FA chief executive Martin Glenn ‘should be sacked’ if allegations against Mark Sampson were ignored

FA chief executive Martin Glenn should be sacked if it is proved English football’s governing body failed to act over historical allegations against Mark Sampson, according to MP Damian Collins.

Sampson, who had managed the England women’s team since December 2013, was axed yesterday for “inappropriate and unacceptable” behaviour while in a previous role with women’s side Bristol Academy.

The allegations were reported to the FA in 2014 and investigated - Sampson was made to undergo a development and mentoring course - but the FA was again alerted to the facts last week, leading Glenn to read the report in full and take the decision to fire Sampson.

The 34-year-old had previously been cleared of discrimination, following allegations made by England striker Eni Aluko, among others.

But Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee chairman Collins, who is due to grill FA chiefs next month, said: “If you go back to the Aluko concerns, her allegations were not properly investigated. I know the FA still stand by their investigation, but it’s come to light now there were previous grave concerns raised about Mark Sampson in a separate report, yet no one checked it or read it at the FA. It undermines the FA’s ability to run a proper and thorough investigation. If it transpires that FA executives had warnings and advice that they didn’t follow up, then their positions become untenable.

“What we want to know is why was Sampson appointed in the first place and, when the Aluko allegations were brought to their attention, why did the leadership team not go back and look at his previous record? It wasn’t until they received another tip-off last week that they took action.”

Former England midfielder Trevor Brooking led the interviewing process but said he was unaware of any allegations against Sampson. Brooking, who left the FA in June 2014, said: “I was there and he interviewed fine but it would have been the HR people that looked into all that background stuff. Certainly, nothing surfaced at that stage that I was aware of.”

In sacking Sampson, the FA said in a statement: “The full report of that investigation [in 2014] was only brought to the attention of the current FA leadership last week. It is our judgment that it revealed clear evidence of inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour by a coach. It is on this basis that we have acted quickly to agree a termination of Mark’s contract.”

Aluko is also due to appear before the DCMS committee at Westminster on October 18, with Collins pushing for Glenn to appear as well.

Collins added: “Glenn was briefed when he became chief executive that there had been an investigation into Sampson. After the Aluko allegations, he didn’t ask for the previous report to be considered. He only acted when he was shown the full report.

“What’s remarkable in all this is that Bristol Academy (now Bristol City Women) say that the FA has never been in touch. Why is that? Is it incompetence or fear of what they’d discover?

“This is a recurring concern, from the historic allegations of child abuse [related to other people] to the Sam Allardyce sacking - and now this. In each, there were warnings given that weren’t heeded. Why was that?”

Collins also called for an independent body to be set up, not just for football but for all sports across the UK, enabling people to raise concerns of any potential wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, the charity Women In Sport has severed its ties with Sampson, who was a patron. In a statement, it said: “Women In Sport can confirm that Mark Sampson is no longer a patron of the charity.”