Reading legend Jobi McAnuff has said that his opinon of the Football Association has changed since he was inducted onto the board.

Playing almost 200 times for the Royals in a distinguished career, the pundit and former coach was elected as an independent non-executive director on the FA Board in recent months.

Conducting an interview for Black History Month, the former Cardiff City and West Ham United winger, he admitted that the FA has a somewhat negative reputation among footballers, but he hopes to change that.

"My experience of the organisation previously was from my involvement in the professional game and to be honest, at times the FA had a bit of a negative reputation among footballers," he started.

"But it’s amazing to see what the FA actually covers across the whole of football and, having been there myself, I’m sure a lot of current players still don’t appreciate the different aspects and areas of the game in this country that the FA works in.

"I think it’s important to have those conversations and really get across the important work that is being done to support football as a whole in England. That could be getting kids out and playing football, both boys and girls, and in so many different areas such as disability or the work at grassroots level such as helping to provide better pitches across the country.

"It’s an opportunity for me which is incredibly exciting and it’s a great time to come in with the leadership we have at the FA and people who want to take things forward across the board to bring the FA into line with other organisations in the current climate."