Doug Gillon on Wednesday: Quietly, un-noticed, an athletics revolution has occurred. Ian Stewart, the Scot who won Commonwealth 5000 metres gold in 1970, has become one of the most powerful figures in world track and field.

Quietly, un-noticed, an athletics revolution has occurred. Ian Stewart, the Scot who won Commonwealth 5000 metres gold in 1970, has become one of the most powerful figures in world track and field.

Meeting director of major events in Britain, he is leaving Fast Track, the company which promotes these, to head endurance performance with UK Athletics at the behest of the new UKA head coach, Charles van Commenee. But Stewart confirmed yesterday that he will be taking the meet director job with him when he moves in January.

That's how UKA chief executive Neils De Vos wants it. Stewart will answer to De Vos on events, and Van Commenee on performance.

"The most successful period for British athletics was when the same man did these two jobs," said Stewart - when the late Andy Norman did it. He controlled the teams, warm weather camps, meetings and events, and races in Europe.

Stewart has now been meet director for six years longer than Norman, but can hardly take credit for Britain's record 12-medal haul, four of them gold, at the European Cross-country Championships in Brussels on Sunday. It was his first appearance as endurance director, and only the start of a long haul to reclaim UK credibility, he warns.

"It was a great performances by the team, but we still have a huge distance to travel," he said yesterday. "Nobody should think we've won the war. The gulf between Europe and World level is huge.

"We have to change the work ethic - coaches as well, and it's for me to talk them into going in that way. That particulary applies to the men."

It's an unenviable job, and he will make enemies. "But there's no point me bitching and moaning about it. When the opportunity comes along, I think you have to get up off your ass, step up to the plate and do something about it.

"The women have a pretty good work ethic, from Paula Radcliffe and Kelly Holmes - they've been very inspirational. And in the background, a bit earlier, you have Liz McColgan as well. She has a massive work ethic. There's been a generation of it with the women, but the men haven't had that for some time.

"We have to get back to big groups of people running together - get rid of the less is more' philosophy. More is more, and more is better. We need big groups out, all over the country."

Stewart had just left a meeting with one of his endurance advisory group, former world 10k record-holder Dave Bedford. It also includes McColgan, Radcliffe, and former Olympic medal-winners Brendan Foster and Seb Coe.

"We may disagree on odd details, but we all agree on the philosophy. We need big groups training in Birmingham, Loughborough, Manchester, and a centre in Scotland which we'd support."

"Liz has to be a key player in this. I will be bringing her in a lot more than she is, assuming she is willing to do it. We need like-minded people on this."

Stewart began as he intends to go on, ordering the whole GB team on a 10-mile session on Monday, in Brussels after Sunday's success.

"The team were in bed by 10.30 or 11.0 with everyone out at 8am next morning. That was standing orders."

Stewart had already left, but would not shrink from joining them. "I'd certainly have started out with them, though if I'm running, there's something seriously wrong - and it's not that bloody wrong! It's also standing orders that all of them will run in all televised events."

This will end the practise of athletes doging one another.

He cites Mo Farah and Lisa Dobriskey as athletes who can win European indoor titles this winter and move close to podium places at the outdoor World event in Berlin next year, and European gold in 2010. "By the time we get to 2012, I want to see people in the finals at 800, 1500, 5000 and three people in the men's and women's finals at 10,000m. With a little bit of luck I think 98% of that's achievable."

Stewart's partner, former hurdler and world record-holder, Stephanie Hightower, is barely two weeks into the presidency of US Track and Field. Like Stewart, she doesn't suffer fools, and has already slashed their board from 26 to 11.

On Stewart's last visit there, an American pal told him: "You pair are going to end up owning track and field. Stewart replied: "We already do - you just didn't know it . . . hopefully it will be for the better."

• Though Ian Stewart appears to have marginalised Fast Track's athletics influence, their portfolio remains vast.

It includes the Lottery, Camelot, rugby with Heineken and Land Rover, Group Four, football with Lucozade Sport, National Express, and Texaco, plus British Basketball, and, as of yesterday, the British Triathlon Federation through to 2012.

Highlight events next year will include the Paralympic World Cup, UK School Games, and HSBC's sponsorship of the Lions tour and have an office in Abu Dhabi where their biggest client is Mubadallah, a sponsor of the Ferrari F1 team.

They are selling the TV rights for Delhi 2010, as they did for Melbourne 2006, and have already been advising Glasgow 2014.

They are part of the Chime communications and marketing group involved with