Australian soccer was plunged further into crisis tonight with the resignation of top officials who complained the board of Soccer Australia (SA) was opposed to vital reforms.

SA chairman Ian Knop, director Graeme Bowker, chief executive Alan Vessey and president Nick Greiner handed in their notice after a board meeting.

Their departure casts doubt on whether the results of a government-sponsored review of the sport are likely to be accepted.

The review, likely to be completed by the middle of next year, is expected be critical of SA and recommend radical changes to the running of the code.

But the report may end up in a wastepaper basket with a bloc of at least four of the remaining SA board members against the inquiry.

A joint statement by Knop, Greiner and Bowker said they had resigned because Soccer Australia's new board was opposed to their push for reforms.

"In our view, reform is absolutely essential if soccer is ever to reach its true potential. Sadly, we do not believe the new board shares this view," they said.

They said the board's opposition to improving SA and the sport was reflected in members' opposition to the Crawford Enquiry into the sport, established by the Australian Sports Commission.

The issue of the inquiry was central to Knop's departure.

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