Football Association chairman Greg Clarke has tonight resigned after being slammed for a series of inappropriate comments including describing players as "coloured".

The FA boss made the remarks in front of MPs on a day which was supposed to focus on football's approach to the game's financial crisis.

Clarke's comments, though, dominated the agenda as he first apologised for his comments and then later announced he was stepping down.

The move came after an emergency meeting of the FA board, 63-year-old Clarke leaving the post immediately.

Speaking to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, Clarke caused deep controversy with his remarks about minority ethnic players in an answer to Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones, who had asked about the absence of prominent gay footballers within the game.

Clarke said: “If I look at what happens to high-profile female footballers, high-profile coloured footballers and the abuse they take on social media … they take absolutely terrible abuse.

“Why would you voluntarily sign up for that kind of abuse. As soon as you put your hand up the dark corners of social media come for you.”

Clarke was asked to retract his remarks by committee member Kevin Brennan and said: “If I said it I deeply apologise for it.”

An FA spokesperson later added: “Greg Clarke is deeply apologetic for the language he used to reference members of the ethnic minority community during the select committee hearing today.

“He acknowledged that using the term ‘coloured’ is not appropriate and wholeheartedly apologised during the hearing.”

Clarke made other questionable remarks in the hearing, suggesting that "different career interests” led South Asian people to choose careers in IT over sport.

He also claimed a coach had told him that the lack of women’s goalkeepers in the game was due to girls not liking the ball being kicked at them.

Clarke also appeared to suggest that being gay was a "life choice" as he discussed the lack of openly gay professional footballers.

Anti-discrimination body Kick It Out called Clarke's remarks "staggering" and "unacceptable".

Sanjay Bhandari, Executive Chair at Kick It Out, said: "I was extremely disappointed to see Greg Clarke's comments today in the DCMS Select Committee.

"His use of outdated language to describe Black and Asian people as 'coloured' is from decades ago and should remain consigned to the dustbin of history.

"Being gay is not a 'life choice' as he claimed too. The casual sexism of saying 'girls' do not like balls hit at them hard, is staggering from anyone, let alone the leader of our national game. It is completely unacceptable."

In his resignation statement, Clarke admitted his comments were "unacceptable" and "a disservice to our game and to those who watch, play, referee and administer it.

“This has crystallised my resolve to move on. I am deeply saddened that I have offended those diverse communities in football that I and others worked so hard to include. I would like to thank my friends and colleagues in the game for the wisdom and counsel they have shared over the years and resign from the FA with immediate effect.”

The FA said in a statement: “Peter McCormick will step into the role as interim FA chairman with immediate effect and the FA Board will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new chair in due course.”

Earlier, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters and EFL chairman Rick Parry faced MPs.

Masters said he is “confident” of reaching an emergency financial agreement with the EFL, as MPs quizzed him on the ongoing lack of a top-flight bail-out agreement with EFL clubs who are facing financial ruin because of Covid-19.

Both he and Parry said talks were continuing, after the EFL rejected a £50m offer last month because it offered no help to Championship clubs.

Masters said help for the Championship was now part of discussions and added: “We believe we are stepping up and helping the pyramid of football; we have yet to reach an agreement but I am confident we can do that.”

Julian Knight MP described the failure to reach an agreement as a “farce”, warning that 10 EFL clubs were unlikely to make payroll this month without a bailout.

Masters said the Premier League’s offers so far had been “appropriate” but there could not be a “blank cheque”.

Responding to further questions, he added: “I don’t think our proposals are pitiful. We can make money available now to clubs that need it and we can work with the EFL to ensure that funds were going to the right places to ensure clubs don’t suffer distress or get to the point of administration.

“We are huge supporters of the pyramid and understand its importance.”

Parry insisted the EFL’s dialogue with the Premier League remained “constructive” after initial talks broke down over the top flight’s unwillingness to offer help to Championship clubs.

Parry said: “The Premier League has now said that it would be prepared to consider the Championship, so I think we can move forward on that basis.”

When asked if he expected an deal to be struck this month, Parry said: “We sincerely hope so, yes.”

Masters defended more than £1bn of transfer spending by top-flight clubs in the summer window, claiming it was required to keep the league successful.