Top brass called up as finances inquiry ends

Leading officials from the Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League will give evidence tomorrow at the final session of the Parliamentary All-Party Football Group's inquiry into the sport's finances.

Six previous meetings have heard from, among others, Trevor Brooking, Peter Ridsdale, David Mellor and the former Sports Minister Kate Hoey. The group, made up of more than 150 members, will produce their recommendations in an official report early next year.

At the last session, Mellor, the former Task Force head, called for a "properly funded and fully independent regulator, rather than the present hopeless Independent Football Commission" to control the football authorities. Meanwhile, his fellow Chelsea supporter Tony Banks MP hopes to introduce a Commons motion calling for a similar body to investigate takeovers such as Roman Abramovich's at Stamford Bridge, and introduce a "fit and proper person test" for club directors.

The meeting is open to the public and takes place at Portcullis House (above Westminster underground station), starting at 2.15pm.

Meanwhile, the FA have confirmed England will play Sven Goran Eriksson's countrymen Sweden in a friendly in Gothenburg on 31 March, providing the two teams are not drawn in the same Euro 2004 group in Portugal.