Jonathan Ford: Chief executive to leave Football Association of Wales

Jonathan Ford has been FAW chief executive since 2009

Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief executive Jonathan Ford is to stand down at the end of March.

Ford was the subject of a vote of no confidence passed by the FAW council on Monday, 22 February.

BBC Sport Wales was told last month he was on gardening leave.

"The Football Association of Wales can confirm that Jonathan Ford will step down from his position as chief executive of the association on 31 March, 2021," an FAW statement said.

"Since Mr Ford's appointment in 2009, the FAW's profile in European and world football has greatly increased and there have been significant improvements in world-class facilities including the national training and development centres at Dragon Park, Newport and Colliers Park, Wrexham and the new national elite centre and FAW headquarters at Hensol, near Cardiff.

"During his tenure, Wales has hosted several prestigious events such as the Uefa Women's Under-19 European Championships in 2013, the Uefa Super Cup final in 2014 and the women's and men's Champions League finals in 2017.

"The men's national team reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and secured back-to-back Euro qualification for the first time ever and were promoted to the top division of the Uefa Nations League in 2020 as group winners.

"The FAW would like to place on record its gratitude to Mr Ford for his efforts over the past 11 years and wish him all the best for future endeavours. The FAW will not be making any further comment at this current time."

Ford said he was "extremely proud of the work and the achievements of the past decade."

"I leave with the FAW's corporate profile significantly improved and the organisation's financial performance considerably enhanced," Ford wrote in a post on his professional networking page.

"Off the field the FAW has greatly modernised and underwent a major governance review in 2018 which has changed the operation of the FAW into a more dynamic, diverse and inclusive operation.

"But now is time for me to seek new adventures and pass the baton on to another."

Confirmation of Ford's departure comes 11 days after men's national team manager Ryan Giggs had his bail extended until 1 May after denying allegations of assault.

Giggs is due to lead Wales at the rescheduled European Championship this summer, while qualifying for the 2022 World Cup begins later this month.

It was mutually agreed with the FAW that the former Manchester United star should not be involved in Wales' games in November 2020, with assistant manager Robert Page taking temporary charge.

Wales' senior women's side are currently without a manager following the departure of Jayne Ludlow in January.

Ludlow has said she would "absolutely love" to return to the Wales set-up, but added that the FAW is behind schedule in implementing important changes in the women's game.

The statement confirming Ford's departure makes no reference to a possible replacement.

BBC Wales understands that in the short term, a combination of the FAW's heads of departments and its officers will take responsibility for the running of the association as well as key decisions.

A number of issues had been behind discontent with Ford, with the appointment of Angela van den Bogerd as head of people and the direction of the association among what one source described to BBC Wales as "multiple" matters of grievance.

Van den Bogerd is a former Post Office director, who was found by a judge to have "obfuscated" and "misled" a court.

Ford, who was appointed as FAW chief executive in 2009, has a marketing background and was widely credited with lifting the association's profile and increasing turnover.

He has also been a driving force in restructuring and modernising the FAW.