SAINTS say they are “wholly supportive” of the FA’s new Football Leadership Diversity Code objectives and have had “productive and encouraging discussions” with the governing body on the topic.

The FA today announced the code, implemented to increase BAME and female representation in the game.

Former Chelsea and Celtic defender Paul Elliott, head of the FA’s inclusion advisory board, believes the new code will boost diversity.

Clubs who sign up to the voluntary code will be required to meet a recruitment diversity target of 15 per cent in new executive jobs and 25 per cent in coaching roles.

Saints were the only Premier League club missing from the initial list of those signing up to the code.

They have however this year achieved the Premier League’s Advanced Equality Standard at the first time of asking.

The St Mary’s side explained their stance in a statement released to the Daily Echo.

The statement said: “In 2020 Southampton FC achieved the Premier League’s Advanced Equality Standard at the first time of asking, the only club to have achieved this to date.

“This achievement was the culmination of a five-year Equality and Diversity journey, which includes setting and monitoring recruitment targets amongst a number of other E&D initiatives forming our action plan.

“Southampton FC are wholly supportive of the Football Leadership Diversity code objectives. We are aware that the Premier League are revising their Equality Standard to bring the two closer together.

“At this time the club consider it most appropriate course of action to wait and understand how a revised Premier League Equality Standard and the Football Leadership Diversity Code will work together and complement each other before revising our recruitment targets and already established processes.

“We have had productive and encouraging discussions with Paul Elliott on this topic and will continue to work closely with him on this.”