MP Chester Chris Matheson will present a bill to Parliament this week calling for the creation of a tough and independent regulatory body for football.

Chris Matheson has worked closely with the Football Supporters’ Association to prepare the bill which mandates that clubs being mismanaged should face scrutiny from an independent body.

The regulator would have powers to undertake independent and forensic audits of clubs’ directors and financial activities when sufficient concerns have been expressed about club misconduct in management.

In his speech on Wednesday (June 26), Chris Matheson will mention a number of clubs in crisis across the country whose fans are powerless in the face of gross mismanagement by the club owners.

Mr Matheson said: “Under current rules, fans have no means of redressing their grievances. Fans such as those of Blackpool or Coventry or Bolton Wanderers have been treated abysmally, with their owners at fault. There has to be a mechanism to provide fans with an outlet to redress their grievances because at the moment they have nowhere to go.”

He added: “I am aware that the majority of football club owners are committed and passionate about their clubs. They recognise that fans are the pulse that keeps football clubs alive. However, too many clubs are being driven to the ground with no mechanism in place for fans to flag up misconduct.”

“The Football Supporters Association’ have highlighted that this is not an isolated issue, it is happening across the country. Dedicated fans watch helplessly as their treasured clubs crumble from lack of investment or financial exploitation by dodgy owners.”

If created, the body would report to the Football Association with recommendations for action to address any deliberate financial mismanagement.

The MP and the Football Supporters’ Association have expressed their desire for the Football Association to undertake this regulatory role, given the level of expertise and national responsibility of the FA.

Mr Matheson added: “I am clear that action is needed now, to prevent more fans being side-lined by poor management. In the absence of action, an independent regulator is needed so that the scandals of Blackpool and Coventry are a thing of the past and the supporters have somewhere to turn to in their desperation”.

“This body could benefit fans across the country, forcing owners to act in the best interests of the club as well as the team, instead of acting in self-interest to the club’s detriment.”