TRANMERE Rovers have praised the Government for its decision to include a new revamped Football Governance Bill in the King’s Speech.

The Football Governance Bill had not made sufficient progress to be passed into law before the General Election was called in May, but the new Labour Government reintroduced the Bill – which has the creation of a regulator at its core – in Wednesday’s King’s Speech.

The regulator’s central purpose is to ensure clubs are financially sustainable and accountable to their fans through a licensing system. The Bill also gives the regulator backstop powers to impose a financial settlement between the Premier League and the EFL, which they have so far been unable to agree themselves.

Niall Couper, CEO of Fair Game, an organisation that represents 34 men’s professional football clubs throughout the English football pyramid, said:

“Football is in urgent need of change and the commitment to progress a reworked Football Governance Bill, as proposed in today’s King's Speech, is music to our ears.

“The Labour government is making all the right noises about the remit of an independent football regulator and today’s proposal looks to go further than the previous Conservative Bill.

“There is no doubt reform is needed. Football’s financial flow is seriously flawed - the gaps between the divisions have been growing wider and wider over the last 20 years. 

“At the moment, for every £1,000 given to a Premier League club from the current broadcast deal, just 14p goes to a club in the National League North or South.

“So it is brilliant news to hear the Government is firmly committed to delivering a fairer financial distribution at all levels of the football pyramid."

Mark Palios, Chairman of Tranmere Rovers, endorsed these sentiments, adding: “The commitment to revising the Football Governance Bill marks a significant step forward.

"We stand with Fair Game in advocating for a regulator with the necessary authority to ensure meaningful and lasting change in football governance. The future of our National Game depends on it.”