John Barnwell has refuted suggestions that the League Managers' Association would benefit financially from Premier League games played abroad.

Barnwell, who stepped as chief executive of the LMA before Christmas, said he was approached by Australian company Global Football Events (GFE) two years ago.

He went on to bill the company for £4,000 for LMA time for the work spent on the project, and GFE then approached the Premier League about the plan which developed into the controversial '39th step' proposal.

Barnwell said: "They approached us and came to see us and I thought the concept had a bit of meat on it, so I said we could approach certain people in the Premier League and introduce them.

. "That was two years ago and since then they have asked me for advice on occasions and I invoiced them for LMA time, about £4,000."

. A report in the Daily Mail on Friday quoted emails from GFE suggesting that the managers' organisation was looking to sign a deal which would see them benefit financially from any overseas games.

But Barnwell insisted: "The LMA were not trying to cash in on anything, we provided some advice and billed them for it."