Greg Dyke to stand down as FA Chairman this summer

Thursday 28 Jan 2016
Greg Dyke will remain with The FA until this summer

FA Chairman Greg Dyke gave the following statement to today’s FA Board meeting at Wembley Stadium. 

Dyke will remain as FA Chairman until the Summer FA Council meeting in July.

He told the Council: "As you know, in early January I announced I would stand as Chairman of The FA for a further year although I wasn’t certain this was the right decision for either The FA or me.

"During January, however, as work on options for governance reform crystalised 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.

"This is not the time for me to tell you what I think has been achieved in my time at The FA but we are in a dramatically better financial position and I believe we have a much stronger executive team, we have a bold plan to build many more all-weather pitches, we have radically changed the coaching education structure and have massively increased investment behind the England teams. 

"We have also raised the all-important question of giving more young English players a chance to play at the top level in this country. All this and we still have a strong balance sheet.

"However, whichever way the vote goes on reform, I think The FA will need more of a conciliatory figure than me to build on what has been achieved.

"So having said all that you’ve probably guessed what I intend to say.  I have changed my mind about standing for a final year in the summer but I will devote my time in the coming months to press for acceptance of the Board’s much needed, long overdue reform programme."

By FA Staff