Shadow sports minister and Eltham MP Clive Efford has presented a Bill in the House of Commons which will revolutionise the role that fans can play in helping run their clubs.

Clive’s Football Governance (Supporter’s Participation) Bill will give football bona fide fans groups the right buy up to ten percent of the shares on offer when a club is changing ownership and enable them to elect and remove 25% of club boards with the minimum being two.

“It is local people who make up the fans that have sustained clubs through generations that make footballs more than just businesses and gives them a special place in our communities. Too often fans are an after-thought when it comes to issues like ticket prices or the re-location of grounds.” explains Clive.  “By giving fans a place on club boards, my bill would ensure that fans can no longer be ignored.”

“In 2011 both the Culture, Media and Sport select committee and the Government urged football authorities to find ways of allowing supporter involvement decision their clubs.  Sadly this has not yet happened.  We are seeing corruption at Fifa where fans voices are never heard.  Our own Premier League is pricing many ordinary supporters out of the game.  They are forced to pay ever-increasing ticket prices while Premier League clubs make millions of pounds from TV deals.  Fans are not being heard and my bill provides an opportunity to change this.”

Explanation

Football Governance (Supporter’s Participation) Bill is a 10 Minute Rule Bill which Clive presented in the House of Commons on Tuesday 10 July 2015.

The proposals would give supporters groups the right to appoint up to a quarter or a minimum of two of the directors to club boards. In addition, clubs would be required to offer the supporters group the option to purchase up to ten percent of shares being traded whenever there is a change in ownership (Defined at a 30 percent level) for up to a total of 10 per cent of the club.