Soccer: FA backs Crozier after stadium letter leak

The Football Association was today standing by its chief executive after claims he wrote to the Government asking them to bail out Wembley stadium and keep the deal ‘‘under wraps’’ until after the General Election.

The FA confirmed Adam Crozier was the author of a leaked letter to Culture Secretary Chris Smith, but said his comments had been ‘‘misinterpreted’’.

Downing Street also backed Mr Crozier saying it was not aware he had been suggesting anything improper and the matter had been ‘‘blown out of proportion’’.

In the letter, extracts of which were published in the Mail on Sunday, yesterday, Mr Crozier appeared to suggest that the Government should provide some of the funding for the £660 million development project for a new national stadium but that they could keep their involvement secret until after the election.

But a spokesman for the FA denied he had made any suggestion of a cover-up.

‘‘We’ve been in constant touch with the Government on this issue,’’ said the spokesman.

‘‘We were keen to bring the matter into the public domain ourselves and did so. It has never been our intention to cover anything up or prevent it becoming publicly known.

‘‘Everyone is aware that we are in a politically sensitive time and that was reflected in the correspondence.

‘‘We always wanted a decision relatively quickly from the Government and urged them to respond before the board meeting on April 26, which happened.

‘‘There was, and is, no question of keeping anything under wraps.

‘‘This is just another attempt to divert attention away from the fact that the Government should support a national stadium.

‘‘Adam Crozier has made it clear that people must stop playing politics on the issue and slinging mud at each other. He has called on everyone to work together.’’

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: ‘‘The whole thing has been completely blown out of proportion.

‘‘We are not aware that he was suggesting anything remotely improper.

‘‘There is no acrimony between the Government and the FA on this issue and the most important thing is to assume a viable way forward.’’

Last week it emerged the FA’s bid to find funding for the Wembley project had collapsed.

The Prime Minister said the Government ‘‘could no longer write blank cheques’’ for the cost of the Wembley project.

A Government committee on a new national sports stadium held its first meeting on Thursday following the collapse of the bid.

Home Secretary Jack Straw chaired the group of six ministers, which was initially set up to co-ordinate the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

It will now appoint a supremo from outside the Government to supervise the drive to rescue the national stadium project, with Wembley still the ‘‘front runner’’ for the site, according to No 10.

Birmingham has already registered its interest in hosting the stadium if it is to be sited outside the capital.

Former FA chief executive Graham Kelly told Radio Five Mr Crozier should stay in his job.

‘‘This is a naive and bizarre story because it damages the prospects of the FA salvaging Wembley.’’ he said.

‘‘I think Adam Crozier is in a bit of hot water and having been there myself I can empathise with him to a certain extent, but he has just got to tough it out and I wouldn’t have thought it was a resignation matter.’’