Stewart Regan aims to rein in conflict as head of Scottish football

Stewart Regan has vowed to stamp out infighting after becoming the Scottish Football Association's chief executive. Regan, who leaves the same role at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, was earlier a director of the Football League. The Englishman is convinced that much of Scottish football's troubles stem from bickering. "What I suspect has happened here and the feeling I get is that there has been too much conflict between the ruling bodies in Scotland," Regan said. "As an outsider looking in I have seen lots of fallouts, lots of disagreements, challenges and criticisms of how things are done. There hasn't been enough focus on the common agenda." Regan is credited with implementing major change at Yorkshire, including the redevelopment of their Headingley home. Yet he also presided over the disastrous decision to host the second Test between Australia and Pakistan last week; dreadful attendances mean Yorkshire may suffer a shortfall of as much as £750,000 through that episode. "When I started at Yorkshire County Cricket Club it had a fantastic tradition of success, it had won seven championships in the 50s and 60s," Regan said. "But they'd won just one championship in 30 years when I took over. "Everyone talked about them as a great old club and said 'it wouldn't be like this in the good old days.' I couldn't dismiss the history but I had to look forward." The SFA has been steadfast in its refusal to be part of any British team at the 2012 Olympics. Regan, though, sees potential spin-offs for his new home from the Games. "I am not up to speed on the Olympic discussion and one of the first things I'll need to do is discuss that and get an understanding of it," he said. "Tourism is hugely important to the Scottish market and Scotland as a nation will benefit from the London Olympics. "In terms of the policies of how we respond to the London Olympics, and share players and so on and so forth, I think that for me is part of the bigger debate and one that I'll need to have with my colleagues when I start." George Peat, the SFA's president, aimed a mild parting shot at Regan's predecessor, Gordon Smith. Peat said: "Gordon had worked with media, he had been a professional footballer and everything else. But it didn't really work from the business point of view."