At last weekend’s FSA AGM Malcolm Clarke stood down as chair after more than two decades leading the organisation. New chair (and Fulham supporter) Tom Greatrex tells us more about his vision for the future…

Taking over as chair of the FSA from Malcolm Clarke are big (literally and figuratively) shoes to fill. To have been in that role, through three different iterations of organisation, for almost a quarter of a century is a feat of extraordinary endurance and commitment. And something very, very unlikely to ever be emulated.

Thank you to all of those who spoke to me at the AGM at the weekend, and via social media afterwords, offering congratulations and encouragement on becoming chair – the task is by turns equally daunting, exciting and full of promise.

What is now (again) the FSA has grown, developed, professionalised and become both more prominent, but also significantly, more credible in ensuring the role, perspective and interests of supporters are represented in football in recent years.

But we don’t do our job, and fulfil the ambitions and needs of our members, by standing still.

Football is ever changing, with new challenges to the fabric of the game emerging regularly. To continue to be able to be the strong and credible voice for supporters, the FSA also has to evolve and adapt. The issues – across the men’s, women’s, professional and grassroots game – that were the subject of discussion and debate at our conference highlight where our members want us to focus our attentions.

There are very real and present threats to what makes our game so attractive and important to so many people, anchors clubs in communities and amongst fanbases built over generations, and ensures that connection which makes English football so strong can endure.

It is all too easy to simply blame the money, but it also all to true that as we have seen time and again it is some of those who come into football through ownership who present the biggest threat to clubs, communities and the fabric of the game. It is almost immaterial whether the motivation is mendacious or the decisions misguided, protecting football from itself is sadly more necessary now than ever before.

This is not new – for as long as I have known, football supporters have had to persuade, to campaign and to protest bad decision making. Picking clubs up from the ground when abandoned by those who confidently asserted, they knew best.

Work on governance and ownership, whether that be in promoting supporter ownership or ensuring the promises of the Fan-led Review are delivered, is in the DNA of this organisation and has been for decades. We will never forget that, nor should we let others construct an arrogant and self-serving narrative that it is not what the FSA should be concerned with.

Football regulator

The impending regulator is the offspring of the collective effort, insight and expertise of many supporters’ groups – and the FSA has helped carry that consistent and determined position through a long process that is, hopefully, now coming to a conclusion. It is important to supporters because almost everything else flows from good governance, effective engagement and strong standards.

On the progress towards an independent regulator, in the political arena, speaking up for matchgoing fans, protecting the heritage and tradition of football, building strong relationships across the game, helping to develop the women’s game, defending the rights of travelling supporters at home and abroad – we have demonstrated the value the FSA provides both to our members and the game more widely.

We have some key challenges in the period ahead, and I intend to work with the FSA Board, National Council, staff team and members across all tiers on our big strategic issues – how we can:

• Utilise the talents of our membership and voice to ensure the independent regulator becomes a reality;
• Build the presence and profile of the FSA as the undisputed authoritative voice of supporters at all levels of the game;
• Encourage a broader and more diverse involvement in FSA activity – so we are both properly representative of football supporters while encouraging and developing future generations of leaders in the supporters movement;
• Ensure our internal governance, processes and organisation is fit for purpose – both our credibility as an organisation and our ability to ensure we are properly and full connected to our members comes through the professionalism and understanding of how we do what we do.

These are exciting times for football and for the FSA and our work, replete with both potential hazards and hard won progress. Our opportunity to help shape things for the better is both real and challenging – and over the next three years I am confident that collectively we can see the FSA develop, flourish and grow. Always for football, always for supporters.

Tom Greatrex – FSA chair

• By fans, for fans – join the FSA here…