Want to help Sustain The Game? Here’s how…

The Government’s decision to “pause” the return of fans to football was not news that any club wanted to hear and it is a threat to the very survival of many clubs – they need your help.

The Football Supporters’ Association is encouraging individual fans and affiliated or associated supporters’ groups to contact their local MPs who can make representations to the Government asking for urgent measures to protect football clubs.

Find out who your MP is via members.parliament.uk – enter your post code then you can then send them a message directly about clubs in or close to their constituency.

In the past supportive MPs have told us that “template” emails are more easily ignored so we encourage supporters to craft their own messages of support but we have included some simple guidelines and lines of argument below – feel free to use them.

Ideas for emails:

• Intro – insert your thoughts about your own club, any financial problems that they might have hit because of this crisis, and fears for the future. What would it mean to you to lose your club?
• Remember to keep it polite – there’s a very good chance your local MP agrees with you.
• The FSA believes that the Sports Ground Safety Authority and clubs worked hard to make stadiums feel a safe place for supporters – and if the Government won’t let fans back into grounds then they have to take urgent financial measures to make sure clubs across the country survive.
• Clubs play a massive role in their local communities but those in the lower leagues and non-league will struggle to make ends meet without a Government plan to compensate for the lack of match-going fans through turnstiles. Clubs will go under without this help.
• The Government should also fulfil its 2019 manifesto pledge to start a “fan led review” which could help football refocus and ensure the long-term stability of clubs.
• Supporters want the Treasury and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to act now – before it is too late and historic clubs across the country disappear forever.
• Clubs across the entire game are in danger and this doesn’t just include the men’s professional and semi-professional game – action can and should support clubs in the women’s game and the Welsh leagues (which the FSA also covers).
• Supporters call on the Government to let supporters back into grounds as soon as it is safe to do so, provide an urgent financial package to stop clubs going bust, and commit to a fan led review to protect the future of our clubs.
• Sign off your email with your name and address (so your MP knows you are a constituent).

If you have good links with your club or any sponsors why not encourage them to contact MPs and DCMS to share their views? Fans, clubs and commercial partners all have the same interests on this issue.

Government help for clubs has cross-party support and Conservative MP Ben Bradley (Mansfield) highlighted the financial challenge for EFL clubs at Prime Minister’s Questions today (Wednesday 23rd September 2020). This isn’t a party political issue and your local MP should be engaged if there is a club on their doorstep or if they are a football fan themselves.

In #PMQs I highlighted the financial challenge for sports clubs who rely on ticket sales to stay afloat. They’re the backbone of so many communities.

Great shout out from the PM for @mansfieldtownfc @JRadfordMTFC @CarolynRadford and good to hear @DCMS consulting with clubs 👍 pic.twitter.com/62Q7Kcrk02

— Ben Bradley MP (@BBradley_Mans) September 23, 2020

If you receive a positive response from your MP please let us know.