Football: Rochdale AFC Chief Executive suspended from football for a year

Russ Green

Russ Green, Chief Executive of Rochdale AFC, has been suspended from all football and football related activity from 16 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 and fined £10,000.

Mr Green admitted to three breaches of FA Rule E1(b) whilst Chief Executive of Hartlepool United FC.

It is understood he “agreed to make payments for intermediary activity which he intended to conceal and/or misrepresent as a counting agreement” and “failed to comply with FA Regulations on working with intermediaries by concealing or misrepresenting the reality and/or substance of matters relating to a transaction.”

Col Cavanah, chaiman of Dale Suppoters Trust, said: "In our dealings with him, Russ has been incredibly supportive of the Trust and is firmly behind the Team Rochdale ideals. He has played a huge part in ensuring that season tickets at the club are amongst the cheapest in the country and putting a real focus on the next generation of Dale supporters with the £10 deal for U12s season tickets.

"We can only hope that this can be sorted as soon as possible because Rochdale AFC is a better club with Russ at the helm."

The implications of the FA’s decision are now being considered by Rochdale Football Club.

The club has said it will not "be making any further comment".