Labour Promises Board Membership And Minority Stakes For Football Fans

[Gerinako]

Labour has promised a fan ownership revolution if it wins next year’s general election, vowing to introduce new laws that would guarantee football supporters at least two seats on the board and a minority stake in their club.

 

It has boldly described the plan, to be unveiled on Friday by the shadow sports minister, Clive Efford, with the backing of Labour’s leader, Ed Miliband, as “the biggest legislative shake-up in the governance of English and Welsh football clubs since the advent of the game”.

 

Under the new laws each supporters’ trust in the country – from the Premier League to the Conference – would have the legal right to representation on the main board of its club, with not fewer than two directors.

 

When a stake of more than 30% in any club in England or Wales changed hands, the purchaser would be obliged to offer 10% of those shares to the supporters’ trust at the average sale price. A supporters’ trust would have 240 days to raise the money to buy the shares. The obligation to sell shares would cease once a trust owned 10% overall.

 

Labour claims the proposals would allow fans to hold clubs to account on issues such as ticket prices, shirt sponsorship, ground naming rights and changing the colour of the strip or the name.

“Our view is that the time has come for fans to be represented at this level,” said Efford. “It is something we will act on and definitely implement.”

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/17/labour-board-membership-minority-stakes-supporters

[@owlstalk]

We've seen that when fans get involved during peacetime (e.g when fan power isn't needed to overthrow an evil dictator) it quickly turns to a total mess.

Our club more than most have seen how fan groups collapse and disintegrate into pie and pea less groups of unrealistic mentalists

[metaframe]

Usual jump on a bandwagon politics from the leftists.

[horny owl]

Labour know they're time is over and are trying anything to get votes

The Labour Party lol

[Ronnie Starling]

Maybe they should promise to deal with people that groom children instead of ignoring it.

[Woodseats Owl]

If that piggy two hat Caborn has owt to do with it, I wouldn't trust a word he says.

UTO's

[Claudio Tankisco]

I didn't think governments were allowed to interfere in a country's football matters or that country would face being kicked out of Fifa and uefa?

Are there that many successful UK football clubs with fan representation/interference? Genuine question.

[bedfordowl]

Rather labor than conservative my grandad would turn in his grave if I ever voted conservative.

[31Dec1966]

Totally unrealistic and unworkable. Labour just keep introducing old fashioned interventionist policies that aren't thought through and back fire spectacularly.  Milliband promises to freeze gas and electric prices, the wholesale price has plunged but because of this populist announcement the companies are not passing the savings on in case they are forbidden from raising them. How has this helped people?

I hate what football has become but this is not the answer, we've seen what happens right here. Sky have ruined football, I've never subscribed, and perhaps if others hadn't we would have held onto our working class game.

[Musn't Grumble]

Might occasionally be successful in the Conference or lower down the leagues for a while but for every FCUM there must be several Ebbsfleets.

Whilst fan groups are run by committees and do not have access to the tens or hundreds of millions that are required to run clubs in the top three or four divisions, it's a no brainer.

[David-T]

Absolutely mad. When you go to the game tomorrow, listen to the fans around you and try to imagine them making decisions about the club. I prefer to leave it in the hands of a succesful individual who has been proved to be capable of running a business.

[Guest s17owl]

New Labour eh, times running out for them! Can't knock them for reaching out but the country wants UKIP and that is what they shall get, hoorah :)

[Guest Steve French]

Aside from the Government interfering in football being against FIFA rules, there is no way, not a cat in hells chance that any Government will ever get legislation through both houses that singles out football clubs for special laws in regards ownership. As much as I hate to say it, football clubs are businesses and no other industry has businesses that are subject to laws stating they must be part owned by the public.

Stupid idea.

[alan48]

Do UKIP have a policy on this - or anything for that matter , apart from kick out the foreigners . Bye Bye Loovens , Helan ,Nuhiu , etc , not to mention 2/3rds of premier league players.

[wakefieldowl]

Totally unrealistic and unworkable. Labour just keep introducing old fashioned interventionist policies that aren't thought through and back fire spectacularly.  Milliband promises to freeze gas and electric prices, the wholesale price has plunged but because of this populist announcement the companies are not passing the savings on in case they are forbidden from raising them. How has this helped people?

I hate what football has become but this is not the answer, we've seen what happens right here. Sky have ruined football, I've never subscribed, and perhaps if others hadn't we would have held onto our working class game.

Absolutely bang on. Sky has ruined football. As for labour, no doubt that idiot mini band will forget about that as well

[wakefieldowl]

Do UKIP have a policy on this - or anything for that matter , apart from kick out the foreigners . Bye Bye Loovens , Helan ,Nuhiu , etc , not to mention 2/3rds of premier league players.

What a stupid stupid comment

Pity it's not true though as our game would benefit from kicking out 2/3 of premiershit players

Edited October 17, 2014 by wakefieldowl

[adelphi1867]

Usual jump on a bandwagon politics from the Torys

Just put it right for you.

Going back to the subject, how does it work in Germany, where fans have more say on the governence of the clubs?.

[metaframe]

WTF has it to do with the tories? They haven't come out with something piggybacking on the BBC "made up news" item of the week. I guess they're busy fixing the economy or worrying about UKIP or whatnot.

 

 

The German system has some merits, definitely. The fans generally speaking have cheaper tickets. However, compare the economic benefit of football in the UK to Germany. 

 

The standard of club football isn't as high, relative to the UK either. Whether that bothers you or not is a different issue. 

[parkfieldowl14]

Aside from the Government interfering in football being against FIFA rules, there is no way, not a cat in hells chance that any Government will ever get legislation through both houses that singles out football clubs for special laws in regards ownership. As much as I hate to say it, football clubs are businesses and no other industry has businesses that are subject to laws stating they must be part owned by the public.

Stupid idea.

 

Totally unrealistic and unworkable. Labour just keep introducing old fashioned interventionist policies that aren't thought through and back fire spectacularly.  Milliband promises to freeze gas and electric prices, the wholesale price has plunged but because of this populist announcement the companies are not passing the savings on in case they are forbidden from raising them. How has this helped people?

I hate what football has become but this is not the answer, we've seen what happens right here. Sky have ruined football, I've never subscribed, and perhaps if others hadn't we would have held onto our working class game.

Absolutely spot on there The proposals is just another example of failed Old Labour.

[asteener1867]

oooooooooooooohh..................................a Fans group that f.ookin' ALWAYS works well on here............................