Gary Neville to help PFA begin process of appointing new chief executive

Gary Neville will help the Professional Footballers’ Association begin the process of finding a new chief executive to replace Gordon Taylor.

The former Manchester United and England defender will lead a three-person selection panel responsible for the appointment of four independent non-executive directors at the PFA.

The quartet will then oversee a “robust, independent and transparent recruitment process” for a new boss of the players’ union to replace Taylor, who has been in the role since 1981.

Taylor’s position has come under scrutiny in recent years but, in November 2018, he announced an independent governance review would be carried out, at the end of which he said he would step down from his role.

The launch of the review had been delayed but it was announced on Saturday that Neville would act as the independent chair in the search for the four non-executive directors.

Alongside Neville will be Edward Canty, who is on the board of directors at the PFA, as well as Oxford defender John Mousinho, one of the organisation’s management committee members.

A PFA statement said: “In order to support a restructured player’s board in the future, the review recommends the appointment of four independent non-executive directors.

“The directors will be appointed with the assistance of a three-person selection panel, comprising Gary Neville as the independent chair, supported by Edward Canty and John Mousinho, as recommended by the independent review and approved by the management committee.

“The selection panel will remain independent and free from any influence throughout the process. Further, the selection panel’s sole purpose is to appoint four non-executive directors and will thereafter be disbanded.

“Once appointed, the non-executive directors will be responsible for leading a robust, independent and transparent recruitment process of the new PFA CEO.”

Taylor has been criticised over a variety of issues, including his salary – reportedly over £2million a year – and over a perceived slow reaction to research the possible link between head injuries and heading a ball and the incidence of dementia among former footballers.