General Secretary, The Labour Party
  • Working directly with and to the Prime Minister on daily basis on matters of political strategy and organisation.
  • Working with the rest of the Cabinet and other party leaders on their areas of responsibility.
  • Enthusing and organising about 350,000 unpaid members and local officers throughout the year.
  • Leading a staff of about 300 (many more during elections) and running a budget of approximately £25million.
  • Managing relations with the media through the parliamentary lobby, national and regional press.
  • 2000-present The Visiting Fellow in Economics, Faculty of Economics and Politics, University of Cambridge, and Fellow, Wolfson College, Cambridge; Senior Associate Fellow, University of Warwick.
  • 1993-2001 General Secretary, Association of University Teachers (AUT). Trade union and professional association representing 44,000 members with approximately 70 staff. Overall CEO but with particular responsibility for internal operations; external relations with government, university employers, and a variety of NGOs in the UK and international community; media relations.
  • Chair of the Commonwealth Higher Education Group of the International Conference of University Teacher Organisations
  • Chair of the joint peace process meetings of Israeli and Palestinian academic organisations
  • Part author of the UNESCO Normative Instrument on the Rights and Responsibilities of Academic Staff (concluded as a convention at the UNESCO Convention, Paris 1997)
  • 1963-1965 Journalist
  • 1960-1963 Youth footballer (continued playing in amateur game until 1980)
  • 1974-1982 Senior (2) Football Referee registered with London and Middlesex FAs.
  • 1974-1978 Coach, Camden Under-15 and16 Football teams
  • 2007- present Tottenham Hotspur Foundation Patron. The Tottenham Hotspur charitable foundation that undertakes community and education projects in North London and in Africa. (Co-patron is Les Ferdinand).

(2) LORD TRIESMAN AND THE LABOUR PARTY

Lord Triesman has assured the FA, both verbally and in writing, that he had no awareness and no involvement in the current controversies regarding the donation of funds to the Labour Party. A text of his letter to Lord Mawhinney is attached:

“Dear Lord Mawhinney

You will be aware of the Sunday Times' coverage of funding issues in the Labour Party, and of allegations made by an un-named 'source' that I might have known about these issues in 2003. Although the probable source somewhat retracted the allegation in today's Guardian, allow me to place on record for you the position I have confirmed to the Prime Minister and the media. The allegations are wholly untrue.

At no time did I know that the donations made in proxy names by Mr Abrahams were in fact his donations or that subterfuge was being used by anyone involved to circumvent the electoral law. I have a robust record on full compliance with the law and I regard what was done as deplorable. Had I been made aware at any time of the practice I would have personally notified the Electoral Commission and taken whatever advice they gave me on notifying the police. Inside the organisation I would have been dealt with it surgically.

I am confident that the Commission and others know the determined efforts Charles Clarke and I made to ensure full legal compliance. If you have any questions I will of course answer them fully.

Yours truly
Lord Triesman. 3 December 2007”

(3) THE STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNANCE OF THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

The FA's Management Team, working together with The FA Council, Board and staff, aims to deliver an effective and professional organisation for the greater good of English football.

The main constituents are the Council and its Committees and the Board; comprised of elected representatives from The FA Premier League, The Football League and The National Game. The Executive services both bodies.

The Legislative Body

The Council is comprised of elected representatives from the constituent parts of the game, including the Premier League, the Football League, County Associations and other bodies.

The Council meets around six times a year to consider major policy issues and direction, as well as to approve proposals put forward by committee.

Major business, strategic and commercial decisions are taken by the Main Board, comprised of five representatives from the professional game and five from the national game, plus The FA Chief Executive and The FA Chair.

The staff are led by the Chief Executive, who works with the Management Team (which is made up of the Divisional heads), to ensure that the aims and objectives of the organisation are met.

The Chair

The Chair will be appointed for an initial period of three years by the Council, subject to a satisfactory performance of duties. The Chair may be re-appointed for a second three-year term.

The Chair will lead the Board of The Football Association, line manage the Chief Executive Officer and will also Chair the Council and General Meetings. He will ensure high standards of probity and governance prevail and that The FA remains within its terms of authorisation.

(4) THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Founded in 1863 as the governing body of the game in England, The FA is responsible for regulatory aspects of English football.

The FA acts as the link between the professional game and the grass roots game beneath, what we call the national game. There are tremendous links between the two sides of the game, not least of these is that the volunteers and players in the national game are substantially football fans, who are therefore the customers of the professional game.

A strong professional game is fundamental to creating interest in football at the grass roots. The FA has a strong relationship with The FA Premier League, the Football League and The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).

(5) The selection process was handled by leading UK executive search firm Odgers Ray & Berndtson.