THE FA are set to consult across the game as part of the structural review ordered amid the fall-out of Sven-Goran Eriksson's affair with Faria Alam.

The FA's board, including Saints chairman Rupert Lowe, were holding a full day's meeting at Soho Square today to discuss the changes which are needed to the governing body.

These could involve greater decision-making powers being given to the professional side of the game on matters such as the England team and the FA Cup, as well as commercial issues.

At their emergency meeting last week, the FA's board ruled Eriksson had "no case to answer" regarding his conduct in the FA's initial denial and subsequent admission of his affair.

However, the board concluded that "deficiencies surrounding management procedures have been exposed and the board is collectively resolved to see these corrected".

Today's agenda is dominated by the need to involve all 'stakeholders', including the Premier League, Football League, Conference, Professional Footballers' Association and League Managers' Association.

No firm conclusions are expected to be drawng, although reports have already indicated the way in which some board members are thinking.

Some are said to be in favour of the six professional game delegates - four from the Premier League, including Lowe, and two from the Football League - being given more autonomy in decision-making on 'professional' issues.

Under that potential scenario, the other six delegates, from the 'national' game, would have control of amateur football - albeit with a continuation of their equal share of all FA revenues.

Lowe is certainly in favour of the FA's sphere of influence being more closely defined in future.

He said: "The key issue here is to get the structure of the FA right.

"The FA really is the game's governing body and that's what it should be, in charge of rules and and regulations, and the grassroots.

"If at all possible, it should avoid getting too involved in too many other areas.'"

The board will discuss their next step regarding the search for a new chief executive following the resignation of Mark Palios.

These talks will involve the likely timescale and the selection process, with Palios' appointment having taken several months to finalise following the departure of Adam Crozier.