Revolution! Fulham want rid of Premier League chairman

It looked pretty innocent at the time. Peter Crouch signed for Spurs rejoining Harry Redknapp for roughly the 848th time in his career. The implications of the transfer, and the Premier League’s involvement in the move, however, may lead to real changes.

Fulham have gone to the high court, and asked if Sir Dave Richards can be kindly removed from his office, due to his apparent influence in the Crouch transfer last year. If they don’t get his head on a plate, Fulham would at least like to make it so he would never have a say in transfers ever again.

The Premier League have already done an internal inquiry and found that Richards’ involvement in the transfer was not detrimental to Fulham. So Fulham have gone over their heads.

How was he involved? Its to do with Portsmouth’s mismanagement and Richards friendship with Peter Storrie. Basically, Portsmouth needed the money, and Spurs offer for Crouch was all in one lump sum (we don’t know what Fulham’s offer was, whether it was in monthly instalments or what), and so Richards claims he was working in the best interest of the a (then) member club.

The fallout is going to be pretty interesting. It’s obviously going to cause a bit of tension between clubs about how this sort of thing goes on in the future, and how a high court rules is going to be fascinating – it could well come down to exactly how Fulham’s bid was structured.

Richards is in an awful lot of trouble here, and it could have huge, huge implications for the English game. He’s been chairman of the Premier League for over a decade, as well as being vice-chairman of the FA, and chairman of Club England. He probably couldn’t keep those positions if he loses this one.

So revolution is in the air, and its a club that’s digging their heels in causing the change.

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Category: English Premier League, World Football