Government tells football to listen to supporters!

[silent majority]

http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/Government-tells-football-to-listen-to-supporters.php

Especially this bit...

A nod was also made in the direction of the Football Supporters’ Federation and other fans’ groups as the government welcomed the select committee’s attention on supporter involvement. DCMS would like to see football authorities encourage clubs to have open dialogue with supporters’ groups and trusts about how their club is run and for fans to be placed at the heart of the club.

[The Red Baron]

I have to say I have mixed feelings about this. The FA is certainly in need of reform- so is the governance of football as a whole. On the other hand, I don't believe it is a function of government to try to run sports, however big they might be.

Politicians of all parties have made such a wonderful job of running the country, haven't they?

There's also the question of how FIFA might react if the government does get heavy with the FA. They have a strict rule of no political interference in national associations. Several countries have been suspended from international football for a time- usually until the government backs down.

[not on facebook]

the fa i crossed paths with them out in drammen for the norway u21 v england u21 game monday nite just gone.

i was stood selling england scarfs,flags and norway scrafs,flags and hats and norway/engalnd
half/half scarfs.

was doing a ery brisk trade as there was only two of us working the game,crowd of 4,000.

then along walks 3gents all suited up with fa blazers and ties on.

one of them asked me what i was doing

'selling england and norway products'

fa 'but they are not offical products'

   ' i know they are not and i dont say they are either,cant see why your
putting a squeeze on me thou as there is no offical stands here from england or
norway'

fa 'thats not the point thou'

   'so what are you telling me that i cant sell my gear'

fa  'yes you cant sell anything'


   'well go and tell them police men over there then and i will stand
by what they say,bearing in mind thou that you the fa have no durestrition
to whatever i do at this game in norway'

fa then went their own way and by passed the police.

[silent majority]

RB,

The points you make are all correct of course. Government cannot be seen to be running sports for all kinds of reasons, non more important than Uefa and Fifa expelling the FA for allowing it to happen. But having said that the Government is the only vehicle that can tell them to get their act together or else. There have been numerous reports into football, i.e. Burns, Taylor report etc etc. but on all the key points the football authorities have failed to implement the recommendations. Notably they ignore the Government, after all a body like the PL and FL generate huge resources that allows them to do that.

Many years ago the football authorities were told to finance the modest requests of the FSF and SD, and here we are years later still having to go cap in hand very year. We can never budget for the long term for that very reason, we find it difficult to recruit good staff for exactly the same reason.

The article on Leeds UTD on the BBC this week all came about because of the DCMS select committee sticking its nose in and asking serious questions on ownership, and quite rightly so.

We (FSF) had been requesting an overhaul of the FA for some time, in fact our member on the council put forward a motion for Non-exec Directors last year and got minimal support. This year because of the DCMS report it was proposed again and received 95% in favour, again because the government stuck its nose in. My feelings are that it didn't go far enough in its recommendations but it has had an immediate effect and long may that continue.

[The Red Baron]

I suppose if the implied threats of government action force the football authorities to take some action then it will be a good thing. For me, one of the biggest problems that the FA has is that it has surrendered an awful lot of actual power to bodies like the Premier League. It may be difficult to reclaim that power, even if the FA's leadership actually wanted to do so.

[silent majority]

I suppose if the implied threats of government action force the football authorities to take some action then it will be a good thing. For me, one of the biggest problems that the FA has is that it has surrendered an awful lot of actual power to bodies like the Premier League. It may be difficult to reclaim that power, even if the FA's leadership actually wanted to do so.

Your right again. But that has been recognised and why the government has suggested a licensing system that the FA controls, then the PL and Fl must comply else face eviction.

If you fancy reading the whole document here's the link;

http://t.co/WtSrtKkC

[graingrover]

Could such important subjects be dealt with as a sticky.

[silent majority]

Maybe we should Brian. Here's another paragraph from the same report that I like!

Furthermore, the Government urges the football authorities to consider ways to
actively encourage and incentivise methods of including supporter
representatives on the Boards of clubs. We see the value in the views of many
supporters that such representatives should have a full role within the club
Board. At the same time, we acknowledge that this may not be the right
solution for all clubs or all supporters. Where there are ways of achieving this
role in an advisory capacity that do not attract fiduciary responsibilities that
could create conflicts of interest, then we urge the football authorities to also
consider this route. Whatever the way that representation is achieved, we
believe that there is every reason to think that clubs are stronger because they
have supporters at the heart of the club, not weaker.