Independent inquiry must be launched

The football club I've supported for nearly half a century came under renewed attack last week. But this assault was not the usual, taunting rendition of "stand up if you hate Man U".

It was the escalation of an explosive spat between a highly successful football manager and the leading shareholder of the club he has guided to silverware. And it has drawn Manchester United into a morass of questions over its corporate governance.

Major shareholders of public companies have a right to air their concerns about the conduct of the directors they elect. In this case, these concerns include the level of fees paid to player agents in high-profile transfer deals. But this phenomenon has a broader scope than just one big club.

Player agents have long been regarded by club chairmen as an unavoidable evil. They are seen as a blight on a game in which pressures on managers lead to desperate measures being taken to secure players who are perceived to be key to winning trophies or avoiding relegation.

The monetary rewards for winning a Champions League place and the financial penalties of relegation are enormous. Add to this tight transfer windows and the threat of an automatic points deduction if a club plummets into administration, and we have all the ingredients for agents to profit at the expense of the game.