Sheffield United sign-up to new diversity code

United are among 19 top-flight clubs who have signalled their support for The Football Leadership Diversity Code (FLDC), which demands 15 per cent of new executive appointments must be from a BAME background, while 30 per cent must be female.

Southampton have yet to sign-up to the guidelines, saying they prefer to wait and see how they fit within the Premier League’s own diversity criteria. However officials at St Mary’s have confirmed they are supportive of the FLDC’s aims.

Paul Elliott, the head of the Football Association’s inclusion advisory board, described the FLDC as an attempt to “create greater diversity in leadership positions.”

“We are trying to modernise football so it stops relying on its ‘little black book’ and group of networks and actually give equal opportunities to those who are qualified.

“This isn’t about tokenism, this is about equal opportunities. To be the same as everyone else.”

"We’ve lost three generations of players who have been denied opportunities,” Elliott added. “We can’t lose a fourth.”

Under the terms of the FLDC, which Elliott helped draft, half of all coaching appointments at women’s clubs must be awarded to female candidates, with 15 per cent going to BAME applicants. Interview shortlists must also contain at least one male and one female BAME candidates, providing they meet the criteria for the position being filled.

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