Former PFA boss banned following Charity Commission investigation
The former finance director of Manchester-based trade union, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), Darren Wilson, has been disqualified from sitting as a trustee by the Charity Commission.
It follows an investigation into the Players Foundation, formerly the PFA Charity, of which ex-Manchester City and Bury FC player, Mr Wilson, was a trustee. In 2020, Mr Wilson was paid £345,516 in salary, bonuses and pension contributions.
In 2021 the charity declared £13m of income and £19.58m of expenditure.
The Commission announced it had opened a regulatory compliance case against the charity in November 2018, “to explore concerns raised about the charity’s relationship with the Professional Footballers’ Association trade union and their management of conflicts of interest”.
Then, in January 2022, it launched a statutory inquiry, to examine concerns about the way it was managed. A statutory inquiry is the Commission’s most serious intervention.
Stephen Grenfell, head of investigations, monitoring and enforcement at the Charity Commission, said at the time: “The public rightly expect charities to operate to the highest standards – across all they do.
“Serious concerns have been raised about the way the Professional Footballers’ Association charity is run. We will now examine what has happened at the charity through a full statutory inquiry and ensure, where necessary, action is taken.”
Earlier this year, Mr Wilson and three other PFA charity executives launched legal action against the Charity Commission, which was thrown out by a High Court judge.
In September this year, the Commission issued an official warning to the charity, saying mismanagement had been committed, citing: Failure to ensure its assets were being used in the most appropriate way; failure to appropriately manage and control £1.9m of charitable funds that had been transferred out of the charity’s accounts; and failure to protect the best interests of the charity by failing to formalise arrangements regarding occupation of the charity’s properties by non-charitable entities, including failure to charge rent or formalise lease agreements.
The Commission said the failure to charge rent “meant the charity was deprived of over £627,000 of income that could otherwise have been applied to activities which furthered its purposes”.
A Charity Commission spokesperson said: “As part of our inquiry into the Players Foundation (formerly the PFA Charity) we made the decision to firstly suspend and subsequently disqualify Mr Darren Wilson from being a trustee. Mr Wilson is now appealing these decisions in a tribunal.”
In July this year the PFA announced that Mr Wilson had decided to step down from his role with the organisation, following 20 years of service.
A PFA statement said: “The former Manchester City and Bury player has thanked all his colleagues for their hard work and extended his gratitude to members who have put their trust in him over the last two decades.
“Darren has also placed on record his appreciation for the cooperation and courtesy extended to him by football’s stakeholders, including the Premier League, English Football League and The Football Association.
“In recognition of his significant contribution domestically to the game, the PFA, its members, and internationally with FIFPRO, everyone at the union thanks Darren for all his hard work, achievements and dedication. Darren leaves with our best wishes and we wish him luck in his future endeavours.”
