Time to Tackle Football's 'Bung Culture' - Foster

9.23.05am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 3rd Oct 2006

Commenting ahead of the preliminary findings of the inquiry led by Lord Stevens into English football transfers, Bath's MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said:

"Lord Stevens' recommendations must be quickly acted on if we are to restore public confidence in the English game, especially considering the delay following the Burns report.

"The FA recruiting more officers for their compliance unit is good news. But it will take more than a few extra staff to illuminate the murky world of football finance.

"People find it easy to blame the FA but it's also up to clubs to take responsibility for the way they spend fans' hard-earned cash. There isn't another business around where the 'dodgy dealings' that surround football transfers would be allowed.

"The whole of European football will have to start taking this seriously if we are to have a hope of eliminating football's 'bung culture'."