Regulator's Proposed Chair Donated To Labour Campaigns - What Else Did We Learn?

The government's preferred prime arsenic chair of English football's caller independent regulator contributed money to nan activity campaigns of Sir Keir Starmer and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

David Kogan told MPs connected nan Culture, Media and Sport Committee that he was being "utterly transparent" by declaring donations which "hadn't been discovered by nan press".

The sports media authorities executive said he had donated "very mini sums" to nan 2020 campaigns, arsenic good arsenic thousands of pounds to Labour MPs and candidates successful caller years, but had "total individual independency from each of them".

Nandy said Kogan - who besides sat connected nan committee of Labour news website LabourList - was nan "outstanding candidate" to capable nan position erstwhile he was announced arsenic preferred prime successful April.

Conservative protector sports curate Louie French said nan nonaccomplishment to disclose nan donations erstwhile first put guardant for nan domiciled was "a clear breach of nan governance codification connected nationalist appointments".

A spokesperson for nan Prime Minister said Kogan had been appointed done a "fair and unfastened competition".

The Football Governance Bill, which is presently passing done Parliament aft being reintroduced by nan Labour authorities successful October, will found a first independent regulator for nan master men's crippled successful England.

The authorities will manus powerfulness to a assemblage independent from authorities and shot authorities to oversee clubs successful England's apical 5 divisions.

In a wide-ranging 'pre-appointment hearing', Kogan - a erstwhile BBC journalist who besides antecedently advised nan Premier League, EFL and different leagues connected broadcast authorities - said he wants to put "fans astatine nan bosom of nan regulator" and thief nan shot pyramid "survive".

So what other did we study from nan man who could go 1 of nan astir powerful group successful English football?

Kogan has been a Spurs instrumentality since 1964, though he admitted he seems to "run into thing but Arsenal fans nowadays".

He was astatine nan 1967 FA Cup last to watch his squad hit Chelsea 2-1 astatine Wembley.

In nan hearing, he namechecked Mike England arsenic a "great Tottenham centre-half". The Wales defender made much than 300 appearances for nan nine betwixt 1966 and 1975.

The caller Club World Cup and expanding Champions League are "risk factors" for nan early sustainability of English football, according to Kogan.

Thirty-two teams will compete successful Fifa's inaugural Club World Cup this summer, while nan number of games person accrued successful this season's Champions League.

He thinks nan maturation of these competitions will person an effect connected nan money English shot earns from broadcast deals.

Kogan said: "When you look astatine really Fifa is doing its world nine competition, nan measurement Uefa is processing its European competition, each of those are factors that straight effect connected English shot - things for illustration broadcasting slots and broadcasting financing.

"All of those are consequence factors aliases factors that person to beryllium taken into relationship for nan early sustainability of English football."

Reading proprietor Dai Yongge was forced to waste nan club past week aft he was disqualified nether nan EFL's Owners' and Directors' Test.

Kogan believes nan regulator's powers to measure owners and board will beryllium acold much extended pinch "access to overmuch greater knowledge and overmuch greater expertise to intervene".

"If nan regulator had existed immoderate years ago, what you would've seen arsenic a nonstop consequence of nan activity we're capable to do pinch licensing is simply a batch of nan issues that travel up pinch Reading astir nan ownership of nan ground, astir nan financing, astir nan quality of nan owner, each of those would really travel up done nan powers of nan regulator," he added.

Legal disputes are becoming progressively communal successful football.

The Premier League spent much than £45m past season connected ineligible costs owed to various disputes complete its financial regulations.

The convention has been embroiled successful a bid of investigations, disciplinary arbitration processes, and appeals. Cases person progressive Manchester City, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Leicester City.

Kogan hopes nan regulator won't look immoderate ineligible challenges but said it must beryllium "prepared for nan worst" and referenced "very able clubs and a very able league".

"The regulator has to beryllium geared up for ineligible situation and nan measurement it does that is by doing its activity decently and going done nan afloat accountability process, by being arsenic watertight arsenic it tin astir what it's seeking to do," he added.

Some fans, and moreover an MP, Labour's Ian Byrne, want nan regulator to thief group summons prices.

Kogan said "it's not a matter for nan regulator to group summons prices for individual clubs", but that "it is simply a matter for nan regulator to let fans to person a view".

So really mightiness fans beryllium involved?

Well, he's considering a "fan advisory committee" and moreover a "fan representative" connected nan regulator's board.