Fans led review of Football -approved by Government

[harveyoe]

I appreciate your concern here, but I think as a replacement to the current formula there is a determination to ensure a bigger and better distribution of funds to lower down the pyramid, I think there would be something of an outcry if this didnt happen and the Independent Regulator retains the power to step in if it doesnt

The Independent Regulator would have the power to step in and do what ?

 

[overseas shrimper]

The Independent Regulator would have the power to step in and do what ?

Regulate. Allegedly.

 

[Userorange]

Do remember there isn’t a Shrimper out there who would suggest RM wasn’t a fit and proper person if right now we were in the Championship nailed on for the playoffs.

It’s a results business.

 

[sufc4life21]

Do remember there isn’t a Shrimper out there who would suggest RM wasn’t a fit and proper person if right now we were in the Championship nailed on for the playoffs.

It’s a results business.

He hardly competent though is he........ by continuing to not pay the tax bill on time which has resulted in countless winding up orders where the club lost its 100 plus year efl status shows you he out of his depth and incompetent of running a football club.

It could be worse and we could be oldham who owner is more of clown than Martin. I feel for their fans and hope they get that idiot out of their club.

 

[Smiffy]

Do remember there isn’t a Shrimper out there who would suggest RM wasn’t a fit and proper person if right now we were in the Championship nailed on for the playoffs.

It’s a results business.

Disagree. Regardless of league position whether Championship or NL, the continual failure to meet obligations be it tax or payroll in a timely fashion (and subsequent sanctions we have faced and massively contributed to our downfall) is enough for me to draw my own conclusions on the mans suitability to be custodian of our club.

If it were a one-off then yes I'd be inclined to agree and cut some slack. But it's been anything but unfortunately.

 

[Userorange]

So let’s fast forward to a utopia where all football clubs are financially sound and run by fit and proper, accountable people. Some things will not change. Most clubs will have a disappointing season; three clubs from both the Premier League and the Championship will be relegated. As will four from League 1 and two from League 2. Then guess what. Because all clubs are now well run it will be just as difficult as ever to get yourself promoted and back to where you think you belong, possibly even more so because your well run club may need to cut its expenditure in line with reduced income.

So yes, football clubs should be run by honest competent people who should only be able to make financial gains by improving their club in a way that benefits the fans.

But it won’t make you any happier at the match when it’s ****ing down on a freezing January Saturday and your club is eight points from safety.

 

[Mick]

Do remember there isn’t a Shrimper out there who would suggest RM wasn’t a fit and proper person if right now we were in the Championship nailed on for the playoffs.

He's one of the reasons we are not.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Today the Sports minister has announced that all the recommendations in the Fans led review of football will be introduced,

In other words a bill will be included in the new Queens speech for the next parliamentary session. The Premier league are not happy

For info in Summary here are the recommendations....

The legislation will be introduced in 2023

1. SHADOW Boards OF CLUB SUPPOORTERS TO ENSURE MORE SAY. Clubs should " engage and consult on all material non football/off pitch business and financial matters

2, TRUSTS to get Golden Share in club to provide a veto on a number of key decisions, relating to sale of club, heritage issues, club badge and colours, relocation outside area, leaving or joining anew competition, club name

3. A pledge to guarantee stronger mechanisms to ensure equality and diversity in Boardrooms

4, An Independent Regulator to oversee Governance to ensure financial stability in the English game,
including oversight of club finances, information gathering, investigation and enforcement powers

5, Independent Regulator to have a chair and Board with expertise across a range of Industries, appointed by a panel of experts separate to the Government

6. Independent Regulator to operate a system of Advocacy to help clubs comply with the rules

7. A new test of club owners suitability to run the club, managed by the Independent Regulator, when an individual buys a club and thereafter, includes an INTEGRITY TEST and could extend to investigating business links, Expected to include current owners. Plus a test for Directors and Shadow directors

8. Independent Regulator to publish an Annual report setting out their operational and financial performance

9 . Greater due diligence on Owners money at point of buying a club

10. Redistribution of wealth across the English pyramid is expected to be
reconsidered but by Clubs themselves to consider, Current formula for distribution of wealth to be scrapped, A new compulsory clause to adjust players salaries

11. . Each club in the National league and above will be required to hold a licence to operate subject to certain conditions. Licence fees to be based on a sliding scale of broadcast revenue

12. The Government to explore ways to support the regulation of football agents

13. In addition to not being subject to any disqualification criteria based on existing rules, prospective new owners should also be required to:

a. submit a business plan for assessment by IREF (to include financial forecasts).

b. evidence sufficient financial resources to meet the requirements of the business plan.

c. be subject to enhanced due diligence checks on source of funds to be developed with the Home Office and National Crime Agency.

d. pass an integrity test.
13.

That's Ron screwed then

 

[Barry.C]

Further update FYI

"The government is fully committed to reforming football governance to enable a long-term, sustainable future for the game. Accepting or supporting all of the strategic recommendations within the Review is the next step to do exactly this, and will represent a wholesale change in the way football is governed in England. We recognise the scale of change that is required, and the impact that our proposals will have within football and more broadly. That is why we are setting a strategic direction in reforming football for the better, but taking some time to consider the details of exactly how we will enact these changes. We will set out even more information on the precise implementation of our reforms in a White Paper which we will publish this summer."

Recommendation	Government response
(A) To ensure the long-term sustainability of football, the government should create a new independent regulator for English football (IREF).	Accept the recommendation to introduce an independent regulator.
(B) To ensure financial sustainability of the professional game, IREF should oversee financial regulation in football.	Accept, with further detail on the precise model to follow in the White Paper.
(C) New owners’ and directors’ tests for clubs should be established by IREF replacing the three existing tests and ensuring that only good custodians and qualified directors can run these vital assets.	Accept, with further detail to follow on a strengthened Owners’ and Directors’ Test.
(D) Football needs a new approach to corporate governance to support a long-term sustainable future of the game.	Accept.
(E) Football needs to improve equality, diversity and inclusion in clubs with committed EDI Action Plans regularly assessed by IREF.	Accept the need for action, and support clubs’ commitment to improving equality, diversity and inclusion focusing on improving outcomes while remaining flexible on plans for action.
(F) As a uniquely important stakeholder, supporters should be properly consulted by their clubs in taking key decisions by means of a Shadow Board.	Support, with further consideration of the mechanism.
(G) Football clubs are a vital part of their local communities, in recognition of this there should be additional protection for key items of club heritage.	Support, with further detail on options to follow.
(H) Fair distributions are vital to the long term health of football. The Premier League should guarantee its support to the pyramid and make additional, proportionate contributions to further support football.	Support, with an expectation of further action from the football authorities ahead of the White Paper.
(I) Women’s football should be treated with parity and given its own dedicated review.	Accept.
(J) As an urgent matter, the welfare of players exiting the game needs to be better protected — particularly at a young age.	Support as a matter for the football authorities.

 

[rigsby]

Its all word salad, nothing will change. The smaller clubs might get punished but the big boys will do as they like.

Football clubs are private businesses and none of us are forced to attend. When the next club are about to go bust no one will care if its a fit and proper person who saves them. Just as long as they can still survive....Just like when Ron rescued SUFC.

 

[Barry.C]

Fair view represents 34 clubs, strongly supporting the changes

Heres there response to the governments plan, so far a C+ !!


"We even produced four simple audio clips for supporters to explain our main points. Do feel free to share them with friends, colleagues, the media and across your social media channels."

• Why Fair Game gives the Government response a C+
• Why we need changes to the financial flow in football
• Why football needs to act now to stop more Derby Countys
• Why the Sustainability Index is the solution and what is it

 

[Barry.C]

Ron must feel he is between a Hard place and a few rocks and yet what if there was a much larger and fairer distribution of funds?

 

[Jai]

I don't like the idea of scrapping the current formula for wealth distribution with no more favourable formula in its place. "Up to the clubs to consider ..." - we know what that means.

Yep. Sort out the wealth distribution and you solve most problems in football. But of course, it's incredibly unpopular with the most powerful clubs, so it's been shelved. There's very little point in the rest of it if you don't sort out the wealth distribution - it's the biggest issue!

 

[Mick]

Yep. Sort out the wealth distribution and you solve most problems in football. But of course, it's incredibly unpopular with the most powerful clubs, so it's been shelved. There's very little point in the rest of it if you don't sort out the wealth distribution - it's the biggest issue!

A sentiment you could apply to life and society in general.

 

[stewart]

: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commo...2A0-476A-B45F-0443CF28AE27/FootballGovernance

For info the Government Ministers statement on this

WOW! THAT IS SOME READING ! But all in all its long overdue, change is needed most definitely ,especially with the people who own or look at buying a club also the distribution of payments to clubs ,in my mind too much going to the big name clubs ( you all know who they are ) Premiershite becoming a lot like SPL where only a couple of clubs seem to in the running as champions each year, There are so many smaller clubs like ours that have a history and mean so much to so many families and ex players and communities ,they should be looked after much better than they are at present .We all felt sorry for Bury and its supporters when the club folded and many others that went down that path, god willing that wont happen again to any club that has been long standing .

 

[Barry.C]

Just to update and confirm , that Prince Charles in the Queens Speech just finished and made on behalf of the Queen ,who has mobility problems confirms as follows..

" Proposals will be published to establish and Independent Regulator of English Football"

One of over 35 pieces of legislation to be supposedly introduced during the next Parliamentary session

 

[RHB]

This is now ready to migrate to the General Football Forum, so off it goes.

 

[basilrobbie]

The Government said "proposals", not "legislation". I think it will be the 23/24 season before we see the latter.

That said it should be a pretty comprehensive Bill when it comes. The Regulator is the big change, but ironically not the most difficult bit. I think the new Owners & Directors Test and the stuff around heritage issues could be a lot harder to do because of the need to link in with existing legislation AND meet the Government's own aspirations around public policy.

I'm surprised that some of you seem so cynical. The existing system hasn't done you any favours, has it?

 

[Barry.C]

It can only be hoped that the Independent Regulator if and when appointed might look strongly at the issue of the distribution of funds

Last season four clubs - Fulham, West Brom, Sheffield United and Bournemouth - made £39m in solidarity and parachute payments compared to £4.8m for most of their Championship competitors as Fair Game group underlined an alternative distribution model

A revamped distribution of solidarity and parachute payments would stop 97% of clubs below the Premier League from potentially losing out on millions of pounds every year, according to new research from Fair Game.

The coalition of 34 clubs, from Luton Town in the Championship down to non-League, say that most second-tier sides should get £6.3m a year under a new system that would be equitable compared to the current method of overwhelmingly favouring those recently relegated from the Premier League.

EFL chief Rick Parry has been campaigning for the parachute payments system to be abolished in favour of a deal that would see clubs lower down the pyramid receive 25% of Premier League broadcast income but discussions have been deadlocked.

Fair Game believes that they have the solution through a “sustainability index” in which teams will be entitled to a more equitable annual payment once they meet a series of criteria focused on good governance designed to protect clubs from ending up in financial trouble.
“The Premier League can help secure football’s ecosystem. If not, then it is clear that the responsibility must fall to a new Independent Regulator. The status quo betrays the 157 towns that are currently seeing their clubs losing out.”.

 

[basilrobbie]

I was lucky enough to be part of the team from Blackpool Supporters Trust who gave evidence to Tracey Crouch last year. We also put in written evidence which I've attached a link to. Part B, plus all the diagrams, might interest you Barry.

BST full submitted evidence | Blackpool

www.blackpoolsupporterstrust.com