Football has a “hidden resistance” to hiring black managers according to Professional Footballers' Association boss Gordon Taylor.

PFA chief executive, Gordon Taylor, stated the Football League failed to fulfill a “promise” to discuss the 'Rooney Rule', with the intention of introducing it in the United Kingdom.

The rule has helped increase the number of black coaches in America's National Football League.

Mr Taylor believes more need to be done to integrate black and ethnic minorities into the beautiful game.

"You see so many black players on the pitch, yet we have two black managers out of 92", he said.

Mr Taylor continued: “There is a hidden resistance preventing black managers getting jobs. We approached the Football League in the first place.

"Greg Clarke, the chairman of the Football League, promised to bring the 'Rooney Rule' up at their annual general meeting and for one reason or another - the issue was not even raised.

"The whole recruitment process needs to be more professional, more diverse and equality-wise, fairer. We've struggled to do that."
                 
                             

There was five black managers in English professional football last season.

They were Chris Hughton, Chris Powell, Paul Ince, Chris Kiwomya and Edgar Davids - however Powell is the only one currently in managing in the Football League.

Currently Chris Powell at Huddersfield and Carlisle's Keith Curle are the only black managers currently employed within the 92 clubs in the Premier League and Football League.

Former Reading, West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers striker Jason Roberts said the lack of black managers in football was "shocking".

Roberts, who is a pundit for the British Broadcast Corporation, added: "At the moment things are getting worse, last season we had three or four black managers in the game - we went into this season with none.

"It has been about 30 years since black players were involved in the game en masse and I think we are now at the point where we have to go to the government and go open and public on this."

Roberts responded to Gordon Taylor's comments by claiming there had been a "lack of leadership" from governing bodies to tackle the issue.

Huddersfield manager Chris Powell is one of two black managers in the Football League this season.

Below is an explanation of the 'Rooney Rule':

"The Rooney Rule was established in 2003 and named after Dan Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the chairman of the NFL's diversity committee. It requires NFL teams to interview at least one black or ethnic minority candidate for head coaching and senior football operation opportunities that become available, as part of a transparent and open recruitment process."

According to PFA's statistics, 18% of players on their coaching courses are black or from other ethnic minorities. There are 192 UEFA Pro Licence owners in England and 14 of those are black coaches.