Andy Burnham's Impact on Football

Andy Burnham, the prime-minister-in-waiting, has been a key figure in overhauls behind the scenes of the game, as well as helping to create the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

Background

There have been several occasions in the past 20 years when English football has been in a state of anguish. A notable example was in 2007, when England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 after losing 3-2 to Croatia at Wembley.

Key Details

At Wembley that night, Burnham was with James Purnell, as guests of the Premier League's then chief executive, Richard Scudamore. Burnham was the minister for culture, media and sport, having succeeded Purnell, who had been moved to the Department for Work and Pensions, during the early days of Gordon Brown's Labour premiership.

What It Means

If England were to win the World Cup, Andy Burnham may take at least some credit, given his past interventions in the national game. His experience in helping the country in times of need may be an asset in his potential future role as prime minister.