Swindon and agent fined by FA over intermediary charge

Swindon Town have been fined by the FA over breaches of rules relating to working with intermediaries.

An independent regulatory commission have reached a decision over alleged breaches of The FA’s Regulations on Working with Intermediaries involving Swindon Town FC, Lee Power, First Touch Pro Management, Michael Standing and Gareth Barry.

Swindon have been fined £25,000, £12,500 of which has been suspended for two years, First Touch Pro Management have been fined £40,000, Michael Standing has been suspended from all footballing acitivities.

However, charges against Lee Power were found to be not proven and Gareth Barry has received a warning.

A statement announcing the decision from the FA read: "An independent Regulatory Commission imposed a fine of £40,000 on First Touch Pro Management and a warning with regards to future conduct.

"Michael Standing was issued 6-month suspension from all football related activity backdated, considered served, and received a reprimand.

"The independent Regulatory Commission also imposed a £25,000 fine on Swindon Town FC, £12,500 of which is suspended for 2 years.

"Gareth Barry has been warned regarding his future conduct. The charges against Lee Power were found not proven.

"Full written reasons from the independent Regulatory Commission can be found below."

According to the report, these charges arose from a "clandestine funding arrangement" behind Swindon between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2019 in which First Touch Pro Management, Standing, and Barry would provide funding to the club via Power. Due to this, the FA alleged that each party held interest in Swindon, which were prohibited under regulations around working with intermediaries.

The FA's case said that Swindon were given approximately £6 million by those parties between March 2013 and August 2019 and thus influenced their financial affairs. This funding was kept from authorities and only came to light after press reports.

The charges were that between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019, Standing held a prohibited beneficial interest in the club larger than five per cent; First Touch Pro Management had the same between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019; and Barry also had a beneficial interest between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2019.

Power and Swindon failed to disclose any contractual or customary arrangement to the FA, and all were parties to an agreement in which they would provide funding to the club; however, Power denied the charges and Swindon accepted them.