Terry case allowed to fester - PFA boss

Players' chief Gordon Taylor believes the length of time taken for the Football Association to deal with the John Terry case has caused divisions which may never be healed.

Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, said the delay had caused the issue to "fester" within football. Chelsea captain Terry has been banned for four matches for using racist language towards QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in October last year.

Taylor said: "Almost 12 months on and the John Terry case was still not heard by the FA until the day after Luis Suarez shook hands with Patrice Evra at Anfield. Such a delay has allowed the matter to fester and cause divisions in the football family which will take a long time to heal - if they ever do."

He added: "We have to move on now and move on together and continue our focus to eradicate racism from the game and society.

"There should be new educational processes for all players - young and old, and for managers and directors.

"There should be equitable recruitment processes, and a fast-track disciplinary process that does not allow for delays or holding off at the request of the Crown Prosecution Service."

The FA had delayed their own disciplinary hearing until after the magistrates court case - where Terry was acquitted - at the request of the CPS.

Taylor's comments were echoed by Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.

He told the Daily Telegraph: "It is very difficult, but my concern is the length of time that this takes because we have been sitting here, unable to move on and unable to get clarity. We have to work out a way of doing these things earlier."