The Big Match: Blaydon takes on Blatter in racism row

Some UK MPs want FIFA president Sepp Blatter to resign

It's a rather unexpected and uneven match-up, a bit like Gateshead FC taking on Bayern Munich.

But nevertheless Blaydon MP Dave Anderson is determined to try and take down FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The Labour MP has tabled a Commons motion calling on Blatter to resign over his comments on racism.

Dave Anderson is a football fan, and a long-time supporter of the Show Racism the Red Card campaign.

Racist comments

He believes Sepp Blatter's position is untenable because the FIFA president said that racist comments on the pitch could be settled with a handshake at the end of the match.

Blatter has since apologised for the comments, but has said the last thing he intends to do is resign.

Dave Anderson though is convinced he has to quit.

He said: "It is deplorable that the man who leads world football can be so unaware of the huge responsibility he has and the damage his attitude could do.

"FIFA, rightly, has zero tolerance of racism and it cannot be led by someone who thinks that it is OK to brush it away with a handshake.

"He has to go and go now. I am confident that my motion will be very well supported by MPs and the public."

Growing support

And already MPs have been signing up. As I write 13 have signed it.

Quite a few of Dave Anderson's North East Labour colleagues, including Ian Lavery (Wansbeck). Grahame Morris (Easington), Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow), Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) and Pat Glass (North West Durham), are perhaps predictable supporters.

Labour MP Dave Anderson has tabled a Commons motion calling for Sepp Blatter to resign

But Filton and Bradley Stoke Conservative MP Jack Lopresti has also signed, along with the SDLP's Mark Durkan (Foyle).

Not everyone is so supportive though.

When I put out news of the motion on my twitter feed, quite a few followers wanted to congratulate Mr Anderson.

But others dismissed it as a waste of time, and asked whether the MP was short of things to do!

And it is hard to imagine Sepp Blatter is quaking at the prospect of facing down a handful of MPs - after all this is a man who has seen off plenty of formidable opponents in his long tenure at FIFA.

So far there has been no further comment from him.

But I don't suppose you can blame Dave Anderson for trying.

At the very least he's breathed a little more life into a story that was beginning to fade away.

For the moment though, my money's still on Bayern Munich, and not Gateshead.