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The FSF Annual Review 2015

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Prepare to fall in love

Every three months we produce 190+ pages of top -notch writing on a

range of football- related topics from across the world, and throughout

history. Each issue is an eclectic mix of all that’s good about football

writing, featuring around 20 articles from the world’s best football

writers who are passionate about the stories they want to tell.

Available in a both digital and hard copy formats on a pay -what- you- like

basis from www.theblizzard.co.uk

3The FSF Annual Review - 2015

04. Introduction

06. #ShareTVWealth

08. Fans for Diversity

14. News Review

18. Awards

20. Watching Football Is Not A Crime!

22. FIFA

24. Safe Standing

26. Politics

28. Away Fans Matter

32. Supporter Liaison Officers

34. International

37. FSF Matters

38. Who’s Who

About the FSFThe Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) is the

democratic organisation for all football supporters,

representing more than 500,000 members made

up of individual fans and affiliated supporters’

organisations from every club in the professional

game and footballing pyramid.

How does the FSF work? The FSF is a democratic organisation with an elected

National Council (NC) which oversees campaigns

and policy. Policy is set by members and affiliated/

associated supporters’ organisations at the FSF’s

Annual General Meeting. Campaigns and day-to-day

activity are co-ordinated by the office in Sunderland.

FSF chair Malcolm Clarke sits on the FA Council on

behalf of the FSF and Supporters Direct as the fans’

representative. Regional divisions exist in some areas to

provide members with a voice and the FSF Roadshow

travels the country to provide a point of access. On

joining the FSF members agree to oppose all forms of

discrimination, reject physical and verbal violence, and

promote a positive culture of fair play and goodwill

between all football supporters.

If you think the FSF is missing a trick when it comes to

campaigning get involved and make your argument

via the FSF AGM – email [email protected], follow us

on Twitter @The_FSF or call 0330 44 000 44. If you

present a strong enough case your suggestion can

happen. Sitting on the sidelines complaining that the

FSF should “do something” isn’t enough - the FSF

is a voluntary organisation and is only as good as its

members. If you have an idea, get involved.

Contact the FSF1 Ashmore Terrace, Stockton Road, Sunderland

Tyne & Wear, SR2 7DE

Telephone: 0330 44 000 44

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @The_FSF

Facebook: facebook.com/thefsf

Editor – Michael Brunskill Editorial team – Liam Thompson, Garreth Cummins, David Rose, Nina DonkinThe FSF’s Annual Review 2015 has benefited from

the valuable contributions of: Amanda Jacks, Andy

Wilkinson, Anthony Emmerson, Anwar Uddin, Chris

Gregory, Dave Tomlinson, Duncan Drasdo, Jon Darch,

Kevin Miles, Malcolm Clarke, Martin O’Hara, Melanie

Cooke, Paul Corkrey, Peter Daykin, Sarah Brunskill,

Tom Gorringe, Vince Bailey and many others whom we

apologise to in advance for forgetting. Thanks to all.

Contents

The FSF Annual Review - 2015Contents

4 The FSF Annual Review - 2015

Introduction

Hello and welcome to the Football Supporters’

Federation’s 2015 Annual Review. It has been

a busy year with both new campaigns and old

producing results, across a range of issues.

For years we have been arguing that ticket prices are

too high and the Premier League’s new domestic TV

deal brought that into even sharper focus.

It totalled a remarkable £5.136bn - that’s an increase

of £2.14bn on the previous package - with overseas

media rights still to be negotiated. To put those

figures into context the increase alone relates to

more than £40 for every single fan, at every single

top-flight game, over the course of the deal.

It’s a phenomenal amount of money and, under the

#ShareTVWealth slogan (see p6-7), fans demand that

clubs drop prices for home fans, commit to the FSF’s

Twenty’s Plenty away price cap (see p28-29), and

redistribute more wealth to support lower-league

and grassroots football.

We believe that more must be done to make football

accessible for all. No one should be excluded from

the game and while #ShareTVWealth looked from an

economic perspective - can fans afford tickets? - it is

important not to forget there are other barriers too.

In the past couple of years we have made great

strides with that via Fans for Diversity (p8-13) which

is now entering its second year. The campaign is run

jointly with Kick It Out and co-ordinated by Anwar

Uddin, a former pro with more than 300 games under

his belt for the likes of Dagenham & Redbridge.

Football is the global game and we believe it should

take a lead in challenging prejudice. Our stadiums are,

of course, a reflection of society and discriminatory

behaviour and language does occur. While it is by no

means a common occurrence, it still happens.

Almost half of fans tell us they have, at some point

during their time as a match-goer, witnessed racist or

homophobic abuse within a stadium. One in three have

heard sexist abuse. Football cannot rest on its laurels.

Fans for Diversity enjoyed a great first year, helping

establish the first national network of lesbian, gay,

bisexual, transgender supporter groups, and launching

Women at the match, a major piece of research which

surveyed almost 3,000 female fans (p12-13).

Fans for Diversity also supported the foundation of

a “buddy scheme” where fans accompanied young

Bantams from the Asian community and football

academies, to their first Bradford City game. This in

turn led to the formation of the Bangla Bantams.

From the chair and chief executiveIntroduction

Kevin Miles speaks to fans and the media outside our Premier League shareholder demo in March


The Away Fans Matter (p28-31) campaign still targets

improvements for travelling fans, both in terms of

general treatment and pricing, with Twenty’s Plenty

for Away Tickets saving fans hundreds of thousands

of pounds. The Away Fans Survey was filled in by

thousands of supporters, find out who topped the

table of best grounds to visit (p30-31).

We continue to believe that Supporter Liaison

Officers can be a valuable ally for fans, and some are

doing a very good job, although there is still much

progress to be made. We look at some of the best

examples on p32-33.

Our Fans Embassy teams (p34-35) have been doing

a fantastic job, again, for fans of the England and

Wales teams, it being a particularly exciting time

for supporters of the latter, with Wales in touching

distance of their first major tournament since 1958.

As you can see, it has been another good year for

the FSF, but it is also one which has been tinged by

sadness. FSF National Council member and Pompey

Supporters Trust chair Ken Malley died unexpectedly,

aged 70, on Thursday 11th June.

We have lost a much loved friend and hugely

committed colleague. He was a close personal friend

to many who will read this and our condolences go to

his family and all who knew Ken.

Introduction

The FSF Awards 2014 in association with William Hill

were, once again, a great success rewarding the best

that football has to offer both on and off the pitch.

Sergio Agüero won the fans’ vote for Player of the

Year while Cardiff City were awarded Away Day of

the Year (p18-19).

Watching Football Is Not A Crime! (p20-21) is led by

Amanda Jacks and continues to protect the rights of

fans and help those who have complaints with clubs.

This can involve work with Safety Advisory Groups,

the police, and FSF-friendly solicitors.

The biggest football story over the past year

arguably didn’t even take place on the field - we

are of course talking about the US Department for

Justice’s investigation into FIFA and Sepp Blatter’s

subsequent “resignation”. Find out what we have

been doing to put pressure on football’s governing

bodies at a European level and read about our

backing for Playfair Qatar’s campaign to protect

workers’ rights in the Middle East (p22-23).

The Safe Standing Campaign continues to make

headway, with a great deal of progress in Wales

where fans, clubs, and politicians all lined up to back

safe standing. The National Assembly for Wales even

went so far as to call for a safe standing pilot in the

country. North of the border Celtic announced that

they planned to install rail seats at Parkhead in time

for the 2016/17 season (p24-25).

We continued to raise our profile in Westminster with

the Vote Football campaign causing a pre- and post-

election stir, while Football Question Time engaged

all the major political parties, as they laid their cards

on the table in relation to football-specific policy

(p26-27).

Kevin MilesChief executive

Malcolm ClarkeChair

Join the FSF:

FSF membership is FREE of charge at:

www.fsf.org.uk/join

or call the FSF office: 0330 44 000 44


#ShareTVWealth demands:

Fans lobby Premier League shareholders at London meeting

#ShareTVWealth

In March the FSF led a contingent of fans

demonstrating outside the lastest meeting of

the Premier League’s 20 shareholder clubs at Le

Méridien hotel, Piccadilly, in central London.

The meeting was the first following an announcement

that the Premier League’s new domestic TV deal would

be worth £5.136bn – a huge windfall, and an increase

on the previous deal of £2.14bn. The increase alone

equates to more than £40 for every single fan, at every

single game, over the course of the three year deal.

Supporters were demanding that this huge new bounty

be more equitably distributed throughout the leagues

and towards grassroots football.

FSF chief executive Kevin Miles delivered a letter

to the Premier League urging the clubs to do more

for travelling supporters. The letter, created by FSF

affiliated and associated supporter groups from each of

the Premier League’s 20 shareholder clubs, demanded

an expansion of the Away Fans Initiative, structured

engagement with supporters, and an end to match

categorisation.

Kevin said: “Football has never had more money yet

fans can still face prices that are, at times, absurd.

#ShareTVWealth

» An Away Fans Initiative Mark II: £1m per club per season set aside to subsidise ticket prices for their away fans.

» Structured engagement with supporters at every club to consult on how to spend this money.

» An end to the application of match categorisation to away fans, all away fans to pay category C prices.

» No reduction in away ticket allocations or relocation of away fans to inferior accommodation.

© Chelsea Debs


#ShareTVWealth

“During the past 20 years football has been flooded

with money, delivering huge reward for owners,

agents, and players. This time we want to see fans

benefit too.

“This colossal TV deal gives clubs a tremendous

opportunity to give something back – they can

easily afford to drop ticket prices and make football

affordable for all.”

Following that meeting, the Premier League

announced increased funding for grassroots

facilities, solidarity payments to lower leagues,

sporting and educational initiatives, and support of

disadvantaged groups. Significantly, there was also a

new commitment to funding work in relation to the

matchday experience and fan engagement.

The total spending in these five areas represents

£1bn of the £5.14bn TV deal. This announcement of

these increased funding streams is a welcome one

and we are particularly pleased with the new funds

aimed at match-going supporters.

We look forward to continued dialogue between

fans, clubs and the Premier League as to how this

money is spent. Supporters must be at the heart of

the decision making process; every club’s fan base

has different needs, and addressing these requires

proper dialogue.

#ShareTVWealth message reaches millions

The #ShareTVwealth demo was one of our

highest profile events to date. It was splashed

across screens and newspapers throughout the

country, and many overseas. Securing coverage

in The Mirror, The Evening Standard, The

Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Liverpool Echo,

The Daily Express, The Daily Star, BT Sport, BBC

Sport, The Independent, The Telegraph, Goal.

com, The Leicester Mercury, Bloomberg, ESPN,

the Irish Mirror, and Reuters to name a few.

We also did radio and TV interviews for stations

as diverse as BBC Radio 1/News at One, RTL,

Canal+, CX30 (Uruguay), Radio Rebelde (Cuba)

and Radio Globo (Brazil). You can see Copa90’s

video of the demo here: bit.ly/ShareTVWealth.

£5.136Billion

SKY SPORTS

Cost of Premier League domestic TV

rights 2016-19 on 2013-16 deal

Increase

PAYING £1.392bn PER SEASON

BT SPORTPAYING £320m

PER SEASON

71%

Per game

£10.19Million

Source: Premier League

© Chelsea Debs


Fans for Diversity

The successful Fans for Diversity is a joint

programme run by the FSF and Kick it Out, led

by our diversity and campaigns manager Anwar

Uddin. It is now entering its second year.

This work encompasses a wide range of initiatives to

encourage the involvement of fans from a spectrum

of backgrounds as diverse as the communities in

which we live. “I’m delighted to get the campaign

off the ground. One of the biggest things has been

getting it started and raising awareness of what the

campaign can do,” said Anwar.

When launching Fans for Diversity we held a fan

consultation which revealed that many of society’s

issues of discrimination continued to be reflected in

football. 44% of fans surveyed reported that they

had personally experience or witnessed racist abuse

within a football ground, 45% homophobic abuse and

30% abuse of a sexist nature.

Fans for Diversity has enjoyed an impressive first

year – helping to establish the first national network

of LGBT supporter groups, diversifying the FSF

membership, backing the creation of the Bangla

Bantams and launching research into women’s

experiences at men’s football (see p12-13). “It’s been

a really good first year,” Anwar added. “We’ve had lots

of great events bringing together clubs and supporters,

building momentum for next year.

“Producing the annual Fans for Diversity report has

been one of the highlights for me. It’s been such a

busy year of events, we’ve been on the road a lot of

the time visiting supporter groups all over the country.

It’s easy to forget how much you’ve done, so it’s nice to

have that as a reference to show what Fans for Diversity

has already done and the impact it can have.”

Because football is for everyoneFans for Diversity

In November, LGBT fans from across the country

met for the first ever national LGBT fans’ group

conference - #PrideinFootball.

More than 80 delegates attended the event in

Manchester representing groups such as Canal Street

Blues, Proud Canaries, Proud Lilywhites, and more.

With support from Fans for Diversity, Pride In

Football ushered in a commitment to establish a

#PrideinFootball

national umbrella network for all LGBT supporter

groups. Delegates met again in February 2015, and

it is expected to be constituted this summer. Zitta

Lomax from the Gay Gooners group said:

“I feel we are stronger together. I believe for LGBT

fans’ groups to move forward we need everyone

worker together. Hopefully now we can start

joining the dots together to get people working

collectively.”


Fans for Diversity

Much of Anwar’s work has focused on identifying

and eliminating barriers to attending football – two

examples of this were the buddying system at Bradford

City (see our Bangla Bantams case study, p11) and a trip

to Wembley for young Asian footballers from London’s

East End Bangladeshi community. The Wembley trip

aimed to educated the young people about the history

of the English national side and encourage British

Asians to go and see England at Wembley.

Anwar said: “There’s a huge appetite for football

across the country and we want to encourage people

to embrace their local team, whatever level that

happens to be.

“But there still exist some communities, some

groups, who do not feel that they can access football

even if it’s on their doorstep. The campaign is

about bringing together fans and clubs to make the

matchday experience the best it can be.

“I’d encourage all fans who want to get involved

with the Fans for Diversity campaign to get in touch

with us.”

In January the long-serving secretary of Brighton

& Hove Albion Supporters’ Club Sarah Watts

passed away. Sarah was a regular at FSF

conferences and a strident campaigner who

was well known for her work with GFSN in

challenging homophobia. RIP Sarah.

Appointed to lead the Fans for Diversity

campaign in March 2014, Anwar has a strong

footballing background. Born and raised in

Stepney, London, he was a West Ham United fan

growing up and played in the 1999 FA Youth Cup

winning side.

He went on to play for Bristol Rovers, Dagenham

& Redbridge, and Barnet – becoming the first

British Asian to captain a side in the top four

divisions. Before joining the FSF, Anwar delivered

anti-racism education with Show Racism the Red

Card and the PFA.

Anwar Uddin – Diversity & campaigns manager

Anwar lifts the League Two play-off trophy for Dagenham & Redbridge at Wembley in 2010

RIP Sarah Watts

One of the aims of the Fans for Diversity

campaign was to diversify the membership of

the FSF to ensure the organisation has greater

representation from BAME, LGBT, and disability

fan groups.

Over the course of 2014-15 we have increased

the diversity of the associated and affiliate

membership of the FSF. The organisations to

join us include: Bangla Bantam, Canal Street,

Blues, Football Unites – Racism Divides,

Football versus Homophobia, Gay Gooners, Gay

Football Supporters’ Network, Level Playing

Field, Manchester City Disabled Supporters

Association, Proud Canaries, Proud Lilywhites,

Punjabi Rams and Punjabi Wolves Supporters.

Stronger representation

© Actionimages


Fans for Diversity

In 2014/15, led by Anwar, Fans for Diversity held 25

events across the country in 12 different towns and

cities. Here are some of the highlights...

September: Disability football was the focus for Fans

for Diversity at the Dripping Pan, where disability

teams from Lewes took on a team from Wingate &

Finchley on Non-League Day.

November: Fans from Punjabi Rams and Punjabi

Wolves Supporters met ahead of their fixture at Pride

Park. They presented a banner on the pitch for as

part of Remembrance Sunday before continuing their

festivities after the match.

January: With the help of Fans for Diversity,

Dagenham & Redbridge FC unveiled their community

mural: depicting a famous moment in the club’s

history, when they won promotion with our own

Anwar Uddin.

February: The Proud Lilywhites were at the North

London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham

Hotspur in February. Hosting a series of social events,

the LGBT group also had a stand outside White Hart

Lane telling fans about Fans for Diversity.

February: Fans for Diversity was at Tonbridge

Angels FC vs East Thurrock United for “Football for

everyone day” at Longmead. Funding was provided

for a learning disability team from Maidstone to face

their Tonbridge counterparts prior to the first-team

fixture.

March: Fans for Diversity attended schools alongside

AFC Wimbledon staff in March, educating young

people about discrimination with the “Mind Your

Language” schools art competition.

March: Wingate & Finchley hosted Fans for Diversity

when they played Dulwich Hamlet at Harry Abrahams

stadium, with countless flags and T-Shirts on display.

At the FA Trophy final between Wrexham and North

Ferriby United, eight mascots carried a three-by-

three metre flag out before kick-off.

April: Anwar took a group of young Asian footballers

to Wembley in April to tell them about the history of

the English national side and encourage more young

people from BAME communities to attend England

games. “England is there for everyone to support,” he

said. “This about giving young people the confidence

Events around the country in 2014/15Fans for Diversity

Punjabi Rams and Punjabi Wolves Supporters

© jamesboyes

11The FSF Annual Review- 2015

Fans for Diversity

Fans for Diversity was instrumental in pulling

together football academies in Bradford with the

aim of increasing the number of Asian fans attending

Valley Parade. Bradford is a town with a large Asian

population, but comparatively few attend football

matches even though Valley Parade is on their

doorstep – something Anwar sought to address by

meeting with the club and academy leaders.

Abu Qasim runs the Shapla Academy: “My parents

and many of the Asian community locally have a

genuine fear of supporters – both home and away

fans – and they do their best to avoid them. But

things have changed and I now want us to become

part of it and join in supporting our local team.”

It was out of these discussions that the “Buddy

Scheme” emerged – where Asian fans accompanied

young Bantams from the academies and Asian

community to their first Bradford City fixture. Initially

it ran for two home fixtures before Christmas. “The

younger fans fell in love with the club and the aura that

only a live football match can provide,” said Anwar.

Pioneers of the buddy scheme have now created

the Bangla Bantams, the UK’s first Bangladeshi

supporters group. The Bangla Bantams hope to

establish the next generation of Asian supporters

who support their local side. This will go some way to

dispelling a lot of the negative stereotypes that the

local Asian community still have regarding football.

The Bangla Bantams have now become an associate

member of the FSF and will work closely with Kick It

Out, Bradford City, and existing supporter groups in

the future. The number of Asian fans watching games

at Valley Parade is steadily on the increase.

Case study: Bangla Bantams

To find out more about this work, download the Fans for Diversity annual report: bit.ly/FSF-FFD

to go and buy a ticket and take their Dad to a match

at Wembley.”

April: We backed the Football Therapy tournament

at Lewes FC with two teams of disability players

going head-to-head before Lewes’s first team took

to the field.

June: We helped bring together the Proudly East

London football tournament, with local sides such as

Clapton Ultras, East End Phoenix, and Enfield Ultras

promoting diversity. Niall O’Domagain of East End

Phoenix said: “As football is becoming more and

more distant it’s important we hold up grassroots

and community football with events like this.” See

Copa90’s video of the event: bit.ly/ProudlyEastLdn

In May Vicarage Road hosted a Fans for Diversity XI, who took part in a charity football tournament raising more than £1,000 for the Nepal Earthquake appeal.

© Soccer League UK

© Bangla Bantams


Fans for Diversity

Fans for Diversity commissioned research on

behalf of the FSF and Kick It Out looking into

the experiences of thousands of women fans at

professional men’s games. Led by researcher and

FSF National Council member Fiona McGee, the

Women at the match report is the largest piece of

research looking at women’s experiences at men’s

football that there has ever been in this country.

The survey was conducted over a six week period at

the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015, gathering

responses from 2,984 match-going regulars (including

255 men, whose answers were discounted). Women

were asked 22 multiple choice questions covering

many aspects of being a fan including the team they

supported, membership of supporter groups, factors

influencing attendance, and their experiences of sexism.

Fiona said: “The findings may surprise many - the

split was fifty-fifty when it came to how many women

had experienced sexism at the match.” Half of all

respondents reported having experienced some form

of sexism as a result of attending football matches,

additionally 8.5% reported received unwanted

physical attention at some point. Fiona also led focus

groups after the survey, allowing us to explore in

greater detail some of the issues raised.

For many women their love of the game comes at

a price, but only 2% of those surveyed said that

matchday sexism would stop them from attending

more games. However, the data also shows us that

women do not differ significantly from men when it

comes to how they get into football (51% surveyed

first attended with a parent) and 70.5% of women

had been to their first match by the age of 15.

Irrespective of whether you’re female or male,

it’s the cost of following your team, particularly

ticket prices, which is likely to bother you most –

59% of women said high ticket prices discourage

them from attending more games. The cost of

travel also represented a significant barrier (34%).

Respondents told us they would like to see clubs do

more to combat sexism, for women to have more

than tokenistic roles at clubs, have a higher profile,

and for stewards to receive better training on the

problem of matchday sexism.

Fiona said: “We often hear sexism dismissed as

‘banter’, that most pernicious of terms in modern

football parlance – and that any attempts to tackle

sexism at football grounds are simply the latest

attempts by the ‘PC Brigade’ to spoil people’s fun.

We believe it is possible for it to be challenged

without losing the wit and humour found in football

crowds. It’s not about making the experience worse

for men, it’s about improving it for all fans.”

Women don’t want special treatment. What’s good

for women fans is good for all fans: affordable tickets,

lower travel costs and reasonable kick-off times. This

research will influence the debate about women’s

experience at men’s football and inform discussions

between the FSF, Kick It Out, and the authorities on

how to make the game more inclusive for all.

Report: Women at the matchFans for Diversity

© Actionimages


Fans for Diversity

“You’re only here because you fancy the players!” 21% of women had been told this at a match.

How does matchday sexism make women feel?

31.5% of women embarrassed for the sexists.

29% made angry by sexist comments.

13% found it upsetting.

10% felt it was “part of the matchday experience.”

What have women heard at matches? 25% heard sexist comments.

18.5% heard sexist chanting.

9.5% told they only attend because their

boyfriend or husband does.

8.5% received unwanted physical attention.

“You know a lot for a girl!” 35.5% of women had been told this at a match.

35.5% 21%

(Respondents were able to choose as many answers as applicable)

What should happen to people who behave in sexist way at matches?

Fans should challenge

Report to steward

Ejected from the ground

Report to police

Nothing - people can say what they want

Other punishment - e.g. bans

47%

39%

18%

7%

17%

22%


News Review

Season tickets “for life” – fans beware

3rd July 2014

Port Vale fans who forked out thousands for “lifer”

season tickets were told by the club that the deal

would no longer be honoured. Depending on their

age fans paid between £1,500 to £8,000 for life

entry to Vale Park but, since the club went into

administration in 2012 Vale’s new owners are not

legally obliged to honour the deal. Disgusting. Dick

Dale, editor of The Vale Park Beano, told the FSF it

was a “PR disaster”.

Football Ombudsman: “Family tickets” should be offered to away fans

11th July 2014

The Independent Football Ombudsman said clubs

offering “family tickets” to their own fans should

extend this gesture to away supporters. The

recommendation followed a complaint made by

Shrewsbury Town fan Chris Wynne who was unhappy

following his side’s visit to Walsall. Tickets for himself

and his son had cost him £37, the equivalent price for

a home fan with a child was only £23.50. Let us know

if you see a club falling foul of this recommendation.

Rivalries set aside as fans pay tribute to flight MH17 victims

21st July 2014

Supporters paid their respects to Newcastle

United fans John Alder and Liam Sweeney who lost

their lives when Flight MH17, on which they were

travelling to watch their team’s friendly games in

New Zealand, was shot down over Ukraine. It was a

tragedy that bridged rivalries in grief and sympathy

- an appeal set up by Sunderland fans for a floral

tribute ended up raising an incredible £33,618.

Greg Dyke: FA is old, white, male and in danger of irrelevancey

26th July 2014

In a video message to the Supporters Summit - held

at Wembley by the Football Supporters’ Federation

and Supporters Direct - FA Chairman Greg Dyke

challenged the body to reinvent itself and better

represent those who play and follow the game.

Supporters only have one representative on the 100+

person FA Council and Dyke said he didn’t believe

this was “proper representation”. He’s always good

for a line, and his statement meant the Supporters

Summit featured in national headlines.

A season’s worth of stories...News Review 2014/15

© Actionimages

© Actionimages


News Review

Fans’ victory: Coventry City return home

10th September 2014

Coventry City returned home for the first time since

2013. Keep Cov in Cov’s Michael Orton explained

what the homecoming meant for him - an emotional,

party-like atmosphere in front of 27,000+ fans for a

live televised game against Gillingham, which came

after a long, hard-fought campaign by supporters.

Former FSF Writer of the Year Henry Winter summed it

up perfectly in The Daily Telegraph: “The club can put

spin on [it]…but it was fan power that counted. It was

all the campaigners who highlighted the moral disgrace

of moving the club out of the city…The return to the

Ricoh was a victory for supporters who refused to

accept their club being treated like a franchise, moved

around, messed around. Coventry fans never stopped

believing, never stopped campaigning.”

Home Office: Football arrests are “lowest on record”

19th September 2014

You saw the good news that football arrests

dropped by 7% during 2013/14 and represented the

lowest total on record, right? Of course you didn’t

– because it was largely ignored! More than 38m

spectators attended regulated football matches in

England and Wales that season with only one arrest

for every 16,800 spectators - less than one person

arrested inside or outside the ground at every game.

Sadly the media only really seem interested in this

subject when arrests are on the rise.

FSF meets England Commission

29th September 2014

The FSF and Supporters Direct met with representatives

of the FA Chairman’s England Commission. The strength

of opposition to the proposal to introduce a system of

B-teams operating in a “League Three” was conveyed,

while the suggested development of Strategic Loan

Partnerships between clubs was characterised as ‘feeder

clubs by the back door’ and deemed unacceptable.

FA proposals to address the balance of British, EU and

non-EU players – specifically the proposal to reduce

from 17 to 12 the maximum number of non-Home

Grown Players allowed in a Premier League squad,

and the imposition of more restrictive non-EU work

visa requirements – were generally supported.

Ticket prices outstrip the cost of living

15th October 2014

The BBC’s ‘Price of Football’ survey showed prices have

grown at almost twice the rate of the overall cost of

living. Researchers analysed prices at 207 clubs and,

since 2011, the cost of a matchday ticket has risen 13%,

compared to just a 6.8% rise in the cost of living.

Kevin Miles, chief executive of the FSF, said: “At a

time when there’s more money in football than there

ever has been before with the incredible television

revenues coming in, it is ridiculous that fans are still

being squeezed. Long-term fans are asked to choose

between their loyalty to their club and their financial

welfare. Working class people are being priced out.

Football is losing its social inclusion.”

© Cov Pix

© Actionimages


News Review

FSF response to Ofcom

12th December 2014

Ofcom announced it was opening an investigation into

how the Premier League sells broadcast rights for its

matches and wrote to the FSF asking for a submission.

Our response outlined support for the principle of

collective rights selling and the “closed period” for the

live broadcasting of matches, between 14.45 and 17.15

on Saturdays. We also opposed any significant increase

in the number of televised games.

A Derby To Be Proud Of

12th December 2014

Fans joined forces to say, yes, we want an

intimidating atmosphere at the Tyne-Wear derby, but

that can happen without violence. The event heard

tales from ex-pros Kevin Ball and Lee Howey, who

spoke about their experiences of these games, while

supporters found common ground on allocations and

high prices.

The Times’ George Caulkin wrote: “This was not

about ‘happy-clappy’ platitudes but preserving the

intensity and hostility of the atmosphere ‘without

resorting to violence’...Nobody wants the derby

to be emasculated, to be robbed of its ferocity or

vibrancy, to lose its essence but, equally, it should

not be a repository for bile. There are common

causes, from safety, policing, pricing, to standing up

for good sense. In the right circumstances, there can

also be laughter; it is not a betrayal.”

Fans tell Premier League - kick “categorisation” into row Z

23rd January 2015

FSF chief executive Kevin Miles led a delegation of fans

to talk tickets with the Premier League - nine out of

10 fans tell us they think prices are too expensive. Top

of the agenda was kicking “categorisation” into row

z and the possibility of a maximum away ticket price

(“Twenty’s Plenty for Away Tickets”), prices for younger

fans as they graduate out of “kids” concessionary

prices, and finding out how the Premier League can

help fans get in front of decision-makers at clubs.

Dear clubs, more FA Cup tickets in the hands of fans please...

5th March 2015

The FSF wrote to every Premier League, Football

League, and Conference club asking if they support the

principle of more FA Cup final tickets being allocated

directly to competing finalists. Despite Wembley’s

90,000 capacity the finalists receive only 25,000 tickets

each with 17,000 going to Club Wembley and 23,000

to the “football family”. Far too many tickets are then

regurgitated via the black market, let’s get more FA

Cup final tickets directly into the hands of supporters.

Fans’ voice heard as Premier League promise £1bn

26th March 2015

The FSF led the “Share TV Wealth” demo at the Premier

League’s shareholder meeting, demanding cheaper

tickets, more money for grassroots football and a more

equitable distribution of money throughout the pyramid.

That evening the Premier League announced increased

funding for grassroots facilities, solidarity payments to

lower leagues, sporting and educational initiatives, and

support of disadvantaged groups. There was also a new

commitment to funding work in relation to the matchday

experience and fan engagement. The total spending in

those five areas represents £1bn of the £5.14bn TV deal.


News Review

Boycott! Cardiff City, Liverpool, and Newcastle United fans stay away...

April 2015

Around 1,000 Liverpool fans boycotted Hull City in

protest at £50 away tickets (£34 more than fans of

Cat C clubs paid). Organised by FSF-affiliated Spirit

of Shankly and atmosphere group Spion Kop 1906,

the boycott was hailed a “massive success”.

Newcastle United fans turned on their club’s

hierarchy following an abysmal run of form.

Michael Martin of Newcastle United Supporters’

Trust said the club’s owners had turned it into an

“underachieving basket case”. Thousands upon

thousands stayed away.

April boycotts weren’t limited to the Premier League

either. Cardiff City fans didn’t travel to Elland Road,

the Bluebirds returning their tickets to Leeds in the

face of an unexplained restriction to their allocation.

FSF National Council member Vince Alm said: “They

have offered us a derisory 500 tickets which wouldn’t

have been enough... we haven’t heard anything back

from Leeds.” Wigan Athletic fans also boycotted

Elland Road in December 2014 thanks to £36 tickets.

Blackpool fans: “A Day Of Judgement”

2nd May 2015

Rock bottom and headed for the lowest points

total in Championship history. Owners suing fans

for libel. Patched up playing squad. Blackpool fans

were basically involved in a civil war with their club’s

owners, the Oystons. Supporters’ Trust chairman

Steve Rowland explained exactly what’s wrong

at Bloomfield Road and invited all fans to join in

their ‘Day Of Judgement’ on the final game of the

season. Their final game at home to Huddersfield

Town was called off after supporters invaded the

pitch and refused to leave in protest at the Oystons

mismanagement of the club.

Bradford fire: Some things are bigger than football

11th May 2015

Paul Keat, chair of Leeds United Supporters’ Trust,

attended the 30th Anniversary Memorial of the

Bradford City fire on behalf of the FSF. A total of

56 people died in the disaster, with more than 250

others injured. Added to this was the death of

15-year-old Leeds United fan Ian Hambridge, in a

separate incident in Birmingham, on the same day.

“Time is a healer, but it appears the clock is running

slower than most in the city with many of the

hundreds attending reduced to tears during ‘You’ll

never walk alone’ and ‘Abide with me’,” wrote Paul.

“The amber and claret colours of the Bantams,

everywhere. But, if you looked closely you could see

those of other teams: Lincoln City, of course, but of

neighbours Leeds United, Huddersfield Town, and

others from further afield including Crewe Alexandra,

Chesterfield, Stoke City, and Manchester City.

Football United, in remembrance.”

© Actionimages

© Paul Keat

Awards

In association with William HillFSF Awards 2014

The FSF Annual Review - 201518

The FSF Awards in association with William Hill took

place on Monday 1st December 2014 at the St.

Pancras Renaissance London Hotel with hundreds

of nominees, fans, journalists, club representatives,

and even the odd player in attendance...

The process began in September when nominations

opened – names flooded in as FSF members put

forward their favourites in every category. Sixty-

six nominees across 11 categories were then

shortlisted by an FSF Awards Panel, nine of those

categories went to a public vote.

Player of the Year:» Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) - WINNER!

» Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

» Branislav Ivanović (Chelsea)

» Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton)

» Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

» Yaya Touré (Manchester City)

Blogger of the Year:» Arseblog (Andrew Mangan) - WINNER!

» Beesotted (Various)

» Copa 90 (Various)

» The Premier League Owl (Seb Stafford-Bloor)

» The Real FA Cup (Damon Threadgold/Simon Barnett)

» Two Hundred Percent (Ian King)

Commentator of the Year:» Jon Champion (Absolute Radio)

» Alan Green (BBC)

» Conor McNamara (BBC)

» Guy Mowbray (BBC)

» Clive Tyldesley (ITV)

» Martin Tyler (Sky Sports) - WINNER!

Fanzine of the Year:» A Love Supreme (Sunderland)

» Duck (Stoke City)

» Popular Stand (Doncaster Rovers)

» Stand (Various)

» The Square Ball (Leeds United) - WINNER!

» United We Stand (Manchester United)

Independent Website of the Year:» The Anfield Wrap (Liverpool)

» Fantasy Football Scout

» The Inside Left

» True Faith (Newcastle United)

» The Two Unfortunates

» WhoScored - WINNER!

Sergio Aguero topped off an amazing 2014 by picking up

the FSF Player of the Year Award


Awards

While the majority of categories focus on media matters, the Supporters Liaison Officer of the Year and Away

Day of the Year awards are both reflective of the matchday experience. Both awards were chosen by a specially-

convened FSF Awards Panel:

Newspaper of the Year:» The Daily Mail

» The Daily Mirror

» The Daily Telegraph

» The Guardian - WINNER!

» The Independent

» The Times

Podcast/Radio Show of the Year:» The Football Ramble

» Football Weekly (The Guardian) - WINNER!

» The Monday Night Club (BBC 5 Live)

» The Sound of Football

» The Tuesday Club with Alan Davies

» The Warm Up (TalkSport)

Away Day of the Year:» Cardiff City - WINNER!

» Hull City

» Preston North End

» Reading

» Rotherham United

» Wigan Athletic

Supporter Liaison Officer of the Year:» Birmingham City (Sarah Gould)

» Crewe Alexandra (Beverley Dyer and Dave Tomlinson)

» Everton (Christine Prior)

» Stoke City (Anthony Emmerson) - WINNER!

» Sunderland (Chris Waters)

» Tottenham Hotspur (Jonathan Waite)

Pundit of the Year:» Jamie Carragher (Sky Sports)

» Stan Collymore (TalkSport)

» Lee Dixon (ITV)

» Gary Lineker (BBC)

» Gary Neville (Sky Sports) - WINNER!

» Robbie Savage (BBC)

Writer of the Year:» Tony Barrett (Times)

» David Conn (Guardian)

» Andy Dunn (Mirror)

» Amy Lawrence (Observer) - WINNER!

» Sam Wallace (Independent)

» Henry Winter (Telegraph)


The Square Ball - worthy Fanzine of the Year winners

The Guardian team celebrate picking up the Newspaper, Podcast/Radio, and Writer of the Year awards


Watching Football Is Not A Crime!

Throughout the past season our caseworker,

Amanda Jacks, has been assisting fans who have

found themselves on the wrong side of the law,

been banned by their football club, or had cause

to complain about policing and stewarding.

The FSF continues to utilise the excellent support of

Deighton Pierce Glynn (civil solicitors) and Melanie

Cooke (criminal lawyer) with fans benefitting from

pro bono advice that is, in this current climate,

increasingly difficult to find. We’re extremely

fortunate to be able to provide this service.

Amanda has noted a trend away from complaints

about policing and an increase in complaints about

stewards. A common theme from away fans is “we’re

Bad experience at the match because of stewards, police, or crowd management? Don’t shrug it off - tell us

about it. Call 0330 44 000 44, email [email protected], or tweet @FSF_FairCop.

not treated like customers but as potential public

order problems”.

Increasingly, supporter representatives are expressing

a desire to be formally recognised by their clubs,

Local Authority Safety Advisory Groups and Police

as ‘stakeholders’, particularly ahead of larger fixtures

and local derbies. Greater Manchester Police and

London’s Metropolitan Police lead the way in this

regard and we hope others will follow next season.

There were crowd congestion problems at Spurs when

Newcastle visited for the League Cup in December

- many complained of crushes and hundreds missed

kick-off due to poor crowd management. The FSF

and Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust took up

Fan in trouble? Then we’re here to help…Watching Football Is Not A Crime!

Fans win payout from QPR over steward incidents

Two separate QPR fans won compensation from

the club after lengthy legal battles following

particularly unpleasant stewarding. In the first

case, QPR fan Graham was tackled by stewards

and thrown up against corrugated fencing as he

was leaving the ground after a dispute in which

he committed no crime or wrong-doing.

The club fought Graham for three years but finally

agreed to pay compensation and costs. Bob, a

season ticket holder since 1963, was also attacked

by three stewards - he was singled out after fans

complained about stewards obstructing their

view. Nine witnesses, including two club staff,

contradicted the stewards’ version of events, but

QPR still fought the case for more than three years.

Bob eventually won £12,500 from QPR plus costs.

A third fan, this time a Sunderland supporter,

also settled claims against the club over a similar

incident. QPR said they had made “many changes

in operating practices and personnel since 2010-11

and we are confident that similar situations will not

occur again.”


Watching Football Is Not A Crime!

their complaints, liaising with the club to secure

improvements to the away access.

We’ve helped our fair share of fans in the face

controversial decisions – these are filed under “you

couldn’t make it up” and include Wembley refusing

Aston Villa fans permission to float their surfer flag

because it mentioned the word Arsenal.

Then there was Manchester United initially refusing

entry to three Arsenal fans unless they surrendered

their walking aids for the duration of the match. At

Barnet, a Grimsby Town fan was arrested and charged

after allegedly hitting a steward with his inflatable

shark during goal celebrations. He maintains it was

purely accidental and blown out of all proportion.

“This past season has seen many fans charged with a

first offence in circumstances which, outside football,

would have only resulted in a caution or fixed penalty

notice. In some cases, fans have reported police

telling them: “you’re being charged because it’s

football related, sorry”.

“With France 2016 looming there has been an

increase in charges for minor offences such as section

5 public order - drunk inside a stadium, drunk entry

to a stadium and the like. The fact that supporters

can go from having no previous record to a criminal

conviction and Football Banning Order (FBO) in

the space of a few beers (and often no disorderly

behaviour) will seem harsh to many.

“Many fans still believe that they don’t need to

Down with this sort of thing: Cambridge United plan to breathalyse fans

In May, Cambridge United announced that they

would be giving their stewards breathalysers

as part of a controversial new scheme run in

conjunction with Cambridgeshire Police.

The force said it will enable stewards to make

“empowered decisions” to prevent drunken

fans entering Abbey Road stadium, who they

say are likely to become problematic. In an

interview with FC Business, Mick Johnson, head

of the UK Football Policing Unit describes this as

“worthwhile experiment”.

How much of an issue is drunken behaviour you

ask? The latest Home Office statistics we have

show that there were 16 arrests at Cambridge

United last season. Three of those were for

alcohol-related offences. Worthwhile indeed.

“More fans need to seek legal advice” - Criminal lawyer Melanie Cooke

exercise their rights as surely they will be released in

a few hours with no further action? The point at which

the FSF is contacted is typically when a fan has been

charged and is then facing court proceedings. We

need to see more fans seeking legal advice whilst in

custody - it’s free, and can make a huge difference to

the outcome of a case.

“We continue to see success in court where the right

CCTV or mobile phone footage has come up trumps.

Fans at trial have enjoyed seeing the truth on camera

followed by a not guilty verdict. Our biggest success

is in opposing FBOs where there is no previous history

of poor behaviour at football. Convincing courts to

give fans the benefit of the doubt has allowed many

to continue supporting their team, albeit much wiser

following their court experience.”

© Actionimages


FIFA

It is four years since the FSF released that

statement and you could be forgiven for thinking

that little has changed. FIFA long ago lost credibility

among football fans on these shores and reform of

the game’s governing body has clearly been needed

for many, many years.

Back in 2011 the FSF also took the issue to the the

European Football Fans’ Congress, held by Football

Supporters Europe to whom the FSF is affiliated. The

Should fans boycott Russia/Qatar? There have been calls to boycott the 2018 and 2022 World Cups; a

course of action which could have profound effects. It is the nuclear option and solidarity from UEFA,

national FAs, and European fans’ groups would be required. A unilateral fans’ boycott would not achieve

the required impact if UEFA nations still competed - but if UEFA took a lead, supporters’ groups across the

continent would get behind them.

“The Football Supporters’ Federation believes that

FIFA and in particular its president Sepp Blatter

and its executive committee, have lost all credibility

within football following the persistent instances

of corruption, alleged corruption, and influence-

peddling. The role of football’s governing body is

crucial to the future of our game. Urgent reform is

required.” FSF website, 31st May 2011

motion called for the suspension of FIFA’s presidential

election, the appointment of an independent

commission of investigators, and called for national

FAs, sponsors, and politicians to pressure FIFA for real

and lasting reform.

The US Department of Justice was obviously

listening as a tidal wave of charges swept into FIFA

HQ with nine officials and five corporate executives

indicted for racketeering, conspiracy, and corruption

in May 2015. Prosecutors say they have uncovered

a dozen different schemes while investigating

corruption at FIFA, and some of those involved the

2010 World Cup.

Blatter himself has since announced that he will step

down from his role as FIFA’s president, although

not until a new election is held sometime between

December 2015 and February 2016. He acknowledges

that FIFA needs a “profound overhaul” but seems

unwilling to let go.

Football Supporters Europe rightly argue that the

the only hope for FIFA to regain any credibility is to

incorporate “the most radical and rapid changes” it

has seen in its 111-year history. With Blatter in charge

that cannot happen. Every day he remains at the helm

of FIFA its reputation diminishes further. Can it go any

lower? Fans will be following investigations by the US

Department of Justice to find out.

Blatter, bribes, and World Cup bids...FIFA

© Actionimages

FIFA


have one choice – stay and put up with it, or face the

consequences. Those consequences involve losing the

right to stay in the country, but at the same time not

being allowed to leave it. A worker without the right

papers will be locked up, often for more than a year.”

The FSF backs Playfair Qatar and chair Malcolm Clarke

spoke on this subject at both the TUC and UNISON’s

national conference alongside ex-Fulham defender

Abdeslam Ouaddo - a Moroccan international who

found himself trapped by the kafala system.

Find out more: playfairqatar.org.uk

While alleged bribery in the World Cup bid process has

led the news agenda, many other stories swirl around

FIFA, Qatar, and Russia. The most serious of those is

arguably the treatment of workers in Qatar. The World

Cup sparked a building frenzy as stadiums sprang from

the desert, built by construction workers from countries

such as India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

Playfair Qatar highlights the maltreatment of workers

and, to date, they say 1,400 workers have died during

construction and estimate that 62 people will die for

every World Cup game held in Qatar - 4,000 deaths.

The “kafala” system also means wages can go unpaid

and what recourse does the employee have? None.

“A worker that doesn’t want to risk his life, or demands

his wages, or complains that he can’t drink the water,

won’t get to change employers and if he pushes the

issue will probably end up in jail. Because kafala is

slavery,” says the TUC’s Stephen Russell.

“Under kafala, your employer decides if you can have

a visa to leave the country or permission to go to work

for someone else. If he withholds that permission, you

Playfair Qatar

“These latest revelations are symptomatic of

deep-seated and systemic failures of governance

within FIFA, an organisation that has lacked any

transparency, accountability or genuine democratic

processes under the ‘leadership’ of Sepp Blatter.

“This situation cannot be allowed to continue, and we

urge them to take decisive action, including a boycott

of FIFA’s structures and tournaments, in order to

finally force radical change in the organisation and

practices of world football. The only way for FIFA to

regain any credibility will be to incorporate the most

radical and rapid changes it has ever seen in its 111

years of history. FIFA must adopt credible procedures

and policies of transparency and accountability

that will withstand the most searching examination,

and include the structured involvement of all

stakeholders.

“FIFA, under the current leadership of Sepp Blatter

and his associates, has proven that it is unable

to achieve that, to regulate from within and to

implement any such desperately needed reforms.

Instead FIFA is shaken by one major scandal after the

other. What we finally need is a fresh start in world

football and people who truly care about it and are

courageous enough to do what is needed for this.

Now is the time.” Full statement: bit.ly/FSE-Blatter

Football Supporters Europe statement (2nd June 2015)

The FSF’s Kevin Miles backs Playfair Qatar

Safe Standing

The FSF Annual Review - 201524

Wales and Scotland say “yes” to safe standingSafe Standing Campaign

The Safe Standing Campaign continues to make

headway with much of this year’s progress taking

place in Wales, where fans, clubs, and politicians lined

up to back safe standing (above). There was big news

north of the border too...

With the Hillsborough Inquest still ongoing - it began in

April 2014 and its work looks set to continue throughout

2015 - much of the Safe Standing Campaign’s focus has

been on Wales and behind-the-scenes work.

Informed supporters understand that standing did not

cause the Hillsborough Disaster but politicians are still

cautious in their approach while the Inquest continues.

Regardless of what did or did not cause the disaster, the

FSF has submitted archived evidence to the Inquest, is

fully behind the fight for justice and firmly believes the

families and survivors deserve their day in court.

While there is still much work to be done in convincing

senior politicians in Westminster, elsewhere in the UK

things are moving forward at a great pace.

Wales and Scotland

The National Assembly for Wales has been especially

supportive in recent times. The campaign has

cross-party support, although it is important to

acknowledge the leading role played by Welsh

Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies.

In July 2014 an ‘Individual Members Debate’ backing

safe standing was tabled by Davies, along with

Assembly Members Ann Jones, Bethan Jenkins, and

Aled Roberts following a visit by the FSF and the Safe

Standing Roadshow to The Senedd. This passed 26-1.

The four Assembly Members penned an open letter to

(then) Minister for Sport, Tourism and Equalities, Helen

Grant MP, calling for a pilot of safe standing, saying:

“It is also now widely recognised that safe standing

areas enhance the atmosphere at grounds without

compromising safety, could improve access to games

for disabled fans, and are backed by an overwhelming

nine in 10 football supporters.

“A generation ago football stadiums were very different

places and the Taylor Report was produced in the

context of a national tragedy. Naturally safety must

remain the primary concern, but the football world has

moved on and we believe that it is time to reconsider

legislation which unfairly stigmatises football supporters.

“We have called for a pilot of safe standing to be

introduced in Wales to assess the potential for

Crystal Palace co-owners Steve Parish and Steve Browett have spoken of their support for safe standing and say

the club are “looking at the whole legal position of whether we’ve got to make people sit”. Browett says: “Every

group of away fans, at every Premier League club, stands – so we’re all pretending it doesn’t happen and it does,

let’s be honest about it.”

25

Safe Standing


reviewing the legislation which currently governs

stadium safety regulations and we would be extremely

keen to hear your views on this matter.”

Pressure was maintained as, once again, the FSF and

the Safe Standing Roadshow visited Wales in February

2015 to help launch a report by the Welsh Conservatives

which showed that 96% of fans backed safe standing.

A press conference held at Swansea City’s Liberty

Stadium received national coverage, with Bangor

City, Cardiff City, Newport County, Swansea City, and

Wrexham all backing the calls of fans and politicians in

Wales for a safe standing pilot.

The next step is for politicians in Westminster to

devolve that particular power to local politicians. That

might sound unlikely but it is certainly not impossible

and the Scottish Parliament already has that power.

The FSF does not represent Scottish fans but there is

obvious interest in developments north of the border. If

clubs in the SPFL were granted permission to install safe

standing area, why not those in the rest of Great Britain?

Celtic’s announcement that they intend to install a

“rail seat” area was therefore a huge boost for the

campaign. Glasgow City Council gave the thumbs up

in June 2015 and rail seats look set to be installed at

Parkhead in time for the 2016/17 season.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell said: “Celtic has

worked tirelessly on this issue and we are delighted

that this permission has finally been granted. Rail

seating at Celtic Park represents an investment in

spectator safety. Across football globally, the reality is

that some supporters are choosing to stand at matches.

“This is something we must accept and manage and

also understand the positive effect which these areas

have on atmosphere at matches.”

Next steps

There are still plenty of ways for fans in England to

get involved in the campaign. Last year Football

League clubs backed the concept of a safe standing

trial, but pressure must be maintained. Manchester

City fans’ group 1894’s ‘Legalise Safe Standing’

banner is supported by the FSF, email safestanding@

fsf.org.uk if you would like to see it at your club.

Alternatively, organise a survey and release the

results to your club and local media - the FSF can

build a bespoke online survey and help guide you

through the entire process.

Finally, the FSF looks forward to developing our

excellent relationships with the Sports Ground Safety

Authority, the Department of Culture, Media and

Sport, Football League, Premier League, the police,

and other authorities with an interest in standing,

safety, and choice of access for all football fans.While Celtic could be the first to use rail seats

at football, Bristol City were the first UK club

to install them. However, thanks to the bizarre

legislation which governs us they’re not allowed

to use them for football – although they can for

rugby. The club will introduce almost 3,800 rail

seats into Ashton Gate if the law is changed.

Did you know?

Rail seats at Wolfsburg

© Jon Darch

© Union FS


Politics

Making the fans’ voice heard in Westminster...Politics

One of the FSF’s main aims over the coming

Parliamentary term is to increase our influence in

Westminster and the National Assembly for Wales.

Football fans are voters and we should have a

voice in our democratic chambers.

2015 was of course an election year, giving an

obvious focal point to much of this work. Ahead

of the election we analysed the football-specific

manifesto commitments of the major parties and

shared this information with our members.

No-one would argue that football policy alone should

dictate all fans’ voting patterns but many did wish

to take it into account. At the very least we believe

voters should enter the booth with their eyes open,

aware of the policies that could impact on the things

they care about.

Pre-election the Labour Party committed to

“legislation to enable accredited supporters trusts to

appoint and remove at least two of the directors of

a football club and to purchase shares when the club

changes hands” and “ensure the Premier League

delivers on its promise to invest five per cent of its

domestic and international television rights income

into funding the grassroots.”

The Green Party also committed to supporter

ownership while the Liberal Democrats reaffirmed

their commitment to safe standing and “reform of

football governance rules to promote engagement

between clubs and supporters”. UKIP offered the

controversial promise to “abolish the Department

for Culture, Media and Sport”.

Those pledges might be of interest in another five

years, should the parties choose to keep them, but

we all know it is the Conservative Party manifesto

which mattered. Their commitment to increase the

number of of women on national sports governing

bodies to at least 25 per cent by 2017 could have

major implications for football’s authorities.

Football Question Time: What will the parties do for fans?

We joined forces with Supporters Direct to pose 10

questions on football policies to the main political

parties pre-election, a story picked up by The

Guardian (see graphic). The questions were put to

the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, UKIP,

“UKIP offered the controversial promise to “abolish the Department for Culture, Media and Sport”

© melfoody


Politics

Scottish National Party, Green Party, Plaid Cymru

and TUSC.

Then Sports Minister Helen Grant replied on

behalf of the Conservative Party. The questions

covered a huge range of issues: investment in

facilities, affordability, safe standing, consultation

and representation in the boardroom, governance,

ownership, TV rights and redistribution of wealth,

diversity, and the national team.

“Supporting a football team is often a labour of love

and there simply isn’t an option to ‘pick another

team’ no matter how expensive tickets become or

whatever the performance on the field!” says Grant.

“I have already made my feelings known to the

Premier League – given the recent broadcasting

deal, I would like to see a reduction in ticket

prices. I do not agree that Government should

legislate to make changes here – price fixing

typically leads to calamitous results which would

damage individual clubs and the wider health of

football across the country.”

#VoteFootball

We also gave our backing to the Vote Football

website which was launched in the build up to the

general election. The website enabled fans to lobby

their prospective MPs demanding better governance

and club protection. Users visited the site, entered

their post code, and an email was automatically sent

to all candidates in their constituency.

In total fans using Vote Football reached 599

constituencies, with 16,399 emails sent, 138 clubs

represented, and 3,658 candidates lobbied. The

website was a great tool in identifying MPs who

recognise the need for football governance reform.

Vote Football is not limited to one campaign though.

It can be used on any campaign where we wish to

lobby MPs, whether that relates to safe standing,

ticket prices, or any other matter. It was most

recently used to support the work of Damian Collins

MP - a fierce FIFA critic and supporter of football

governance reform. Read Helen Grant’s reply to all 10

questions: bit.ly/Football-QT

John Whittingdale MP, Secretary of State for

Culture, Media and Sport - Former chair of the

Culture, Media and Sport Committee, he was a

vocal critic of FIFA as far back as 2011. In 2013

he also turned his sights onto the domestic

game and the way it engages with fans: “If

football cannot reform itself, the Government

should introduce legislation as soon as

practically possible.”

Tracey Crouch MP, Minister for Sport - A

genuine football fan (Spurs) and qualified FA

coach. In June she criticised the lack of trickle

down effect from the Premier League: “The fact

we are still lagging behind other footballing

nations in our facilities is appalling and I really

want to make sure the Premier League make a

decent contribution to improving that situation.

I am genuinely rather appalled that they don’t.”

Jesse Norman MP, Chair of the Culture, Media

and Sport Select Committee - New to the role

previous held by Whittingdale. Has the power to

call football’s leaders to account and put them

in the spotlight. Fought hard for his local side

Hereford United in their recent struggles.

The political players:


Away Fans Matter

The FSF’s campaign to improve away daysAway Fans Matter

Away Fans Matter. Three little words but it’s

something we’re happy to bang the drum about

as travelling supporters are vital to the health of

our game. Without away fans, stadiums can be far

quieter, less vibrant places.

They bring noise and colour to grounds and often

spark the home support into life, generating the

atmosphere that appeals to TV audiences around the

world. Without away fans we believe football would

struggle to bring in these mega media deals; clubs

would lose millions each.

Yet there are many obstacles for the away fan -

ridiculous ticket prices, rising costs of travel, TV

messing about with fixtures, worst seats in the house,

unfriendly stewarding, and police interference with

KO times. Travelling supporters are often at the

sharp end – solve their problems and the benefits

flow towards home fans too.

Twenty’s Plenty for Away Tickets

Twenty’s Plenty launched in 2013 with a simple aim

in mind - to make football more affordable for the

travelling fan. An easy way for clubs to do this is

to set up “reciprocal” deals with opposition clubs,

preferably capping tickets at £20.

Away fans from both clubs then benefit, a step which

recognises the valuable contribution that they make

to the spectacle and overall atmosphere. Football

would not be the same without supporters packing

away ends.

During 2014/15 reciprocal deals were offered by half

of the Premier League’s clubs, at 18 different fixtures,

saving 30,548 fans a total of £306,820 - an average of

£10.04 per fan.

AWAY FANSMATTER

Twenty’s Plenty: Fans on penultimate game of season

Coventry City announced their support for

Twenty’s Plenty in June and capped all away

tickets at £20 for adults (£15 concessions, £7

juniors). “Our commitment to making football

more affordable – especially to families – is

highlighted once again in these prices ... which

very much fits into the FSF’s Twenty’s Plenty

campaign. I hope, for our supporters who like

to travel away from home, that the vast majority

of fellow League One clubs look to implement

a similar pricing structure,” said chief executive

Steve Waggott.

Coventry City back Twenty’s Plenty


Away Fans Matter

When clubs get things wrong, we’ll call them

out, but it’s also important to give them credit

when they get it right - so well done Aston

Villa, Everton, Hull City, Newcastle United,

Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland, Swansea

City, Tottenham Hotspur, and WBA.

While we wouldn’t pretend that Twenty’s Plenty

has “fixed” everything - many home and away

tickets are still too expensive - we’re proud

that our idea has saved fans so much money.

In 2013/14 31,807 fans saved £342,260 thanks

to Twenty’s Plenty, meaning fans have saved

£649,080 since the campaign’s launch.

What can I do?

We want to see more reciprocal deals being

offered and encourage all fans to lobby their

own clubs to back Twenty’s Plenty. Each club

is different and that work might take varying

forms through established forums, supporters’

groups/trusts, and/or fanzines.

How about bringing all your club’s fan

groups together to co-ordinate a joint letter

or campaign? Or joining forces with other

fan groups in your league to encourage

reciprocation of cheaper tickets? Contact us

and we’ll help you get the ball rolling.

- Savings measured against this season’s equivalent pricing or previous season’s fixture.

- If you know of a reciprocal deal we’ve missed email: [email protected]

We’re unequivocal about this - home fans

are often charged too much and we also

campaign on that. There is, however, a

specific problem for away fans who don’t

benefit from season ticket discounts and

have to pay more for travel. Clubs have

structures in place to liaise with their own

fans but visiting supporters often don’t

have a voice. We aim to fix that.

What about home fans?

This season’s top-flight reciprocal deals:

Teams

Swansea City v WBA

Aston Villa v Hull City

Southampton v Newcastle Utd

Sunderland v Swansea City

Stoke City v Newcastle Utd

Swansea City v Newcastle Utd

Spurs v Newcastle Utd

Everton v Swansea City

Newcastle Utd v Everton

Newcastle Utd v Southampton

Swansea City v Sunderland

Newcastle Utd v Stoke City

Hull City v Aston Villa

WBA v Swansea City

Everton v Newcastle Utd

Swansea City v Everton

Newcastle Utd v Spurs

Newcastle Utd v Swansea City

Fans (#)

1646

1472

1439

476

1482

1015

2273

1388

3245

1663

1630

1606

1340

1670

2340

1761

2859

1243

Saving (£)

10

10

12

10

10

10

10

10

5

12

10

10

5

10

14

10

10

17

Total (£)

16460

14720

17268

4760

14820

10150

22730

13880

16225

19956

16300

16060

6700

16700

32760

17610

28590

21131

© Actionimages


Away Fans Matter

The FSF Away Fans Survey 2014-15

Almost 4,000 fans completed the Away Fans

Survey during 2014-15, leaving feedback on

hundreds of fixtures across all divisions.

The survey details exactly what fans love or hate

about their away days, and the data generated has

proven useful in highlighting which clubs have been

doing consistently well, and opened up discussions

as to where they can improve. More and more clubs

are engaging with us on its findings.

Fans were asked to rate clubs on various factors such

as safety and security, transport, turnstile access,

concourse layout, food and drink, and the view of the

pitch, as well as giving an overall score out of 10.

Wigan Athletic (7.83) pipped Derby County (7.82) to

the post with the best overall score. QPR’s miserable

season wasn’t confined to the pitch as travelling fans

scored their trip to Loftus Road a lowly 3.58. Crystal

Palace limped to 4.94 while Liverpool completed the

top-flight’s bottom three with 5.32. Blackpool were

rock bottom of the Championship at 5.00.

The FSF also surveyed fans in League One, League Two, and beyond. Although the datasets were not

comprehensive enough to produce full league tables, the FSF does have a great deal of qualitative data and

anecdotal evidence it has shared with Supporter Liaison Officers. This data is also available to FSF affiliates/

associates who would like to work with their club to improve things for visiting fans, email [email protected].

See the full table: bit.ly/AFS-2014-15

Top 12

Wigan Athletic .............................................7.83

Derby County ...............................................7.82

Hull City ........................................................7.79

Brighton & HA..............................................7.69

Rotherham United .......................................7.55

Cardiff City ...................................................7.40

Huddersfield Town.......................................7.32

Southampton ................................................7.23

Reading .........................................................7.23

Stoke City .....................................................6.94

Sunderland ...................................................6.93

Fulham ..........................................................6.86

Bottom 12

Wolves ..........................................................5.70

Aston Villa ....................................................5.69

West Ham United .........................................5.58

Chelsea .........................................................5.52

Manchester United ......................................5.40

Liverpool .......................................................5.32

Leeds United ................................................5.28

Sheffield Wednesday ...................................5.26

Norwich City ................................................5.09

Blackpool ......................................................5.00

Crystal Palace ...............................................4.94

QPR ...............................................................3.58

Scores on the doors: How did Premier League and Championship clubs do?

Bolton Wanderers fans visit the DW Stadium

© Actionimages


Away Fans Matter

Unsurprisingly, price of a match ticket was deemed

“important” by 45% of respondents. The day/time of

kick off (53%) was the most important factor, while the

distance of travel (52%) came in second.

64% of fans rated the safety and security of away

areas as either good or excellent; while only one in 10

fans rated them as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

53% of fans surveyed bought refreshments, but 34%

did not think they were value for money, rating the

price as either ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

36% of fans travelled to games by car. Train/tube/

metro was the next popular, accounting for 35% of

travelling fans. 26% used buses or coaches.

One in every three supporters (29%) considered

whether friends/family were going as a significant pull

factor.

29% of fans rated the comfort of away areas as ‘good’

or ‘excellent’, 31% marked the comfort levels as either

‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

Just 13% rated pre-match and half-time entertainment

as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.

The average away rating across all four leagues was

6.26 – down from 6.44 last season. League ratings:

Championship (6.56), Premier League (6.03).

Facts and figures

45%

53%

52%

36% 35% 26%

29% 31%64%

29%

13%


Supporter Liaison Officers

Do you know who yours is?Supporter Liaison Officers

Supporter Liaison Officers have been in the

English league system for three full seasons – and

the picture remains mixed at best. Many clubs

are taking up the role enthusiastically, but still far

too many are doing the bare minimum, or worse,

ignoring the role entirely.

FSF National Council member Dave Tomlinson,

one-half of the SLO team at Crewe Alexandra, told

us that many clubs and countless fans are “still not

getting” the SLO concept. If we want to see SLOs

become a positive part of the relationship between

club and supporters, as we see on the continent,

then the role must not be neglected.

“We can’t lose the SLO role,” Dave said. “If fans are

pushing for it and using their SLO fully it becomes

harder for clubs to ignore it.

“You see it at a lot of clubs - the SLO being

appointed from within the club and the SLO being

a defensive role. Supporters need to be listened to,

and they need someone at the club who will put their

views across.”

SLOs can carry out a broad range of work, much of

it leading to concrete improvements in the matchday

experience or resolving disputes between supporters

and club. But one criticism that remains, even after

three full seasons, is of tokenism - too many clubs

appoint SLOs from within, or tack the SLO role onto

an existing member of staff’s job description

Dave shares the SLO role at Crewe Alexandra with

Beverley Dyer, the club’s customer service manager.

The club’s decision to have the role shared with a

long-time supporter and an existing member of staff

An SLO is a person appointed by the club

responsible for building bridges between the

club and its fans. SLOs might communicate

fans’ opinions to a club’s board or senior staff

members, and should also liaise with stewards,

police, and counterparts at opposition clubs.

The concept originated from European supporter

groups, first debated at the European Fans’

Congress in Barcelona 2010 – UEFA then dictated

that clubs wishing to compete in its competitions

had to appoint an SLO for the 2012-13 season.

Now Premier League and Football League rules

state clubs must have an SLO.

What are SLOs?

© Actionimages


Supporter Liaison Officers

There’s a section of the FSF website dedicated

to the subject of SLOs. It includes a contact list

for fans – with an SLO for every Premier League

and Football League club. You’ll also find the

SLO blog which highlights the good work done

by many SLOs, complete with case studies and

an FAQ section.

For more info visit: www.fsf.org.uk/slo

Want to know more about SLOs?

has been beneficial, Dave told us, leading to a more

constructive and collaborative approach.

Brighton & Hove Albion are another club

demonstrating good supporter liaison practice,

particularly leading the way with their approach

to away fans (see Away Fans Matter p28-31). Tom

Gorringe, head of marketing at B&HA said: “The

more we can do to remove the barriers for fans in

attending games the more people we can get here.

“Away fans also provide a vital component to the

atmosphere within the stadium which is what makes

football great.

“We’re keen to interact through our away twitter

account, answer questions and ensure that they not

only have all that they need but also stay here for as

long as possible because that is not only beneficial to

the club but also the city.”

Anthony Emmerson, winner of SLO of the year at

the FSF Awards in December 2014 and SLO at Stoke

City, is much more positive about the adoption of the

SLO in England and Wales – pointing to the growing

list of clubs who get supporter liaison right.

“I think the SLO role will continue to grow and

become ingrained in English football clubs,” Anthony

said. “SLOs are gaining prominence both internally,

among club staff, and the fans.

“I have regular meetings with other SLOs and some,

like ourselves, Swansea City, Tottenham Hotspur,

Birmingham City are doing very well, giving SLOs

real seniority and giving the supporters a voice in the

boardroom.”

One of Anthony’s most recent projects has been

working with disabled fans at the Britannia Stadium.

Many fans on the disabled decks had complained

about restricted views for periods of home games

and Anthony was able, by liaising with fans and Level

Playing Field, to work towards a solution.

Prior to his appointment at Stoke City, he was SLO at

Middlesbrough where he was also highly thought of.

At Middlesbrough, he initiated dialogue between the

club and the Red Faction ultras group. Previously this

was a strained relationship, but now the Red Faction

are a trusted and integral part of the atmosphere at

the Riverside Stadium.

These are just two examples of good supporter

liaison practice, and Anthony hopes that the SLO

role will continue to expand in England and Wales,

emulating its success in other countries, such as

Germany and Sweden.

“I think SLOs should be part of a larger team,” he

said, ”as it’s not always possible for a single SLO to

attend every home or away game. A good example

of that is Birmingham City, who have a team of SLOs.

In Germany they do very well with supporter liaison,

leading the way, and they have whole teams of SLOs.”

© Actionimages


International

England, Wales, and Football Supporters Europe…International

The disappointment of England’s all-too-brief

participation in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

was soon a thing of the past as the qualification

campaign for Euro 2016 got underway in Basel last

September. As usual England’s travelling support

was accompanied by the FSF’s England Fans’

Embassy service and a specially-prepared edition

of the Free Lions fanzine.

The Fans’ Embassy service has gone on to provide

advice, information and practical assistance to

England fans at qualifiers and friendlies alike, in

Estonia, Scotland, Italy, Ireland and Slovenia. FSF

representatives travel to the relevant venue in

advance of each fixture along with FA security staff

and the UK police delegation, garnering information

to pass on to fans and lobbying host authorities for

the optimum treatment of visiting supporters.

That multi-agency approach continues to pay

dividends in terms of ensuring a much warmer and

accommodating welcome when England fans arrive

in town. Nonetheless, the FSF remains prepared to

challenge our “partners” in this work whenever it

is felt that the interests of fans demand it, and one

example of this has been the lobbying of the FA

that we have carried out in seeking to overturn their

policy on the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC)

loyalty points system.

Historically, loyalty points, or ‘caps’, have been

awarded to members on the basis of one per home

game and two for each away game. With effect

from the end of the 2014 World Cup however, the

FA, motivated by a desire to fill Wembley for home

games, decided to reverse that allocation. This

was unsurprisingly greeted with anger by regular

travellers who felt that their efforts and expenditure

in supporting the team around the globe were

being undervalued.

The FSF took up this issue and – underpinned by

vocal chanting in forthright terms at away games

in Basel, Tallinn, Glasgow, and Turin – combined

lobbying and dialogue with FA staff right up to the

level of the chairman Greg Dyke. We also raised the

issue in the formal setting of the FA Council through

the supporters’ representative there, Malcolm

Clarke. A positive outcome was achieved in May

2015 when the FA agreed to equalise the numbers of

caps awarded for both home and away games, with

immediate effect.

T H E F O O T B A L L

F E D E R A T I O NS U P P O R T E R S’

fans’embassy

England fans in Dublin


Football Supporters Europe

The FSF continues to be a proud and active member

of the representative European fans’ organisation

Football Supporters Europe (FSE), and FSF chief

executive Kevin Miles was once more re-elected to

the FSE executive committee at last year’s European

Football Fans’ Congress in Italy.

FSE continues to campaign on the wide range of

issues affecting fans across the varied landscape

that is European football, and engages in rigorous

but constructive dialogue with the authorities,

particularly UEFA. The relationship is largely a

positive and collaborative one, with many shared

interests such as improving the match experience of

fans at European games by raising the standards of

policing and stewarding.

Similarly to the FSF’s relationship with the FA however,

sometimes it is necessary to take a firm stand against

UEFA’s official policies in defence of supporters’ interests.

One such example in the past year has been over the

‘collective punishment’ of supporters through the partial

closure of stands or matches played behind closed doors.

FSE has made strong representation to UEFA

about the impact of such punishments on entirely

innocent away fans, and has demanded exemption or

appropriate compensation for fans who have paid for

flights and accommodation, only to find subsequently

that their hosts have had a ‘behind closed doors’

sanction imposed on them.

International

The FSF also provides travel information for fans

following their clubs in European competition

and continues to press for the provision of Fans’

Embassy services at club level.

See: bit.ly/GroundGuide

Clubs in Europe

Graham Bleanch and Ken Malley

The FSF’s England

Fans’ Embassy team

suffered more than its

fair share of sadness

over the past year,

with the sudden and

unexpected deaths

of two of our regular

volunteers. Stalwart

team member Graham

Bleanch (above, on the cover of former FSF

magazine tfs), an ever-willing, constantly joking

and larger-than-life character, died suddenly

just before he was due to travel with Free

Lions to Tallinn in October 2014. His loss was

compounded by that of FSF National Council

member Ken Malley, who passed away before

the trip to Slovenia in June 2015.

Both ‘Bleanchy’ and Ken were hard-working,

committed and popular activists for the FSF, and

the widespread respect and affection for them

among England supporters – and among fans

of their respective clubs, Newcastle United and

Portsmouth – was touchingly reflected in the

many tributes received by the Fans’ Embassy

team. They will both be sadly missed and

remembered with a smile. RIP.

Roy Hodgson picks up his copy of Free Lions

© Dave Tomlinson


International

Once again, with the support of the Home Office,

FSF Cymru delivered Fan Embassy services to the

Welsh supporters at all away fixtures - myself,

Vince Alm, and Neil Dymock provide a 24-hour

emergency helpline during these visits.

It is mostly about preparation and a lot of work is

done ahead of games: reconnaissance trips, meetings

with consulates, the police, Welsh FA (FAW), and

the production of information booklets which are

distributed to all supporters who purchase tickets.

Our first game of the season was in Andorra and we

helped get fans up from Barcelona with a fleet of

coaches. It was a busy time as many fans fell victim to

pickpockets, losing wallets, watches, even a wedding

ring, but on the whole it was a successful trip.

September saw us head out to Brussels on a

reconnaissance trip with British Embassy staff and

Tijs Cools (Belgium supporter liaison) who showed us

around the national stadium. The big game arrived in

November with 2,200 Welsh fans inside the stadium.

However, lack of tickets was a big issue - 1,000 fans

in Belgium without tickets - and we were inundated

with calls. We visited the FAW ticket officer but

there were no spares. We had several calls about lost

passports - eight fans were issued with emergency

documents - but it was another successful trip.

Our next appeared to be the most difficult: Israel

and Tel Aviv. We were grateful to the FAW and Welsh

police who allowed us to make the reconnaissance

trip as their guests and the information we gathered

proved invaluable as we were able to reassure fans

about the safety of travelling to this often troubled

part of the world.

The game went exceptionally well with a huge 3-0

win for Wales and every fan we spoke to said they

felt very safe during the trip. It was nothing like they

imagined and the co-operation we had from all the

authorities and FAs was first class.

At the start of 2015 we visited Cyprus and Bosnia

and will produce information booklets for those

countries, keep an eye on the FSF website ahead of

those games. We will also participate in the Football

Supporters Europe conference in Belfast this summer

where we will join the preparations for Euro 16 which

we hope Wales will qualify for.

FSF Cymru also hold regular meetings with the FAW,

Welsh police, and security. These formal meetings

produce minutes which we distribute on the FSF site.

Recently we decided to get more fans involved by

holding meetings outside Cardiff, visiting Wrexham

in March and London in May.

Topics discussed are upcoming games, tickets,

memberships, and a variety of issues that supporters

have an interest in. Come and join us. FSF Cymru also

attend FSF National Council meetings throughout

the year as co-opted members, while Vince Alm is an

elected member of the NC.

FSF Cymru’s Paul Corkery reviews the Welsh national team’s season:

© Actionimages


FSF Matters

Finance

The FSF accounts are open to all members and will be

included in the pack for the AGM on Sunday 19th July.

They are also available at www.fsf.org.uk/accounts

- alternatively, email “Accounts” to [email protected]

or call 0330 44 000 44 and we can send them out to

members unable to make the AGM.

FSF pays Living Wage

In February 2015 the FSF became

the first national football

organisation to adopt the Living

Wage, following the great

example set by FC United, who

were accredited in 2014. The

current UK living wage is £7.95 (£9.15 in London) while

the legal minimum wage in the UK is £6.50. Employers

adopt the wage on a voluntary basis and apply to the

Living Wage Foundation for full accreditation. More

than 1,200 employers have signed up to the campaign

and now offer the living wage - the FSF is now one of

them and we’re extremely proud of that.

Roadshow events...

We want to get around the country and hear from

fans across England and Wales. To help facilitate that

we organised the first in a series of FSF Roadshow

events which have taken place in London, Leeds, and

Birmingham. We also held ‘A Derby To Be Proud Of’

event in Newcastle while our AGM is in Manchester.

This gives fans the chance, over a few pints in an

informal atmosphere, to find out more about our

work. What ideas do you have to boost current FSF

campaigns? Do you think there are areas that we could

do more in? Are we missing a trick? If you think the

Roadshow should visit your area, email [email protected].

Podcast mania

In June we recorded the pilot episode of the FSF

Podcast, at the Crown and Anchor in Covent Garden.

The recording took place in front of a live audience

on the night Blatter announced his supposed

resignation from FIFA. Unsurprisingly that became

the focus of the show, although we discussed

women’s football - fans’ attitudes to it, the World

Cup, and the future of clubs in the Women’s Super

League. Download the podcast: bit.ly/FSF-podcast.

Have you got the skills?

Do you have a particular skills set that you think

would be useful to the FSF? Fans are an eclectic

bunch and we are sure many of you have very useful

talents that could be utilised in fighting for a better

deal for fans. Maybe you are a maths whizz who can

shed light on complex Home Office arrest stats?

Or a designer who would like to knock up a few

homepage banners? A techhead with a great idea for

an app? As a voluntary organisation we rely on our

members to push things forward – get in touch if you

think you can help. Email: [email protected].

Other news from Planet FSF...FSF Matters


Who’s Who

If you would like to contact any of the

FSF’s NC members and don’t get a

response via the above address, email

[email protected] and your message you

will passed on to their private address.

FSF BoardThe FSF’s Board is selected by the National Council:

» Carroll Clark (Treasurer)

» Billy Grant (NC member)

» David Tomlinson (NC member)

» Fiona McGee (NC member)

» Ian Todd (NC member)

» Malcolm Clarke (Chair)

» Martin O’Hara (Deputy chair)

» Peter Daykin (NC member)

Non-voting Board members:» Kevin Miles (Chief executive)

» David Rose (Deputy chief executive)

Who’s Who

The NC is made up of members and officers (chair/

deputy chair) elected at the FSF AGM and secretary/

treasurer (elected by the NC). The FSF’s local divisions

have one place each along with FSF Cymru and a co-

opted representative from Supporters Direct. The NC

for 2015/16 will be elected at the AGM on Sunday

19th July 2015. Last season’s representatives are listed

below and the FSF would like to thank all who served

during 2014/15:

Alan Bloore (Yorkshire Division representative and vice president)

[email protected]

Billy Grant (Elected member) [email protected]

Carroll Clark (Treasurer) [email protected]

Dave Kelly (Elected member) [email protected]

David Tomlinson (North West and North Wales representative)

[email protected]

Fiona McGee (Elected member) [email protected]

Gareth Barker (Elected member) [email protected]

Ian Todd MBE (Elected member) [email protected]

Jon Keen (Elected member and secretary) [email protected]

Laura Fleck (Elected member) [email protected]

Leviathen Hendricks (Elected member)

[email protected]

Malcolm Clarke (Chair) [email protected]

Martin O’Hara (Deputy chair) [email protected]

Monica Hartland (President) [email protected]

Neil Springate (Southern Division representative)

[email protected]

Paul Corkrey (FSF Cymru representative) [email protected]

Peter Daykin (Elected member) [email protected]

Raj Chandarana (Elected member) [email protected]

Richard Knights (Elected member) [email protected]

Rick Duniec (Elected member) [email protected]

Robert Pepper (Supporters Direct representative)

[email protected]

Roisin Wood (Elected member) [email protected]

Simon Magner (Elected member) [email protected]

Tim Hillyer (Elected member) [email protected]

Tony Roome (Elected member) [email protected]

Vince Alm (Elected member) [email protected]

National Council (NC)

Staff» Amanda Jacks (Caseworker)

[email protected]

» Anwar Uddin (Diversity & campaigns manager)

[email protected]

» David Rose (Deputy chief executive)

[email protected]

» Garreth Cummins (New media manager)

[email protected]

» Kevin Miles (Chief executive)

[email protected]

» Michael Brunskill (Director of communications)

[email protected]

» Nina Donkin (Administration & finance officer)

[email protected]

» Liam Thompson (Communications officer)

[email protected]

PURE SPORT...

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Telephone: 0330 44 000 44 Email: [email protected] Web: www.fsf.org.uk

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