It is conservatively estimated that there are over 60,000 former professional footballers currently residing in the UK and Ireland.

Irrespective of the level at which they performed, most of these former professionals do not know the value of their magnificent career achievements, or their contribution to the development of the professional footballers union, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).

The PFA was founded on 10th December in 1907 and has been doing a good job representing the interests of its members for ninety-five years. The PFA Rules clearly state that their responsibilities and liabilities extend to former players; however, their main objectives are, quite rightly, to look after present players, which is why the union was founded.

Consequently, the rights and entitlements of former players are generally unknown by ex-players. Many of them will have very strong grounds for Industrial Injuries Claims on the pitch and during training. They do not know there is a huge amount of funds for the treatment of injuries, operations and benevolent support.

On a personal note whilst playing and since I have retired from the game I have lost over £100,000.00 in entitlements for all my injuries during a 25 year career. The PFA did not know about entitlements for Footballing Injuries until 1989 when Paul Fletcher and I informed them about this.

Another issue I feel so strongly about, my former colleagues are unaware of their intellectual image rights from their playing days. 

Memorabilia is another area where my colleagues are being "ripped off" by a few "parasites" who are literally trying to steal their Footballing memories from them and their families.

I wrote to Gordon Taylor some time ago once again about this concept, after I had attended another one of my former colleagues funeral. I came away after the service thinking could we have done something more for him and his family.

These and numerous other matters of immense importance has determined that the formation of XPRO be established as the body that represents the interests of all ex-professional Footballers in the UK and Ireland.



Derek Dougan