Supporters’ groups from across the country have joined forces with politicians and pundits to launch “Sustain The Game!” – a new campaign which calls for urgent action from the authorities to protect the existence of clubs throughout the game.
The financial strains caused by Covid-19 have threatened many clubs and fans say urgent action is needed from the football authorities to help them survive.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) is coordinating Sustain The Game! and says that while the current pandemic has brought many issues to an immediate head, these are long standing finance and governance matters which need to be fixed.
The Government’s 2019 manifesto committed to a “fan led” review of football governance and the FSA says it wants to demonstrate the support within football for that to happen.
The campaign is backed by fans’ organisations from almost all of the 92 Premier League and EFL clubs alongside those in the women’s game, non-league and high profile ex-pros and pundits such as Jamie Carragher, Henry Winter, Colin Murray, Amy Lawrence, Guy Mowbray, and FSA Commentator of the Year Peter Drury.
Political support comes in the shape of ex-sports minister Tracey Crouch, Labour’s shadow sports minister Alison McGovern and Liberal Democrats’ Daisy Cooper MP, the party’s sports spokesperson.
The campaign is also backed by the cross-party All-Party Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters and many community-owned clubs including the newly-formed Bury AFC.
Campaign backers say the football authorities and government cannot sit back and watch as dozens of historic clubs are under immediate threat and could disappear altogether.
FSA chief executive Kevin Miles said:
“Football occupies a special space in our society as clubs carry huge cultural and local economic importance. Sustain The Game! will demonstrate the need for urgent action as the very existence of many clubs is under threat. If we don’t act now we might lose some forever.
“We call on everyone with an interest in the game, from clubs and leagues to players and managers, to come together and work in partnership to support Sustain The Game! The time for action isn’t next week, next month, or next year – it’s now.”
Ex-Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher said:
“The FSA’s Sustain The Game! campaign can play a massive role in protecting clubs throughout the game. This is a difficult time for the game but it’s also a chance to make real changes. Supporters’ have to be involved in that as well.”
Sustain The Game! is built around five key principles and aims to protect clubs, increase transparency, implement strong independent financial controls, strengthen the football pyramid, and increase supporter engagement.
Sustain The Game! principles:
- Protect our clubs – football clubs are community assets and an important expression of individual and local identity, they deserve legal protection and urgent support to secure their future;
- Transparency – everyone has a right to know who owns their club, and how clubs and the authorities operate. Owners are custodians of clubs on behalf of all of us;
- Financial controls – fans want rules with real teeth which are independently enforced, clubs and leagues can’t be left to regulate themselves;
- Strengthen the pyramid – football as a whole is wealthy, but we need a smarter and fairer use of the money in the game to encourage sustainability;
- Supporter engagement – fans are the lifeblood of the game, they need a voice in their clubs and on all issues that affect them and their communities.
Further reading: The FSA has made a series of proposals to the FA including a new Code of Practice on the Stewardship of Football Clubs which sets out guidance for clubs and owners on a range of issues which have caused problems – name changes, playing colours and badges, stadium location, training facilities, failure to honour wages, and tax commitments. The code would also stop owners loading debt onto a club in order to finance its purchase. The proposals have the support of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters. You can download the paper in full here.
Supporters
Are you a fans’ group, club, pundit or politician? We want to tell you more about the campaign and gain your support. Email: info@thefsa.org.uk
Supporters’ organisations | Clubs | Politicians and pundits |
1894 Group (Manchester City) | 1876 Bangor | Alex-Davies Jones MP AS |
A Love Supreme (Sunderland) | Accrington Stanley | Alison McGovern MP (Shadow sports minister) & Labour Party |
AccessiBlues | AFC Rushden & Diamonds | All-Party Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters |
Albion Roar | Altrincham | Amy Lawrence (The Guardian) |
Albion Women Supporter Group | Bury AFC | Andrew Simpson (journalist) |
AMS Group (Millwall) | Camden & Islington United | Andy Holt (Owner – Accrington Stanley) |
Apna Albion | Cheltenham Town | Anwar Uddin ((Ex-footballer and coordinator for Fans For Diversity) |
Argyle Fans’ Trust | Clapton CFC | Association Nationale des Supporters |
Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association | Darlington | Baroness Taylor of Bolton |
Arsenal Supporters’ Trust | Doncaster Rovers | Brian Reade (Daily Mirror) |
Aston Villa Disabled Supporters’ Association | Enfield Town | Caroline Barker (Journalist and National League board member) |
Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust | Exeter City | Colin Murray (Journalist and presenter) |
Aston Villa Women Supporters’ Club | FC United of Manchester | Daisy Cooper MP (Liberal Democrats) |
Barmy Army (Manchester United Women) | Fisher | Damian Collins MP (Former chair of the CMS Select Committee) |
Barnsley Supporters’ Trust | Frickley Athletic | Dan Parnell (Senior Lecturer in Sport Business, University of Liverpool) |
Bees United (Brentford) | Gornal Athletic | David Goldblatt (Football author) |
Beesotted (Brentford) | Grays Athletic | Football Collective |
Billericay Town Supporters’ Society | Grimsby Town | Football Supporters Europe |
Birmingham City Women Supporters’ Group | Hendon | Gary Bennett (Pundit & Show Racism The Red Card ambassador) |
Blackburn Rovers Supporters’ Trust | Hinckley AFC | Guy Mowbray (Commentator) |
Blackpool Supporters’ Trust | Lewes | Hawksbee and Jacobs (Presenters) |
Blue Action (Ipswich Town) | Litherland REMYCA | Henry Winter (The Times) |
Blue Union (Everton) | Merthyr Town | Ian Herbert (Journalist) |
Bluebirds Trust (Barrow AFC) | Pilkington St Helens | Ian Mearns MP (Chair of the APPG for Football Supporters |
Blues Trust (Birmingham City) | Portsmouth | Jamie Carragher (Ex-Liverpool and England international) |
Bolton Wanderers Supporters’ Trust | Scarborough AFC | Jamie Stone MP (Liberal Democrats sports spokesperson) |
Boro Supporters Club 2020 (Middlesborough) | Tranmere Rovers | Jen O’Neill (She Kicks) |
Borussia Dortmund Fan Club (London) | Worcester City | Jo Stevens MP (Labour Party) |
Bradford City Supporters’ Trust | Wrexham | Julie Elliott MP (Labour Party) |
Brakes Trust (Leamington FC) | Wythenshawe Amateurs | Kieran Maguire (Academic, author and broadcaster) |
Brentford Independent Supporters’ Association | Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour) | |
Bristol City Supporters’ Trust | Lord Oates (Liberal Democrats) | |
Bristol City Women Supporters’ Club | Lord Triesman (Labour) | |
Bristol Rovers Supporters’ Club | Martin Tyler (Commentator) | |
Bromsgrove Sporting Supporters’ Trust | Matt Scott (Investigative sports journalist) | |
Burnley FC Supporters Groups | Matt Slater (The Athletic) | |
Burton Albion Supporters FC | Max Rushden (Guardian Football Weekly host) | |
Cambridge Fans United | Mike Amesbury MP | |
Cambridge Fans United | Nizaar Kinsella (Goal.com) | |
Cambridge United Official Supporters’ Club | Pete Milward (Professor, Liverpool John Moores University) | |
Canaries Trust | Peter Drury (Commentator) | |
Cardiff City Disabled Supporters’ Association | Rosie Cooper MP (Labour Party) | |
Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust | Sam Al-Hamdani (Oldham BC) | |
Carlisle United Official Supporters’ Club | Scott Benton MP | |
Chairboys on the net (Wycombe Wanderers) | Scott Benton MP (Conservative Party) | |
Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust | Supporters Direct Europe | |
Chelsea Supporters’ Trust | Tracey Crouch MP (Former sports minister) | |
Chelsea Womens Supporters’ Group | ||
Cherries Trust (AFC Bournemouth) | ||
Chorley FC Supporters’ Trust | ||
Clarets Trust | ||
Cockney Latic | ||
Colchester United Supporters Association | ||
Crawley Town Supporters’ Trust | ||
Crystal Palace Supporters’ Trust | ||
Dale Trust | ||
Darlington FC Supporters’ Group | ||
Desi Dons | ||
Dial M For Merthyr | ||
Dons Trust (AFC Wimbledon) | ||
DUCK magazine (Stoke City) | ||
Everton Women Supporters’ Club | ||
Exeter City Supporters’ Trust | ||
Fans for Foodbanks (Huddersfield) | ||
Five Year Plan | ||
Fly Me To The Moon (Middlesborough) | ||
Forces2Canaries | ||
Foxes Trust | ||
From the Finney (PNE) | ||
FSA Cymru | ||
Fulham Supporters’ Trust | ||
Gillingham Independent Supporters’ Club | ||
Hammers United | ||
Hartlepool United Supporters’ Trust | ||
Hendon FC Supporters Trust | ||
Hereford United Supporters’ Trust | ||
Huddersfield Town Supporters’ Association | ||
Hull City Supporters’ Trust | ||
Ipswich Town Firsts | ||
Iron Trust | ||
Kevin Beattie Foundation | ||
Lady Imps Supporters’ Association | ||
Leeds United Supporters’ Trust | ||
Leicester City Disability Supporters’ Association
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Leicester City Supporters Club | ||
Lewes Supporters’ Trust | ||
Leyton Orient Fans’ Trust | ||
LGBT Bees (Brentford) | ||
Lion Roar (Millwall) | ||
Liverpool Women Supporters’ Club | ||
Liverpool DSA | ||
London Bees Endor | ||
Love Football Hate Racism | ||
Luton Town Supporters’ Trust | ||
Manchester City Official Supporters’ Club | ||
Manchester United Supporters’ Trust | ||
Mariners Trust | ||
MCWFC Official Supporters’ Club | ||
Millwall Past & Present | ||
Millwall Supporters’ Club | ||
My Old Man Said (Aston Villa) | ||
Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust | ||
Non-League Programmes | ||
Northhampton Town Supporters’ Trust | ||
Nottingham Forest Supporters’ Trust | ||
OASST (Accrington Stanley Supporters’ Trust) | ||
Ox Vox Supporters’ Trust | ||
Pompey Disabled Supporters’ Association | ||
Pompey Independent Supporters’ Association | ||
Pompey Supporters’ Trust | ||
Port Vale Supporter Club | ||
Portsmouth Supporters’ Club (Central Branch) | ||
Posh Trust | ||
Proud Lilywhites (Spurs) | ||
Proud Salopians (Shrewsbury Town) | ||
Proud Valients (Charlton Athletic) | ||
Proudsville Clarets (Burnley) | ||
Push The Boundary (Oldham Athletic) | ||
QPR1st Supporters’ Trust | ||
Railwaymen Supporters’ Trust (Crewe Alex) | ||
Rainbow Blades (Sheffield United) | ||
Rams Trust (Derby County) | ||
Red And White Army (Sunderland) | ||
Robins Trust (Cheltenham Town) | ||
Rover and Out (Tranmere Rovers) | ||
SAFCSA (Coxhoe Branch) | ||
Sheffield United Supporters’ Club | ||
Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust | ||
Shrimpers Trust | ||
Shrimps Trust | ||
Silkmen Supporters Trust (Macclesfield) | ||
Sky Blues Trust (Coventry City) | ||
Spirit of Shankly | ||
Stand up for Town (Huddersfield Town) | ||
Stevenage FC Supporters’ Association | ||
Stoke City Supporters’ Club | ||
Supporters Trust At Reading (STAR) | ||
Swansea City Supporters’ Trust | ||
The Stacey West (Lincoln City) | ||
Torquay Talk | ||
Torquay United Supporters Trust | ||
Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust | ||
Tranmere Rovers Supporters’ Trust | ||
Trans Pennine Irons | ||
Trust Oldham | ||
TrustSTFC (Swindon Town) | ||
Twe12thman (Middlesbrough) | ||
Twe12thman (Middlesbrough) | ||
Ugly Inside (Southampton) | ||
Union FS (Leicester City) | ||
Unita 1863 | ||
Up the Clarets | ||
View from the Allotment End (North Ferriby) | ||
Vikings Trust (Doncaster Rovers) | ||
Walsall Supporters’ Trust | ||
War of the Monster Trucks (S.Wednesday) | ||
Watford Ladies Fan Group | ||
Watford Supporters’ Trust | ||
West Ham United Women Supporters’ Club | ||
WHU Independent Supporters’ Association | ||
Wigan Athletic Supporters’ Club | ||
Wolves Fans Parliament | ||
Wycombe Wanderers Supporters’ Trust | ||
Yorkshire Gulls (Torquay United) |
Contact:
- Ashley Brown, Head of Supporter Engagement and Governance
- Email: ashley.brown@thefsa.org.uk
- Mobile: 07946 737336