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Labour proposes greater ownership powers for football fans

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Posted

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Grant concerned by cost of football

But Shadow Sports Minister Clive Efford MP said Labour's plans are the only way to ensure supporters have a say in how their club is run.

"Only this week, the BBC's Price of Football survey showed how average prices have risen at almost twice the rate of the cost of living since 2011," he said.

"Too often fans are treated like an after-thought as ticket prices are hiked-up, grounds relocated and clubs burdened with debt or the threat of bankruptcy. We have reached a tipping point."

Labour say they have received expert legal advice confirming that the reforms are compatible with EU law.

Trusts would need to become 'Industrial and Provident Societies' and would be required to meet certain governance standards.

Grant, Conservative MP for Maidstone and Weald, responded to Labour's proposals by repeating the Government's commitment to helping supporters have "better engagement" with their clubs.

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AFC Wimbledon are fully owned by their supporters

She said the expert working group would start work "imminently" and include representatives from across football.

Eight of the 92 clubs currently have trusts that own more than 10%, while League Two's Exeter City, Portsmouth, Wimbledon and Wycombe Wanderers are wholly owned by their fans.

Supporters Direct,  the organisation which advises fans on how to set up trusts, welcomed the proposals, particularly the right to appoint directors.

"There has always been a resistance to measures that would actually increase the role of fans [but] we have seen the success of clubs where ownership has been shared willingly and openly with supporters' trusts," it said.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) had to give up its stake when the Old Trafford club was purchased by the Glazer family in 2005. They cautiously welcomed the proposals.

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Football League chief executive Harvey warned potential investors could be put off

"Football supporters have been promised a lot by successive governments but, in reality, have seen nothing of significance change," said MUST.

"We hope today is the start of each party laying out its clear vision for football beyond 2015 and how it will protect the rights of supporters."

However, Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey was wary, pointing out that most club owners are fans, too.

"We have to be careful not to create barriers that act as a disincentive to the next generation of owners and directors, as the game will suffer as a consequence," he said.

The Premier League sounded a more neutral note, welcoming "the invitation to discuss" Labour's ideas, while pointing out its own measures to tackle club debt, bring in supporter liaison officers and its financial backing for the Football Supporters' Federation and Supporters Direct.

Posted

Completely unworkable, totally impossible and quite a desperate attempt to get a few votes.

Posted

There's a lot of "could" and "maybe" in there - bottom line is each club is a business and there would be so many loopholes that this couldn't be enforced. It'll still buy them a few votes but I'm not having it. Conservatives to come out and promise safe standing to pass...

Posted

Will this be imposed on other sports clubs, rugby,cricket, ladies hockey teams? It's pathetic how politicians, of all parties, want to interfere in football just to pretend they're in touch with the masses.

Keep politicians out of sport.

Posted

Governments should have no say about football legislation, FIFA, and uefa control football laws.

Politicians have no clue what the average person cares about, and they wonder why people see them as out of touch, milliband you gormless twat, win votes by addressing things that affect our day to day life, not our pass times.

Rant over lol

Posted

Be interested to see who the "supporters" are who wholly own some of the clubs, considering this idea kind of works at lower league levels.

 

But a cheap tactic to get votes doesnt give any proposal credibility

Posted

At the end of the day, like someone already has said, this is a business for our owners and what they say goes. They dont want a bunch of fans telling them what they can and cant do, they will run it how they see fit. Luckily we have very respectable owners so i dont see it a problem

On the other hand, I can see areas like Hull voting labour just because of this because i am sure they would enjoy more power over their club!

Posted

Makes you laugh really a bunch of clueless tw@'s trying to tell people how to run a business and they fvcked up the country.

 

 

Also they want the clubs to listen to fans lol lol

 

When did any government listen to the people lol lol NEVER

Posted

lol

 

People have to face upto the very unfortunate fact that we are customers now, we all sold our souls years ago, fans are so desperate for success they'll take anyone running their club from Russian tyrants to Thai criminals if they promise to plough a bit of cash in. The fans take as much blame for me as the owners and the people who run the game in England.

 

No chance does it happen, If we don't like the price of milk at Tesco the government can't force them to put a couple of shoppers on the board.

Posted

I do think there should be laws in place to stop owners using clubs improperly. The club might be officially owned by a select few but I think most people would agree that it's really the possession of the local community and so there should be some form of protection for it.

Posted

The only way that I can see to wrestle back any control from the owners is to seperate somehow seperate "Club" - being the name, player registrations etc, from the company.  This would be a huge shift, and mean company owners would be effectivley license holders of a franchise.  Not sure that is any better to be honest.  You would need a closely worded geographical clause to avoid the NFL type team moves.

Posted

It's surely far too late to implement that?

 

Yep, you would struggle to find a more obvious case of 'Horse, Stable, Bolted' if you tried.

Guest Kopfkino
Posted

One or two fans on the board still wouldn't represent supporters of that club, in fact I'd say they'd follow paths of self interest which wouldn't make a difference to most fans. The worry is somebody like Cliff Ginetta could end up on our board

Posted

One or two fans on the board still wouldn't represent supporters of that club, in fact I'd say they'd follow paths of self interest which wouldn't make a difference to most fans. The worry is somebody like Cliff Ginetta could end up on our board

 

Absolutely, things like this could have very dangerous consequences. Would you really want people like this representing us on the board involved in decision making?

 

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-City-manager-Nigel-Pearson-owes-fans/story-16438786-detail/story.html

 

 

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has to make amends for the sale of fans' favourite Sol Bamba.

Cliff Ginnetta, the chairman of the Official Supporters' Club, said Bamba had been a popular figure amongst City fans.

His departure to Turkish club Trabzonspor in a £750,000 deal has disappointed many supporters, with Ginnetta saying one fan likened the sale to the departure of the legendary Frank Worthington in 1977.

Bamba has signed a five-year contract with the Turkish side worth five million Euros.

Ginnetta said Pearson needed to find an impressive replacement for Bamba.

"A lot of fans are disappointed Sol has been sold and they have to make up for that," said Ginnetta.

"It is a big decision by the manager to let a player as popular as that go because we need that bit of spark, that bit of excitement.

"He has been a very popular player since he has been here. He scored in the first minute of his debut and he was the one player we who got you out of your seat.

"When he storms forward it was a bit like Steve Walsh, getting the ball and running at people.

"Sometimes he looks a bit awkward and made a few mistakes but he is an exciting player.

"A lot of fans have said they are disappointed he has gone because he was that sort of player.

"One person said to me it was his biggest disappointment since Frank Worthington left. He excites people and that is what we need, what we want and what we didn't really get. That is why Neil Danns made an impact as he looks up for it and puts everything into it.

"Not all of them have done that and the fans love to see total effort. Sol gave us that and he played wherever he was asked and did his bit. The younger ones will miss him because he was very popular."

Ginnetta said Pearson had the backing of the fans and the supporters were excited about the new season ahead but said they were waiting to see what players he brings in ahead of a vitally important campaign.

"I think the fans are just waiting to see what players the manager brings in and how the team will shape up," said Ginnetta.

"I think there will be a few coming in. So far, we have the two lads from Manchester United (Ritchie De Laet and Matty James) and a non-league striker (Jamie Vardy). With all due respect, that won't strike fear into other teams I wouldn't expect.

"It has to be promotion this season. Anything less and the pressure will be on them. Promotion is what we are all looking for and we are expecting them to challenge more than they have in the past.

"The fans are all expecting great things, as you can see from the season ticket sales.

"I think the fans are a little bit more guarded with their expectations than last summer. They aren't getting carried away like last year.

"But it all depends who we bring in. We just want to see Nigel get them going.

"It promises a lot and he has to deliver."

Read more at http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-City-manager-Nigel-Pearson-owes-fans/story-16438786-detail/story.html#d6jBWy297gELOTP5.99

Posted

One or two fans on the board still wouldn't represent supporters of that club, in fact I'd say they'd follow paths of self interest which wouldn't make a difference to most fans. The worry is somebody like Cliff Ginetta could end up on our board

 

That's a good point. Can see the board attempting to cherry pick the ones that fit their aims quite easily.

Posted

Absolutely, things like this could have very dangerous consequences. Would you really want people like this representing us on the board involved in decision making?

 

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-City-manager-Nigel-Pearson-owes-fans/story-16438786-detail/story.html

 

 

The quote on James and Vardy is fantastic (with hindsight obviously).  He's an absolute joker and I cringe when he gets newspaper time as "the voice of city fans".

Posted

The Vardy quote is even better now he terrorised Manchester United in front of the World.

Posted

Yep, you would struggle to find a more obvious case of 'Horse, Stable, Bolted' if you tried.

 

In hindsight I'm not saying it's a bad idea but whilst I'm not an expert on club ownership, surely you can't just take it away from someone like that?

The quote on James and Vardy is fantastic (with hindsight obviously).  He's an absolute joker and I cringe when he gets newspaper time as "the voice of city fans".

 

Sean From Enderby is the voice of the fans, obviously.

 

 

The Vardy quote is even better now he terrorised Manchester United in front of the World.

 

That article just gets funnier and funnier as time goes on. I said at the time it was ridiculous and now I just think it's on its own level of laughable. Embarrassing.

Posted

One or two fans on the board still wouldn't represent supporters of that club, in fact I'd say they'd follow paths of self interest which wouldn't make a difference to most fans. The worry is somebody like Cliff Ginetta could end up on our board

 

Bang on.

 

Why does the article say that "Supporters would not be able to block takeovers or change corporate strategy". Seems absolutely pointless if that is true.

 

Surely if they own 10% of the club they have 10% of a vote in any corporate decisions?

Posted

Well, f--k my old boots! Doesn't this just illustrate what a bunch of moronic manure, the Labour party is. Desperation at every level, and now want to interfere with football.  :frusty:  :frusty:  :facepalm:   

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