Yorkshire solicitor made chair of the Premier League

Harrogate solicitor Peter McCormick has become interim chair of the Premier League for the second time, making him the only person to ever be chair of both the Premier League and the FA.

His appointment will take effect when current chair Gary Hoffman steps down on 1 February and comes just after he ended his term as interim chair of the FA earlier this month.

Premier League clubs have unanimously approved his temporary appointment while the recruitment process for a permanent chair continues.

McCormick, senior partner of McCormicks Solicitors, will remain as chair of the Premier League’s Football Board and Legal Advisory Groups, both executive positions, and previously acted as the league’s interim chair between March 2014 and June 2015.

He said: “I am delighted to receive the confidence and approval of the 20 Premier League clubs and the Board as they work to recruit the new chair.”

Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, said: “On behalf of the Premier League and clubs, I would like to welcome Peter to this role.

“He is well known to us all and a trusted pair of hands who will see us through this transition period. The Board’s aim is to have a new permanent chair in place before the start of next season.”

McCormick holds a number of positions in football, including chair of the Premier League Medical Care Scheme Ltd; Premier League representative on the FA Board; vice chair of the FA, representing the professional game; chair of the FA Group Remuneration Committee; chair of the FA Professional Game Board; and chair of the FA Panel of Ambassadors (International Committee).

He is chair designate of the Football Regulatory Authority; a member of the FA Council Membership and Appointments Committee; chairman of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund Ltd; and a trustee of the Football Foundation.

He is also chair of the War Memorials Trust and of the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation.