The Football Supporters Association (FSA) was pivotal in the recent Fans Led Review culminating in the announcement yesterday that there would be an Independent Regulator appointed by the Government, but this should only be the start and there is still a lot more to do yet !
The FSA has published it's response to the news that there would be an Independent Regulator appointed, whilst it welcomes the move, it is also mindful that football has a lot of issues that need to be tackled sooner rather than later and that although at the top of the pyramid it is all about multi billions with Billionaires across the World all trying to get a stake in a Premier League club, at the bottom there are clubs struggling to make end meet where every day that passes is a day nearer potentialy ceasing to exist.
Here is the Football Supporters Association's response in full.
"The Government has acknowledged that "the free market will not fix football” — the FSA urges it to move fast and implement the fan-led review recommendations now.
The introduction of an independent regulator is long overdue and we welcome the announcement that "IREF” should oversee financial regulation at all levels and establish a new, strengthened owners’ and directors’ test. We will look at further details very closely.
Fans have long argued that clubs are vital community assets with stadiums and heritages that deserve special protections — and the Government backs that position while acknowledging that supporter engagement by clubs "often falls far short of what fans rightfully expect”.
The announcement that "women’s football should be treated with parity and given its own dedicated review” is an important step, and one the FSA has long supported, as is the goal to give IREF a role in assessing football’s equality, diversity and inclusion action plans.
But time is of the essence — as the Government says there are "serious concerns around the fragility of football finances”. There’s no time to dwell on the ball.
Since the Government committed to a fan-led review of football governance in its 2019 manifesto we have seen: Macclesfield Town disappear, "Project Big Picture”, the European Super League, ownership controversy at many clubs, billionaire owners sabotage Premier League reform and existential crises at Coventry United, Derby County and Oldham Athletic, amongst others.
Each day drafting White Papers is another day when a club might cease to exist. Another day for a dodgy owner to get their hooks into a club. Another day for remote billionaires to try and create European Super League 2.0.
The FSA urges the Government to move fast and legislate now."
In my opinion the FSA are spot on, it is time that the Government stopped paying lip service to what is happening in football and got things done.
But it is not just about the authorities it is about the fans and that is why football supporters across the country need to back the FSA and show that there is a desire for change.
Everytime there is a crisis in football such as the European Super League issue, I read on message boards post after post of indignant football fans, but how many of them, indeed how many of you reading this are members of the FSA ?
If football is to survive and not just be about Super Leagues where the big clubs can not only rake it in in a domestic Premier League but also a European one, getting richer along the way and using the rest of us as cannon fodder it is important that we can be seen to be standing up and being counted.
The Fans Led Review started in 2019 and the FSA was pivotal in the work it did and showed that it was a major voice in representing fans, it is growing by the day, but it needs as many as possible to join so that it can truly represent as many fans as possible.
A few years ago sceptics were saying that the age of fans groups and representation were over and that it was now all about money, but that is not true as the FSA has shown, the fight has moved on from just being individual supporters groups and is now also about national unity with all clubs being involved.
The FSA is free to join and it is easy to do, just click on the link below: