Lord Brian Mawhinney, former Chairman of the Football League, has died at the age of 79, following a long battle with illness.
He served as Football League Chairman from January 2003 to March 2010, overseeing one of the biggest and most successful changes in English football, with the re-organisation of the league structure.
EFL Chair Rick Parry said:
“Everyone associated with the EFL is saddened to hear of the loss of Lord Mawhinney, a hugely respected and influential figure in our recent past, most notably for his work as Chairman of the Football League but also for the significant impact he had on the wider game.
“Lord Mawhinney was awarded a Life Membership in 2012 for the significant contribution he made to the League during his seven years at the helm, during which, he made a number of important introductions as part of a substantive programme of governance reforms. He was also the driving force behind the League’s first solidarity arrangement with the Premier League, the formation of the Football League Trust and a significant rebranding to support subsequent commercial development.
”Club owners, their respective teams and staff at the EFL remember Lord Mawhinney’s time at the league fondly and our collective thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad and difficult time.”