“Many things have made me proud to serve FFA over the past few years,” he said. “The first is that I was able to follow my father, Sir Frank Lowy, who together with his board, led the resurrection of the game only 15 years ago.

“We have been together in all things football since I was a little boy.

“I knew that when I was asked to put my name forward for the board that my surname would be an issue.”

He admitted the board had fallen short in some areas.

“The board and I didn’t achieve everything we might have hoped to over the past three years,” he said.

“We would have liked to have moved more swiftly on issues like a new operating model and expansion of the A-League and addressing the urgent need to provide more resources and match experience for our junior national teams, both male and female.

“We would also have liked to have made more progress on better connecting the grassroots with the professional game.

“There were other issues too, but on balance I’m proud of the progress made over our term.”

He praised the work of his executive team and added: “The territory they must cover is vast, domestically and internationally. 

“No one is perfect but they do an amazing job with limited resources.”

And he wrapped up by saying he was especially proud of the way the Socceroos and Matildas had conducted themselves as ambassadors of the sport...and of the fans too.

”They have never let us down,” he said.

“And our nation should be proud of the way our fans represent Australia abroad, something that was remarked upon to me at the World Cup by the FIFA President. 

“Being in Russia and having the opportunity to spend time with the 8000 or so Australian fans who travelled huge distances in support of their team and country was extraordinary and on a personal level, a highlight of my time as Chairman.”