Lisa Nandy, the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, has attacked the Conservative frontbench in the House of Lords over what she called attempts to wreck plans for an independent football regulator.

She addressed MPs and football club executives at the Houses of Parliament on Monday night as concerns lingered over the possibility that the government’s Football Governance Bill could be derailed by Tory amendments that could add years to its passage through parliament.

Related: Hopes for regulator in the balance as Lords tie up Football Governance Bill

“I want to deliver a hard message to those on the Conservative frontbench who are intent on wrecking the bill,” Nandy said in an unscheduled speech. “I want to say to the handful of peers who have decided to take that approach: ‘What you are doing is killing off the hopes and dreams and inheritance of supporters.’

“I would remind them that it was a Tory government which commissioned the fan-led review [into football governance] and it was Labour and the Tories who put the commitment to continue these reforms in their manifestos. We will not rest until we make good on that promise to fans.

“This is what people voted for and nothing less than what fans deserve. Change is coming and nobody will stand in its way.”

The Football Governance Bill is passing through the House of Lords, reaching a final report stage before going back to the Commons. Hundreds of amendments have been tabled by Lords, most of which have been rejected. But the government remains anxious over one amendment tabled by the Tory frontbench peer Lord Parkinson.

“We’ve had what is known as a wrecking amendment put in front of the House of Lords in recent weeks to turn this bill into a hybrid bill which would bury it in committee for years and years to come,” Nandy said.

“We stand here at a critical moment for English football, where we decide whether football is a game which benefits everyone … or we want to remain in the situation where many towns find themselves, where their clubs are just one dodgy owner or missed payday away from disaster.”

Unlike other amendments, the action of creating hybrid legislation could not be reversed when the bill reaches the Commons. Government sources suggest they would be confident of winning any vote on hybridity in the Lords but senior figures who have been closely involved in the legislation say the government is focusing on this amendment because although the risk of it being passed is low, the consequences if it did would be substantial.