The Supporters Direct Fans’ Weekend, encompassing the Annual Conference and Fans’ Day, and sponsored by long-term backers The Co-operative, gets underway today (Friday 15th July) at the Queen Hotel, Chester.
The event takes place against the backdrop of the upcoming report on the inquiry into the governance of football, recently undertaken by the Parliamentary Select Committee for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. How can the coalition government best fulfil its pledge to ‘encourage the reform of football governance rules to support the co-operative ownership of football clubs by supporters’?
Supporters Direct say this is an ideal moment to launch its latest briefing papers, entitled Financing Supporter Community Ownership and Business Advantages of Supporter Community Ownership. Friday’s Annual Conference also features a keynote speech from William Gaillard of UEFA (Adviser to Michel Platini), during a closing session – the Trust Movement: Seizing the Opportunity.
Saturday sees the Supporters Direct Fans’ Day at Chester FC’s Exacta Stadium, with the highlight being author and Guardian journalist David Conn. There will also be stalls from organisations such as The Co-operative, the Safe Standing Roadshow, and Level Playing Field. At 3pm, the annual Supporters Direct Cup match kicks off between two fan-owned clubs, hosts Chester FC and FC United of Manchester.
Supporters Direct’s goal is to promote sustainable spectator sports clubs based on supporters’ involvement & community ownership. The organisation represents more than 270,000 members of Supporters’ Trusts in the UK and Europe across football, rugby league, ice hockey and basketball.
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Web: www.supporters-direct.org
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