A former North West Evening Mail sports journalist is tipped to become the new chief executive of the Football Association. Evening Mail columnist Cornwallis took an offbeat look at his track record…

It was interesting to hear that my former colleague Brian Barwick is being tipped to become chief executive of the Football Association – a job which attracts a six-figure pay packet.

During his time on the Evening Mail sports desk in the late 1970s he acquired a reputation for being a colourful character with his gift of the gab and outward-going personality.

Merseyside-born Brian covered the fortunes of Barrow RL during a period when they were becoming a force in the land with the likes of Eddie Szymala, Steve Tickle and Ian Ball in the side which was coached by the semi-legendary Frank Foster.

Brian played soccer in the Barrow Sunday League and according to a yarn still recounted in these parts, he was sent off for fighting with an opponent with observers saying he was the guilty party.

Both appeared before a disciplinary panel during the following week at which Mr Barwick’s powers of persuasion resulted in himself “getting off” while his adversary was given four matches.

His then home was a ruin in Carlisle Street, just around the corner from the Mail office.

“That house,” says a colleague who knew him better than myself “made the Young Ones’ gaff look like a mansion in Belgravia.

“It was freezing to start with.

“There were late-night poker games illuminated by a single 40-watt bulb and hardly anything in the fridge except cans of ale and maybe a mouldy rasher of bacon.”

At that time Brian Barwick would have grossed around £7,500 a year.

He left our Abbey Road offices to eventually become Match of the Day editor, head of sport at the BBC and later ITV’s controller of sport, the rank he now holds.

The final interviews for the FA job are to be conducted on November 25 and if Henry Winter of the Daily Telegraph is to be believed the former Mail man has nothing to beat.

If appointed his salary will be in the region of £350,000 per annum.

Where did it all go wrong Bri?

What happened to you, old pal?

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