The English Football Association has been told to "get back to governing the game" or risk more corruption scandals. A specially commissioned report released yesterday criticised the FA for not being tough enough on such matters as bung allegations, inflated ticket prices and club owners who go into football for personal financial gain.

The first test of the FA's reaction will come next week when it announces whether it will punish those criticised in the Premiership bung inquiry report and, if so, how severely. Its chief executive, Graham Kelly, said yesterday: "We will name names if there is sufficient evidence against anyone."

Sir John Smith, author of the commissioned report and a former deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, was asked by the FA to compile his report, Football - Its Values, Finances and Reputation, after the release of the bung report last year. He is particularly critical of the FA for not having its own investigatory arm to look into wrongdoing speedily.

"The FA has never thought it necessary to be pro-active," he said, "and I am extremely surprised it has come this far without the structure to deal quickly and effectively with problems. Those who hold the power in football should make every effort either to prevent or prosecute and punish miscreants, especially when corruption seems to have occurred."

Although the FA executive committee must rule on the report, Kelly agreed that changes needed to be made. "The FA has always said we are not a police force. There has to be some form of policing. There has been a gradual awareness that we cannot rely on old rules."

Another of the report's recommendations is a code of conduct, to which all in the game would sign up.

The report expresses particular concern at the mismanagement of certain clubs. "It has brought some to the edge of extinction and destroyed others," says Sir John.