Representative of the Sheffield and Hallamshire regional FA, more closely associated with amateur and semi- professional football than professional game. In fact he is a devoted supporter both of Arsenal and football generally. Instrumental in making Arsenal the cosmopolitan club it is today Not in favour of a European Super League.. for the time being.Geoff ThompsonActing chairman. Whether he has more international aspirations time would tell. Appointed FA councillor last year, has become deeply involved in several committees including the executive. A 46-year-old millionaire with commercial nous and a love of the game at all levels.David DeinArsenal’s thrusting vice-chairman and a growing power on the committees of Uefa.

Seen by old guard as youngish upstart riding high on football’s bandwagon of increased wealth. As such should bring greater harmony between Premiership and League. “Sure, it’s been an unhelpful week in that regard, no one would dispute that,” he agreed. “But this is a marathon, not a sprint and there are still 15 months to go.

I believe we have the best bid and the best venue for the World Cup and we will come through this.” Whether the FA does the same without a great deal of bloodshed is quite another matter.. CHAIRMAN

David Sheepshanks
Chairman of Ipswich and, until recently, of the Football League, where he remains vice-chairman. For the moment, one of his duties is to ensure that England’s World Cup 2006 bid retains credibility. He also accepts that the professional game must have far greater representation.

The messenger, after all, is normally there just for shooting. But he is an articulate and able front-man and would be enthusiastic advocate for reform. Davies, like Sheepshanks, has maintained, for the most part, a diplomatic silence, and yesterday he would only confirm, “I intend to go home, discuss it with my family and consider everything and probably come to conclusion as to whether I should apply in January.”However, it is well known that the former BBC correspondent was frustrated by the inertia under the previous regime and is a believer in radical change. It has caused consternation in some quarters mainly because of his participation with Glenn Hoddle in the much- criticised World Cup diary. Other names suggested are Richard Scudamore, the present chief executive of the Football League and there are also supporters of Peter Leaver, his counterpart with the Premier League, although the FA could decide to head-hunt in business and industry.For at least the next three months David Davies, who was until last week the FA’s Director of Communications, has control. “We need a credible chairman to bring about the revolution that the game’s needed for years and nobody’s tackled,” insisted Ridsdale. “The FA needs two strands to it, one looking after the amateur game, one the professional, set up under the auspices of the same chairman.”One option circulating the Premier League is that Ken Bates should succeed Wiseman for two years, with the much admired 46-year-old Old Etonian and entrepreneur Sheepshanks as vice- chairman.

The latter would then take over.Though the chairman will have an important role in Europe and may influence the destiny of World Cup 2006, which England still covets, it is the chief executive who will be the driving force for the game as a whole.”Internal options very limited. There’s only one person I believe has got the skills, and that is Rick Parry [Liverpool chief executive],” said Ridsdale. The grass roots of football in this country are absolutely crucial, but they have different requirements from the professional game. At the moment, with respect to the amateur game, it’s the tail wagging the dog.”While there are already proposals for reform of the structure of the FA, it will require firm leadership to steer them through. I’m not trying to suggest that the amateur game is less important or more important, just that it is different. So will the new chairman and chief executive of the Football Association “The FA has to be reformed. It’s like a gentleman’s club at the moment, with no one understanding what these people do or how they deserve to be there,” said Ridsdale.