Gordon Taylor will address the Professional Footballers’ Association today as the chief executive’s power struggle with chairman Ben Purkiss comes to a head at the organisation’s annual meeting.
The 74-year-old has come under increasing pressure in recent months and faced calls to stand down. In charge since 1981, Taylor gave no clues as to his intentions before the AGM but it was looking increasingly likely his time in charge was coming to an end.
Taylor has been in dispute with Purkiss, who feels change within the organisation is needed, and the chief executive’s future was high on the agenda of the meeting in Manchester this afternoon.
Taylor has been heavily criticised by former players who have called for him to move aside. He earned a reported £2.29million last year, which is the highest by far of any union leader in Britain.
The PFA have also been accused in recent years of not being effective enough, despite being funded with a £26.6m share of the Premier League’s television income, especially surrounding the issues of player welfare, including helping with financial difficulties, mental health challenges and dementia.
Purkiss, a law graduate as well as a journeyman professional, has called for the PFA to “evolve to serve the changing needs of all PFA members at every level”. He believes the union would benefit from modernisation.
“We have discussed the need for evolution and the rapid pace the world is changing, and the pace at which football and footballers are changing,” he said. “If you do not continue on that path, eventually other organisations will fill your space. From there, where do you go? You kind of become obsolete.”
The AGM should have taken place in November but it was delayed because Purkiss effectively launched a revolt. Taylor then announced a “full and open review into the structure and operation” of the PFA by an independent QC. Four months on and Taylor was due to provide an update this afternoon on who will lead that review.
In an open letter to the 4,000 PFA members, Taylor said in November: “I have dedicated the last 40 years of my life to professional football. I am extremely proud of the work we do, supporting our members, whether that’s through training and coaching programmes, or promoting diversity and equality in the sport.”
