The Fan Led Review of Football Governance has published its recommendations. Vidhya Alakeson, CEO of Power to Change, responds:
“The Fan Led Review emerged from the ashes of the European Super League with a mandate for real and lasting reform. The Government made clear that almost nothing was off the table – including wholesale changes to the way our clubs are owned.
“The Review contains many small steps in the right direction, including some vital protections for fans. But it fails to open the door to wider community ownership of our clubs, despite overwhelming support from fans. In doing so, it ignores a clear solution to many of the problems faced by our clubs – including irresponsible financial management and the threat of much-loved grounds being sold off.
“The Review rightly acknowledges that football clubs are vital community assets, also that too many owners fail in their duty as custodians. Community ownership is the best way of protecting clubs from irresponsible owners, and putting the power to shape the game where it belongs – in the hands of the fans and communities that built them. The Review’s silence on this is a disappointing missed opportunity.”
These Clubs are Ours
Earlier in the year Power to Change published These Clubs Are Ours: putting football into community hands which outlined the need for greater community ownership in football to create stability and financial resilience in the game and help secure these important community assets.