Secretary of State Issues Call for more Fans on Club Boards
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Rt Hon James Purnell MP has called for more fans to be elected on their club boards through their supporters’ trusts.
In his keynote speech to delegates at the annual Conference of Supporters Direct in Manchester on Friday 19 October 2007, he highlighted the achievements of the supporters’ trust movement as they seek to build on their progress and stated, "I want to see a supporter representative, a voice for fans, on the board – on the main Board – of all professional Clubs. This would be a crucial step in securing a greater balance between the commercial and sporting aspects of the Game and ensure greater accountability of sports clubs to their local community.”
The Minister called on the football authorities to work in partnership with SD to build on the over 40 existing club directors in place through their trusts to secure representation at clubs throughout the Leagues saying, “I would strongly support an extension of the existing model which has already been proven to work with ‘Supporter Directors’ being elected to Club Boards from existing Trust Boards.”
This headline announcement highlights a year of substantial progress for SD, and the trust movement as a whole. With an 80% increase in funding from the Football Foundation to deliver new services, the organisation has also expanded its work into Rugby League and Rugby Union and launched a new feasibility study for an SD Europe.
Gordon Taylor, the PFA Chief Executive, joined the Secretary of State as a keynote speaker at the seventh annual conference, with delegates also hearing an address from the leader of Manchester City Council, Councillor Sir Richard Leese.