Juan Ponce de Leon, who named the peninsula La Florida in 1513, was most likely the first European to encounter the area, already home to Native American groups including the Timucua and the Ais.
The plea from the sport's most powerful figure comes just two days after Britain's ruling Labour party proposed new laws stipulating that supporters' groups must own over 25 per cent of their club and have the option to buy it should they encounter financial difficulties.