Football Supporters’ Association response to Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch’s claim that she’s “always said” she doesn’t back a “waste of money” football regulator…

The FSA said:

“It’s curious that Kemi Badenoch now opposes the regulator as we have seen correspondence she sent to a constituent a couple of years ago when she said ‘I support these reforms’. This is what’s known in football as an own goal, Kemi.

“We’d also remind her that the Football Governance Bill was a Conservative Party proposal, which featured in their last manifesto, and many of her colleagues did excellent work on the Bill. She’s throwing that on the scrap heap to gain favour with a few rich club owners.

“The Premier League is currently spending around £50m per season on legal fees fighting cases which could be handled by a regulator costing one-fifth of that, while protecting a lot more clubs. And football will cover the costs, this isn’t coming out of the public purse.

“She claims to have spoken to people in the ‘industry’ – we prefer to call it the game – but that doesn’t appear to include the EFL who represent 72 clubs and back the regulator. Can Kemi let everyone know exactly who she’s spoken to in football?

“She has certainly not spoken to the FSA or our supporter groups who are right behind this legislation which puts a block on domestic involvement in a European Super League, offers more protection to our clubs, and gives supporters a greater say in the game.”

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