Supporters from Premier League, EFL and non-league clubs met with MPs in Parliament yesterday (Tuesday 8th September) to celebrate the community work carried out by football fans. The event was also attended by the sports minister Stephanie Peacock.

The FSA’s Beyond Matchdays: Celebrating Supporters In The Community heard from supporters who had organised foodbanks, supported mental health projects, run diversity projects and opened up 3G facilities to the whole community.

Football is more than just 90 minutes on matchdays – it is the beating heart of many towns and cities, and brings people together like almost nothing else can.

Beyond Matchdays: Celebrating Supporters In The Community was hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters (APPG) which backs the work of the FSA.

The event was attended by supporters organisations from all levels as well as fan-owned clubs such as Bury, Darlington, Dunstable, Newport County and Scarborough Athletic.

APPG chair Ian Lavery MP said: “As a former chairman of Ashington FC I know how vital all clubs are to their local communities and the good that they can do.”

“Today’s event showcased that principle at its very best with ‘rival’ supporters sharing stories and experiences that they can take back to their clubs to launch the next wave of new initiatives and campaigns,” added Ian.

MPs in attendance heard from supporters’ organisations carrying out this great work, including Tina Newall, chair of the Football Supporters’ Society of Bury, the stewards of community-owned club Bury FC.

Tina told MPs how supporters had rebuilt the club over the past five years from near extinction to multiple promotions in five seasons fuelled by 250 volunteers and 10 staff. 

Their 3G pitch is a year-round community asset while dozens of recreational grassroots and youth teams play under the club umbrella. Other initiatives tackle social isolation (Sporting Memories) and provide mental health support (Andy’s Man Club).

The club is also involved in creating education and employment opportunities while Baby Ballers introduces young children to sport and physical activity. Disability and walking football programmes also take place under the club umbrella as do football camps for kids during school holidays.

Tina: “We support people in schools, workplaces, and neighbourhoods. We change lives far beyond the pitch. This is what fan ownership looks like when it works. This is what community football looks like when people come first.”

Manchester City Fans Foodbank’s Nick Clarke told how their group started fighting food poverty in 2020 and gradually morphed into campaigning which led to the establishment of the newly-formed democratic body Citizens Trust.

Nick said: “I want to thank the FSA for the opportunity to talk to sitting members of the government about the breadth of efforts undertaken by Manchester City supporters over recent years.

“Whether it’s their vital contributions to the biggest foodbank in our city, or how they have used their voices to advocate for a better deal for supporters locally and nationally, culminating in last year’s stadium protests and the formation of the Citizens Trust.

“At a time when the social fabric of the country seems weaker than ever, I really appreciated the chance to highlight how football can be, and is, a positive vehicle for building community and securing better outcomes for all when we work together”

Fans for Diversity

The meeting also heard from Fans for Diversity’s Hannah Kumari who shared her experience on community projects which aim to open up football to new demographics who might have previously felt excluded. The campaign is a joint project between the FSA and Kick It Out.

Hannah said: “It was really powerful to be in a room full of people driving change, at both a political level and directly from the stands in their own communities. 

“Football at its best has the power to unite, uplift and inspire and it was humbling to hear from groups doing such incredible work up and down the country, including supporting foodbanks and promoting safety for women at football matches and beyond.”

Around the grounds

We heard from so many different supporters about great work carried out in their communities around the country and we’re always happy to promote that work for our members.

If you have a good example of community work by a supporters’ organisation which you’d like to tell the FSA about, please email: [email protected] 

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