Maurice Watkins (solicitor)
Encyclopedia
Maurice Watkins LLB, LLM is a Director of Manchester United
's football board. He is also the club's solicitor. He is also Joint Senior Partner of Brabners Chaffe Street LLP Solicitors in Manchester.
Watkins was educated at Manchester Grammar School and University College London.
Martin Edwards
asked Watkins to became a director of Manchester United Football Club in May 1984 on the same day as Bobby Charlton
. In 1991, when Martin Edwards floated Manchester United on the stock exchange, Watkins joined the PLC Board as a non-executive director. Edwards and Watkins were the only two directors who served both on the Football Board and the PLC Board. At the AGM
in 2005 Malcolm Glazer
opposed Watkins' re-election to the PLC board along with two other directors Philip Yea
a fellow non-executive director and Andy Anson. After Malcolm Glazer had completed his takeover of Manchester United he de-listed it from the stock exchanged and made it a private company once again. Watkins remains on the club's football board and is the club's lawyer.
Watkins has overseen numerous high profile football transfers both at home in the United Kingdom
and abroad. He has also represented clubs and players before FIFA
, UEFA
, the FA
, the Premier League and the Football League
disciplinary bodies. Also he has represented players and clubs at the Court of Arbitration for Sport
and international and league compensation tribunals. He has worked with the South Africa
and Nigerian Premier leagues in respect of broadcasting and regulatory matters as well as the Egyptian Sports Council and UAE footballing authorities.
Watkins regularly speaks on football and sports law issues within the United Kingdom and internationally. He has represented both the Football Association
and the Premier League at conferences in Egypt
, France
, Qatar
, Spain
, United Arab Emirates
, Trinidad and Tobago
and Japan
.
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
's football board. He is also the club's solicitor. He is also Joint Senior Partner of Brabners Chaffe Street LLP Solicitors in Manchester.
Watkins was educated at Manchester Grammar School and University College London.
Martin Edwards
Martin Edwards
Charles Martin Edwards was the chairman of Manchester United from 1980 until 2002. He now holds the position of honorary life president at the club.- Education :...
asked Watkins to became a director of Manchester United Football Club in May 1984 on the same day as Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
. In 1991, when Martin Edwards floated Manchester United on the stock exchange, Watkins joined the PLC Board as a non-executive director. Edwards and Watkins were the only two directors who served both on the Football Board and the PLC Board. At the AGM
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
in 2005 Malcolm Glazer
Malcolm Glazer
Malcolm Irving Glazer is an American businessman and sports team owner. He is the president and chief executive officer of First Allied Corporation, a holding company for his varied business interests, most notably in the food processing industry...
opposed Watkins' re-election to the PLC board along with two other directors Philip Yea
Philip Yea
Philip Yea a British businessman and private equity investor who currently serves as Chairman of the British Heart Foundation. Prior to this, he was Chief Executive of 3i Group plc, from 2005 to January 2009. Yea is a non-Executive Director of Vodafone Group plc and Senior Business Adviser to the...
a fellow non-executive director and Andy Anson. After Malcolm Glazer had completed his takeover of Manchester United he de-listed it from the stock exchanged and made it a private company once again. Watkins remains on the club's football board and is the club's lawyer.
Watkins has overseen numerous high profile football transfers both at home in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and abroad. He has also represented clubs and players before FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
, the FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
, the Premier League and the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
disciplinary bodies. Also he has represented players and clubs at the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
and international and league compensation tribunals. He has worked with the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Nigerian Premier leagues in respect of broadcasting and regulatory matters as well as the Egyptian Sports Council and UAE footballing authorities.
Watkins regularly speaks on football and sports law issues within the United Kingdom and internationally. He has represented both the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
and the Premier League at conferences in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Positions
- Director of Manchester United Football Club Limited
- Director of the British Association for Sport and Law (Former President & Chairman)
- Member of the FA Premier League Legal Advisory Group
- FA Premier League representative on the Association of European Union Premier Professional Leagues (EPFL)
- Member of Working Group for Financial Matters of the FIFAFIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
Task Force "For the Good of the Game" - Non-Executive Director for the Rugby Football League
- Regional Chairman for Coutts Bank
- Trustee of the Professional Footballers Pension Scheme
- Chairman of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Charity
- Chair of Governors at The Manchester Grammar School
- Chairman of The Greyhound Board of Great Britain