Millwall chairman demands changes

Theo Paphitis
By Paul Holmes
August 2 2002

Millwall's chairman Theo Paphitis has demanded that changes be made to the Football League following the defeat of the court case against Carlton and Granada.

Speaking to BBC Online, Paphitis demanded that The Football League undergoes a massive shake-up to bring in more commercial minded people on board.

Paphitis, like all Football League chairman is angry that the League had not ensured that Carlton and Granada underwrite the TV deal. Had this happened the Football Leauge would have been entitled to the to £131.5million of lost TV income.

"I will be lobbying very seriously for changes to the Football League.

Football has become a very professional business, but the Football League is run by administrators.

"We need to get more commercial people in."

Paphitis then disagreed with those who suggest the clubs should sue the Football League. That's really going too far. "Anyway, it would be like suing ourselves, because we are the Football League members."

Paphatis did launch a stinging attack on Football League chief executive David Burns though. "The problem with David is that he hasn't got a feel for his membership.

"And he was totally wrong to agree the new deal with Sky, which will mean the clubs losing money every year for four years."