Premier League 'must restructure'

McCabe tried to get Sheffield United reinstated to the Premier League

Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe has called for the governance of the Premier League to be overhauled after his club's relegation last year.

United went down after West Ham escaped a points deduction despite breaching transfer rules in signing Carlos Tevez.

"We really need to get a restructure of the governance of the FA Premier League," McCabe told MPs.

The Premier League have yet to comment on his remarks. Chief executive Richard Scudamore will speak to MPs next month.

McCabe was appearing before parliament's All Party Football Group, which is holding an inquiry into governance in football.

"Our relegation was in many ways down to the inadequacies and lack of proper governance at the Premier League," he said.

"They are under-managed. They hide behind setting up an independent panel to penalise a club that's breached the rules and believe that alleviates their job to govern the game.

"We've got to accept the commerciality and business that's attached to football now, but it should never overtake sport itself, and that's where governance has got to be improved."

We are determined not to be pushed aside over this sporting injustice

Kevin McCabe

McCabe said he still did not understand why West Ham had not been docked points for the breach.

Having failed in a bid to be reinstated into the top flight, United are now seeking financial compensation after an independent tribunal ruled against West Ham over the affair.

"Regrettably, I don't think we can turn the clock back," said McCabe.

"A season and a half has gone by now since relegation. It would be difficult, not impossible, but difficult for reinstatement.

"But we are determined not to be pushed aside over this sporting injustice."