10 Aug 2010Norwich City co-owner calls for financial reform

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media

Norwich City's joint majority shareholder Delia Smith has called on the FA to instigate a radical overhaul of footballing finances and warned that many smaller football clubs remain at risk of going under.

In an interview with the BBC, the TV chef criticised English football's governing body for paying millions of pounds to national team boss Fabio Capello while allowing lower league clubs such as Chester City to go bust.

"There is something radically wrong with football in this country and it needs a major thought," she said. "Little football clubs are going out of business and it's wrong, because the social side of it is very important."

Smith claimed much of the money generated by the English Premier League simply passes out of the country and into European divisions through transfer fees.

Earlier this year, a group of MPs from across political divides signed an early day motion proposing that top-flight teams pay a "grassroots tax", which could then be reinvested at the lowest levels of the game.

Written by Paul Roberts

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