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Former England captain Steph Houghton is the LEADING candidate to become the new PFA president, after John Mousinho stepped down to manage Portsmouth, and the bosses are keen to appoint a woman to demonstrate the union’s progress .
- Steph Houghton has emerged as the frontrunner to become PFA president
- Executives feel that having a woman in the position would reflect the progress of the union
- He would replace John Mousinho, who left to join Portsmouth.
Steph Houghton has emerged as the frontrunner to become PFA president in what would be a landmark move.
sports mail understands that senior union officials have approached the Manchester City defender with a view to having her replace previous starter John Mousinho, who left to take over as manager at Portsmouth.
The decision on whether to stay for Houghton, who is considering the prospect, is due soon.
Man City star Steph Houghton has emerged as the frontrunner to become PFA president
Executives feel that having a woman in the position would reflect the union’s progress and cultural change. However, the 34-year-old is believed to be undecided. In addition to her duties as City captain, she is also married to former Liverpool defender Stephen Darby, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2018.
If the centre-half, who has won 121 caps for England, were to decide to come forward and subsequently be endorsed by the players’ board, it would represent a seismic moment for the game.
Mousinho departed last week after being offered the job at League One Pompey, whom he has already guided to two wins.
His replacement must come from the players’ board, of which the Durham-born Houghton is a member. They are scheduled to meet in the near future, possibly before the end of this week, to select an interim president.
Former PFA president John Mousinho stepped down to join Portsmouth as manager this month.
They will then hold the position until the next AGM in November, at which they will likely be ratified, though other board members may show up.
Houghton, an MBE, is one of the most decorated players in women’s soccer. She was omitted from the winning Euro 2022 squad after an injury-plagued season, but she has yet to retire from international soccer. She has started two of her club’s five games this season.
Brighton’s Danielle Carter is the only other woman on the PFA player board. Others include Birmingham City striker Troy Deeney, Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton and Newport County’s Kevin Ellison.
Brighton forward Danielle Carter is the only other woman on the union’s players’ board.
Houghton was omitted from England’s Euro 2022-winning squad after an injury-hit campaign
To be eligible for the job, the candidate must have a current professional gaming contract, which rules out current vice president Peter Vincenti, who plays for Jersey.
Mousinho was the first member to be appointed president after the reorganization of the union after the revelations published in this newspaper.
The former Oxford United defender took over in 2021, following the departure of former paramount chief Gordon Taylor.
If Houghton decides to run and be selected, she would work closely with CEO Maheta Molango, who replaced Taylor, four non-executive directors and an operating board.