One of England's leading football agents has urged the Football Association to "police" his profession effectively and "flush out" any corruption.

The industry has come under the spotlight again following reports BBC Panorama investigators duped agents and other top officials into discussing the payment of illegal bungs.

Phil Smith, chief operating officer of the First Artist agency, insists the Football Association are not clamping down hard enough to reduce the chances of impropriety.

Smith told BBC Five Live's Sportsweek: "It is a perennial problem in our industry and it just needs to be flushed out. Ever since I have been in the industry the spectre of it has loomed over everyone's head.

"We want to get it dealt with. We put together an agents' association to try and work with the clubs, not just here but worldwide, and try to make sure these possibilities are minimised.

"As well as we get on with the FA, the FA has never policed the agency situation to any satisfaction for as long as they have had it under their jurisdiction and it really does have to be dealt with."

Smith said he had also sought to work more closely with the Professional Footballers' Association before the PFA launched their own player management agency two years ago.

The PFA service effectively fulfils the role of an agent and Smith admitted: "We wanted the PFA to help deal with it and be an independent body but unfortunately they decided they want to compete with us in being agents."