Gordon Taylor to step down as PFA chief executive by the end of 2020/21 season

Gordon Taylor is to stand down as chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) by the end of this season.

Taylor is to announce he will end a 40-year tenure at the PFA following the completion of internal review which has recommended a major overhaul of the players’ union.

The 75-year-old has been chief executive of the PFA since 1981.

He has been under pressure for several years over his reported £2.29million salary and has faced calls to stand down over his handling of the dementia crisis among former players.

Following a review of the PFA, which was conducted by Sport Resolutions and led by Thomas Linden QC, Talylor sent letter that will go out to members on Wednesday.

“Under the new structure, the management committee will hand over to a players’ board and an operational board, and we will be inviting nominations for members to join the players’ board,” said Taylor in the letter.

“Those members will be instrumental in taking forward the PFA under our new structure, and I hope you will consider whether you would wish to play a leadership role in our future.

“Now that the independent review process has completed, I too will step down, by the end of the current season. A new chief executive will be elected following the recruitment procedure recommended by the independent review, and we have already made substantial progress in that direction. I will of course be available in the future whenever needed to support the PFA.

“I am proud to have been part of the management committee’s hard work to design these new rules and to implement the independent review’s other recommendations. I commend our proposed new structure to you. It is the gold standard for any modern sporting organisation and a foundation on which I believe our organisation will continue to go from strength to strength in the years to come.”