Gordon Taylor has bowed to the most intense criticism and pressure during his 37 years as the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association by agreeing to “a full and open review into the structure and operation” of the players’ union by an independent QC.

The decision followed the call by the PFA chairman, Ben Purkiss, for an independent review, and a subsequent outpouring of dissatisfaction from former and current players at the running of the union under Taylor, who was paid £2.29m last year.

Announcing the review in a statement, alongside an open letter from Taylor defending his work, the PFA acknowledged “the criticisms levelled at the leadership” and said: “While we would always defend our record in supporting professional footballers – including on mental health, diversity and player welfare – we accept there are areas we can improve.

“We owe it to our members and to football to hold ourselves to the highest possible standards. We believe we do. However, criticism must not be swept under the carpet.”

The statement said its board of trustees and management committee would “finalise the parameters and timeline of the review”.

Some of the former players leading the calls for PFA reform are understood to have greeted the news with only a guarded welcome, concerned about how the QC would be appointed, what safeguards could be in place to guarantee independence and what the “parameters and timeline” of the review would be. Some players were said to be sceptical, that a review would be limited to whether correct procedures have been followed according to the PFA’s rules, rather than addressing the central criticism that the union is not doing enough for the many footballers from different generations suffering a range of traumatic problems.

The PFA had initially responded to Purkiss’s call for an independent review with a statement that it had legal advice arguing that Purkiss is ineligible to be the chairman, because he is a non-contract player with Walsall. Purkiss is understood to have then sought his own legal advice, which concluded he is eligible. He has refused to step down and remains on the management committee. He will therefore, in theory, have a role in being able to set the parameters and independence of the review.

Taylor’s open letter to the PFA membership reproduced the wording of the PFA’s statement, adding a defence of his record as the chief executive.

“I have dedicated the last 40 years of my life to professional football,” his letter stated. “I am extremely proud of the work we do, supporting our members, whether that’s through training and coaching programmes, or promoting diversity and equality in the sport.”

The letter included summaries of welfare work the PFA does for professional footballers, which is almost wholly funded by a contribution from the Premier League’s TV deals, currently £25m per year. The areas included a 24-hour counselling helpline and residential support at the Sporting Chance clinic, including for survivors of abuse; grants via the PFA charity for members in financial difficulties; education grants; equality and diversity training; joint research with the Football Association into a possible link between heading and dementia; and the PFA’s pension scheme.

Since Purkiss, who has been the chairman for a year, called for a review, many former footballers including Robbie Savage, Chris Sutton and Danny Murphy have argued that this work is insufficient. Up to 500 former players from the Premier League era are said to be in severe financial difficulties following disastrous investments based on advice, including in film schemes, and feel the PFA has never done enough to protect or help them from what Murphy called “financial abuse”. More than 300 players and former players are understood to have endorsed the sending of an open letter calling on Taylor to step down, for an independent review and a democratic election of a new chief executive.