The government has demanded immediate reform of the Football Association, insisting it implements recommendations made by Lord Burns four years ago in full or face a £25m cut in grassroots funding and the withdrawal of political support. Owen Gibson, The Guardian.

Why on earth are we giving the FA £25million – I don’t care what it’s for – there is so much money in football, £25million is only just over a quarter of the fee Man United received for selling Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid – if the FA wants to develop grass roots football I suggest it passes the hat round it’s wealthy clubs and leaves the tax payer alone.