Wembley scheme faces new threat

Sweeping changes to the company which runs the £715million Wembley Stadium project are expected to be made at a meeting of the project's existing board today.

The Government has given the Football Association-owned subsidiary, Wembley National Stadium Ltd, until 30 April to pass four tests or the scheme will be scrapped.

In addition to raising a £300m loan from the City to pay for the 90,000-seat redevelopment, WNSL must prove the project is good value and managed properly-In December, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell ordered the FA to overhaul the WNSL board amid concerns over the way the company was being run.

The FA responded last month by vowing to set up a shadow board which would take over the scheme if and when it gets the money and Government approval later this month.

Current chairman Sir Rodney Walker is likely to confirm today that he will stand down once the scheme is up and running next month. Other directors like Dave Richards, chairman of the Premier League, Ian Peacock, chairman of the Golf Foundation, FA company secretary Nic Coward, Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale, Lord Harris, FA deputy chairman Frank Pattison, FA board member Peter Heard and Ernest Walker, chairman of the UEFA Stadia Committee, are also expected to go.

Two new high fliers from the marketing and construction industries are then expected to be appointed on an eight-man board which includes FA chief executive Adam Crozier and Football League chairman Keith Harris.