The long-awaited and damaging independent review into the Professional Footballers' Association will not be published - in a controversial move which may spark accusations of a cover-up.
New chief executive Maheta Molango today told members that the report, which helped lead to his own arrival and the ousting of controversial former supremo Gordon Taylor, will remain under wraps despite calls for greater transparency.
The QC-led review followed a 2018 crisis sparked by a power struggle between Taylor and ex-chairman Ben Purkiss, after the latter gave an explosive interview in this newspaper.
An independent report into the PFA that contained 'incredibly damning' detail on former chief executive Gordon Taylor's reign will not be made public
Sources have disclosed it contains some 'incredibly damning' detail on Taylor's regime and the culture that existed within the union.
Many believed that following £2million-a-year Taylor's June departure the report, commissioned at considerable cost, would be made public and that many of those on the PFA's executive, viewed as his acolytes, would face a struggle to remain in place.
But Molango, 39, told members at today's AGM that he will not publish.
And in a lengthy interview, he explained his reasoning, saying that players and the new players' board – created in the wake of the review - had told him that he must not focus 'on the past'.
'The decision has been reached by the new players' board, the voice of the dressing room,' he said.
'I have the feeling that people were just fed up of hearing the PFA talk about itself. I think people wanted the PFA to focus on what matters, on the players, rather than the internal turmoil and bickering and infighting.
'The feeling was people just want to be talking about the players as opposed to the less player-linked issues we have had in the past.'
Taylor's 40-year reign as chief executive of the players' union came to an end earlier this year
Many believe the decision will now allow those viewed as Taylor's allies to remain in positions of influence, with the perceived old guard retaining considerable control. However, Molango denied that was the case.
'I understand where you are coming from,' he said. 'But I don't need the report to come to conclusions on who is fit for purpose or not.
'Publishing it will have no influence on the staff of the PFA. I don't need a report to be published to know what to do.
'The PFA needed to improve how it was doing things, rather than what it was doing. We need to be more policy driven, more governance driven. Being bullet proof in terms of policy, governance and oversight.'
Molango added that he was aware of a potential backlash following the decision.
'I'm very conscious people will be against this,' he said. 'When you lead an organisation you need to make decisions. It's a collective decision but I am the chief executive and need
