SALISBURY City Football Club’s funding crisis has been raised in the House of Commons following the club’s demotion to the Conference South.

The city’s MP John Glen says he wants Parliament to debate football governance after Moroccan businessman Otail Touzar was alleged to have fallen short of his financial commitments to the club.

The MP told his Parliamentary colleagues: “This week, the Salisbury City Football Club were faced with demotion and a funding crisis when one of its new owners failed to deliver on his promises.

“This is despite the FA waving him through a fit and proper persons test. Would the Leader of the House make time for a debate on football governance, so other small clubs like Salisbury across the country do not have to pay the price of this failure of proper governance?

The Rt Hon Andrew Lansley (leader of the house) said: “My honourable friend raises an interesting point – and he’ll know football authorities collectively introduced more changes and greater requirements around the owners and directors test, particularly at Premier League and Football League level that does support responsible ownership.

“In the case of the Whites, the football conference took steps it believed to be appropriate to establish the club’s funding capability and their decision was to regulate the club. The Conference has some rigorous regulations in place, developed in conjunction with the FA. That has seen a substantial reduction in debt in the Conference in recent years.

“I think members widely feel that there is a case for a debate. A request for such a debate on non-league football to the backbench business Committee was made towards the end of the last session. I will discuss with the Backbench Business Committee whether they would wish for that debate to take place soon – it may be of interest to members across the house.”