IAN Maxwell, one of the favourites to replace Stewart Regan as chief executive of Scottish football's governing body has stepped down from the board.

Neil Doncaster, the chief executive of the Scottish Professional Football League replaces him, said the SFA today (Tuesday).

Records show that Mr Maxwell's directorship on the board was terminated last Wednesday.  

At today’s Professional Game Board meeting, it was confirmed that Mr Maxwell had stepped down with immediate effect and that Mr Doncaster was elected unopposed.

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Neil Doncaster, said: “I am very grateful for the support of the Scottish FA Board and look forward to Scotland’s two main footballing bodies working together more closely than ever before for the good of the entire game.”

Mr Maxwell, the Partick Thistle managing director had been seen as having influential support to replace Mr Regan.

Mr Regan, who was replaced on an interim basis by Andrew McKinlay, left the SFA while the Scotland manager's position was vacant and Alex McLeish was appointed as Gordon Strachan's replacement as national team manager. 

Doncaster, who becomes one of the eight SFA board members, became Scottish Premier League chief executive in 2009 and took on the same role with the SPFL after the latter body replaced the SPL and Scottish Football League organisations in 2013.

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Alan McRae, Scottish FA president said: “I would like to thank Ian Maxwell for his valuable contributions to the work of our board, in particular, the part played by him during the recruitment of our national team manager.

“I am pleased to welcome Neil Doncaster onto our Board to replace Ian. Neil’s experience in the game should be of great benefit to the Scottish FA and I look forward to working with him and the other directors to drive the game in this country forward.”