Trust board members met with Martyn Henderson - the interim operating officer for the shadow Independent Football Regulator (IFR) – yesterday, 22 August, to discuss the Football Governance Act.
Following a period of consultation in October, the Government's preferred candidate as IFR, David Kogan, is due to take office from 1 November.
As the original Supporters Trust, we previously made a representation to former Minister of Sport Tracey Crouch MP to ensure clubs in the top five divisions of English football became more accountable, transparent and sustainable.
We voiced our concerns to Mr Henderson that the 'Golden Share' for supporters is absent from the legislation and that primacy for Supporters Trusts and other democratically-constituted supporter organisations was being left to the discretion of the IFR.
On the latter point, Mr Henderson stressed the IFR would not be prescriptive but that it would not be enough for a club to have just a Supporters’ Trust or a Fan Advisory Board to tick the licence requirement.
Clubs would have to demonstrate they are communicating with all supporter groups to meet the fan engagement standard set out by the new legislation.
Clubs would also need to work to a corporate governance model and to a forward plan which outlines how the club is, or will become, financially sustainable.
