Supporters Direct Scotland May E-mag 2014

supporters direct scotland www.scottishfans.org may e-mag - #4

Inside this issue:

- Season ticket prices - Time for salary caps?

- SDS 2014 Conference - could fans have right to buy clubs?

- colours of our scarves

OUR Mission sTATEMENT, “TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE SPECTATOR SPORTS CLUBS BASED ON SUPPORTERS’ INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP” HAS BEEN OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE SINCE WE WERE ESTABLISHED IN SCOTLAND IN 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON SUPPORTERS DIRECT SCOTLAND, PLEASE VISIT US AT: ROOM 4, BETA HOUSE, INNOVATION PARK, UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING STIRLING, FK9 4NF T: 01786 845 606 OR CONNECT WITH US THROUGH:

FACEBOOK.COM/SCOTTISHFANS TWITTER.COM/SCOTTISHFANS some of the photos used in this magazine were taken for the colours of our scarves project and taken by stuart roy clarke

the season that was So the season is over and the rollercoaster that is Scottish Football has come to a grinding halt- until we start all over again in late July. Of course the reality is our teams are releasing players, signing new players, launching new kits, pleading for early season ticket renewals, as well as trying to us as fans as we all want to protect the keep us the fans engaged during this clubs that we love and to ensure that down period. they are run transparently and sustainToo often we have seen the old We at SDS don’t really have much of ably. model of come unstuck when money an off season and our work with club runs out or when benefactors just run and supporters groups continue to out of steam. at SDS believe that grow and we go into the close season it is a privilegeWe for those who run our with discussions at several Premier- clubs to have that and the ship and Championship sides keep- more they engagestewardship with fans the better ing us busy. During this season just it will be for the whole game. We have passed the action off the park for fan seen great strides at this some engagement and community own- clubs and of course others with have been ership opportunities has continue to less forward thinking. What we need as grow. Out of adversity we have seen an organisation is to have fans learnDunfermline Athletic become the 4th ing from each other and for us having club in community ownership and we a united voice when it comes to the big have also seen Hearts, Motherwell, issues in football that have an impact Annan Athletic and Livingston confirm on all of us. Our conference is start of that they want to go down this path what we believe is a very exciting time too. Part of this changing dynamic is for the further development of the fans seeing how success business people community in Scotland and we hope such as Ann Budge at Hearts and the that we will have representation from Pars United group have seen the ben- most of the clubs in the room. If you efit of working with ordinary fans to try can’t make the event please follow us and develop clubs that are embedded on the usual social media channels in their communities. Of course this has and spread the word and feel free to not gone unrecognised elsewhere and contact any of our team if we can help last month we have a debate brought you in any way. to the Scottish Parliament by Alison Johnstone MSP for the Green Party.

At that debate, which we at SDS at- Enjoy your close season and the World tended, Shona Robison Sports Minis- Cup. ter and Cabinet Secretary announced that a Working Party would be set up headed by Stephen Morrow from the Paul University of Stirling to look at how the @PaulGoodwin3 future for community owned clubs in Scotland.

This is undoubtedly fantastic news for

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Photo by Stuart Roy Clarke for Colours of our Scarves Programme

Sport minister announcing formation of a working party for fan involvement Supporters Direct Scotland is delighted to confirm that Sport and Commonwealth Games Secretary Shona Robison has announced the formation of an “independent working group that will look at how we can increase and improve fans involvement within football clubs”, on 22 April 2014.

ownership to fans’ group Foundation of Hearts.

Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone, who was leading the member’s debate on Fan Ownership of Football Clubs, welcomed Ms Robison’s announcement can called for an “ambitious mandate” and for the group to look at Chaired by Stephen Morrow – a senior “radical recommendations”. lecturer in Sport Finance at the University of Stirling – it will have representa- Ms Johnstone also pointed to a poll tion from the SFA, SPFL and Support- released by the Scottish Green Party ers Direct Scotland, with others to be which showed 87% of those asked support fan trusts having right of first appointed as appropriate. refusal if their club came up for sale, or Community ownership of football when it went into administration. clubs and increased fan engagement Their research also reports 72% would in Scottish football has made signifi- support a right to buy their local club for a market value at any time. cant progress in recent months.

Several Scottish football clubs have embraced fan ownership in recent Supporters Direct Scotland will be years including Clyde, Dundee, Dunfer- represented at these meetings by the mline Athletic, Motherwell, Stirling Al- Head of SDS, Paul Goodwin and Richbion and Stranraer which all now have ard Aitkinson a member of the SDS forms of community or fan ownership. Council. We will keep members updated on progress.

Hearts FC are on the verge of introducing a similar structure after creditors agreed the sale of shares to chairwoman Ann Budge, who plans to transfer

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supporters direct scotland 2014 conference

featuring: kenny shiels gordon waddell professor stephen morrow ‘no to hull tigers’ Sunday 15th June stirling management centre

conference tickets available: scottishfans.org/conference

make your voice heard at the sds conference With the domestic season now coming to an end, it is almost time to focus off the field matters at each of our respective football clubs.

Photo by Stuart Roy Clarke for Colours of our Scarves Programme

tickets now available for the supporters direct scotland 2014 conference The conference, taking place on the 15th of June at the Stirling Management Centre, aims to put fans back in the heart of the game and will be centered around the critical role of supporters’ future within the game.

Speaking at the Conference will be Professor Stephen Morrow, chair of the independent working group created to examine increased and improved fans involvement within football clubs, Kenny Shiels, journalist Gordon Waddell and representatives from the ‘No To Hull City Tigers’ campaign.

Results from the SDS National Football Survey will also be distributed to all participants at the Conference alongside the presentation of new research conducted by FREE and

Loughborough University on how fans engage with supporter networks and organisations at a club, national and international level. Additionally, the Colours of our Scarves photo exhibition will also be on display for participants to view throughout the day.

Throughout the day there will be the chance to debate and discuss some of the most prominent themes affecting football and how fans are at the heart of the nation’s game through Q&As and Focus Groups. Please email andrew.jenkin@supporters-direct.org with any questions.

Tickets are available to purchase for as little as £10 from https://sds2014. eventbrite.co.uk and you can connect with the event by using the hashtag #FansFuture

SDS believe that fans have earned the right to have a say on what their club decides.

Through their continued investment over many years and continued support of their club; they are any football club’s constant At Supporters Direct Scotland, we continue – head and shoulders above the short-terto focus on having fans’ voices heard around mism that has plagued professional football the country. Fans make up only a small por- for years. tion – if any - of the boardroom at the majority of clubs. There are a few exceptions to SDS will be holding their annual conference this rule where fans can voice their opinion on June 15, at the Stirling Management Cenon matters concerning all areas of their club; tre. There will be a number of guest speakers however at the majority of football clubs in at the event, including Kenny Shiels, Gordon the country, fans are not being consulted on Waddell and Professor Stephen Morrow as matters which affect them directly. well as the results of the National Football Survey which was conducted earlier this SDS has – and continues to - fight for fans year. to be given the right to have an opinion at the highest level at their club. Slowly, inroads The conference gives fans and supporters’ have been made, but it is a long-term process groups alike the opportunity to have their and one that SDS will continue to be at the voices heard, and discuss how they can forefront of. Last season saw the change in help make an impact on the future of Scotleague structure. This season could see new tish football. Furthermore, it gives fans the proposals being brought into play – such as chance to have an opinion on their respecfinancial fair play – but will the fans be asked tive clubs and on the issues that matter the what they think of the idea? They weren’t most to them. given the chance last season, what would be so different this time around?

SDS will continue to promote greater fan engagement and involvement in Scottish SDS have knocked on the doors of every football. Events like this give supporters the club in Scotland at one time or another and chance to come along and interact with othhave been allowed access to give fans op- er fans; to discuss and debate on what is importunities on occasion, only to have the portant to them and to help strengthen the door slammed in our faces in others. supporter movement in Scotland.

The fight for fan ownership has gone on for several years and continues to drag on until some sort of conclusion can be met where fans can actually hear what decisions are being made about their club, as well as being given the opportunity to influence what decisions will be made in the future.

Now is the opportunity for football supporters to make their voices heard. To come together and take advantage of an open forum where they can ask the questions that are important to them. SDS implores all fans, from every club, to come along on June15th and enjoy our annual conference.

ture.

Value for Money

Albion Rovers and Livingston lead the way in ticketing revolution This week saw the latest initiative by Albion Rovers to increase their home attendance for next season and make their club more financially sustainable.

and Hearts, and could also include home ties against Dunfermline and potentially another Premiership side pending the play-offs.

Following the success of their “Pay What You Can” campaign earlier in the season, the club have now applied the same offer for next year’s season tickets, with a minimum price of £10 to get your seat for every home league game. The club chairman, John Devlin, insists that he is taking a gamble, but a full stadium on match day would be worth it. Should this prove to be successful, the Rovers fans could attend every home game for 55p each game.

This staggeringly low price would be seen as a bargain all over the country, where several clubs were offering their season tickets at over £200 for the current season. This all sounds like a great deal, especially when you consider Premiership clubs charge over £300 a season ticket, for arguably a less competitive division. In addition to these adult ticket prices at Livingston, concessions can get their ticket for £90 and children’s are priced at £54.

Following on from the initial scheme, which saw the club gain its highest attendance for the season – 718 attended the fixture against Montrose, almost double what the average attendance was for the rest of the season - the club hope they can replicate that over the course of a full season.

In addition to the low Season Ticket price, another great offer at Livingston is that if this is still too high a price for some fans to afford, they are offering a £10 raffle ticket, with tickets to home matches for the winners and a one-off prize of a Season Ticket.

Livingston chairman, Gordon McDougall, is hoping that the scheme his club are offering will fill seats and double the home attendance, something which could be crucial to a club currently in a transition period to a community ownership struc-

Already, another club is following suit.

Livingston are offering fans the chance to pay £180 for their season ticket – which will include home games against Rangers

their first silverware in almost 20 years.

However, Hibernian and Kilmarnock fans have watched their club flirt with relegation all season, and Hearts fans have seen their club relegated, whilst Rangers fans don’t know who to trust in the running of their club’s finances.

So, is the Scottish game currently good value for money? A poll on Scottishfans. org found that 91% of respondents did not feel that our game was value for money.

How accurate is this of the wider consensus? Are these new initiatives by Albion Not only throughout Scottish football, but Rovers and Livingston the way forward the sport in general, fans can never truly for all clubs in Scotland? know how good the value for money is in their club. Some fans can argue that If the initiative can prove successful on they have been paid back what they put a long term basis – rather than just for a in with trophy wins, but others may argue couple of games – then this has to be the that the style of football isn’t giving them way forward. Clubs in the top tier have enough excitement and entertainment seen their attendances dwindling, some- when they go to games. thing which has become something of a On the flip side, fans that pay less for their trend over the last few seasons. season tickets may never win any trophies, but might be getting the adrenaline When compared with ticket prices from rush associated with supporting a footover Europe, the Scottish game is par ball team; getting pleasure from watching for the course when looking at the paper their club perform on the park, although value of prices. However, can the cost be not winning much in terms of silverware. justified by the level of skill and general standard of football in Scotland?

Arsenal fans fall into this latter category.

Each season they fork out over £900 a Taking Arsenal for example, they have the Season Ticket, to turn up and watch their highest Season Ticket price in the Premier club mount a title bid before capitulating League, more than double what Celtic in the second half of the season. Whereas fans pay for their season ticket. However, Celtic fans pay half the price, make a saccompare the two footballing standards. rifice in the standard of football, but usuArsenal play a high level of football on ally win at least one trophy per campaign. a regular basis, whilst Celtic show a rare At the lower levels, fans pay much less glimpse of what football they can play than this, the football in some places is only a few times a season. Furthermore, just as good as at the top – perhaps not in Arsenal provided fans with several local England, but in Scotland certainly – and derbies this season, as well as home ties not everyone is pleased. against Liverpool and both Manchester clubs. Celtic? Well were there really any Finances in football are a tricky business. big home league ties for them this sea- It is difficult to satisfy everyone, but at son? least clubs are finally making inroads at some level to try and do this.

Another aspect to look at though, is how expensive Arsenal tickets are. The club haven’t won a major trophy since 2005, By Blair Condie albeit they have a FA Cup final this season @BCondie92 against Hull City, the fans aren’t seeing their money paid back on the pitch. But are Scottish football fans? Some clubs would argue yes. Celtic fans got to see Champions League football earlier in the season. St Johnstone fans have overseen their clubs run in the Scottish cup. Aberdeen supporters witnessed the club win

is it time for a salary cap in scottish football?

Blair Condie believes inancial fair play is a long-term sustainability of every club in great concept and asks whether it be im- the country. Currently, Russian clubs have plemented at a Scottish league level? to have at least four Russian footballers on the field of play at any one time, which Over the last few days, the Russian Foot- means that if a club has many foreign ball Union has been discussing plans to players and few Russian ones, these naput salary caps in place within their top di- tive footballers can demand higher wages vision – the Premier League. The National to keep the club within the rules set out Football League – which is the equivalent by the League. of the Scottish Championship – have put However, Koloskov is in favour of having strict salary caps in place on their clubs, the rules relaxed on this rule, as this would which means that all staff at the clubs mean that the less than average playcan’t earn more than $8,370 per month, ers who demand extremely high wages excluding bonuses, which the club are could be forced into having lower wages free to hand out without facing a back- so the club meets the criteria. lash from the government.

Many clubs are expected to oppose the idea, as this could restrict their future The idea was spoken about by the Hon- signings as they may be unable to fulfil orary President of the Russian Football the wage cap with their current squad and Union, Vyacheslav Koloskov, who is be- then their future signings. hind plans to implement financial fair play at a domestic level, as well as a European What about in Scotland? one.

Currently, the majority of Scottish clubs He firmly believes that this will help the need not worry about wage caps which

could harm any future signings or their to the club. current squads. However, what should be noted is the recent decline in Scottish Although Rangers is a high profile case, club finances. there are a number of smaller clubs which could also benefit from this. Right through Many clubs in Scotland – through all lev- the divisions in Scotland, clubs are being els – have faced financial ruin, or have swallowed up by their wages and running done in the last few years. Could a wage costs. It is very difficult for clubs to reduce cap relative to the level of that club be of their running costs as many of them are benefit to that side? out with their own control, but the wages are something the clubs can control.

Looking at Rangers, it is well documented how staff throughout the club are receiv- If clubs had lower wages, which were put ing a vast amount of money – something in place by their own governing body, then a Championship side just simply can- the clubs would have to make changes not control. If a wage cap was in place which would be of clear benefit to that throughout the SPFL, surely the club club. would be better off for it?

Granted, the clubs would have to vote to Although there is a lot of debate around make these changes, and it would face what money is being spent where at the the same problems as in Russia, but it club, and where it is being lost, it is cer- does seem to be of clear benefit to the tain that the club is not making enough clubs and for course it could have the money to keep afloat. added benefit of making the league more competitive.

If a wage cap was in place at the Glasgow side, then less money would be lost However, the prospect of losing several – perhaps no money would be lost at all of the club’s star players would be a bit of – something which is of obvious benefit a deterrent. No club wants to lose its best

players. This could have repercussions in terms of ticket sales, shirt sales and other players who the club had intended to bring in.

The whole idea of sustainability in Scottish Football is a tricky concept. Look at Formula One. The sport looks to maximise the skill of the driver and the aerodynamics of the car; they all have the same sized engine which effectively makes it a level playing field.

mier League, usually 3 or 4 sides dominate the English Premier League, Bayern Munich dominate German football and it’s usually Real Madrid and Barcelona fighting it out in Spain, Athletico Madrid have been an exception this season, but will it continue? Even if it does, the top leagues are always going to be won by only a few sides. Before the sport became commercialised - where it would often just be local lads who would don the jersey - any side could win the League. Look at the English Premiership – Manchester United hold the record number of wins – 20. Rangers hold the record in Scotland which is more than double that. Football doesn’t need to revert to this style completely, but perhaps there were some good points here which made the game more attractive to the fans.

If clubs were given level budgets at which they all had to adhere to, then the playing field would be much more even and the league would be much more competitive.

Celtic are dominating the Premier League because they have the money to do so.

Give the other clubs in the division a similar budget then the chances of Celtic dominating the League would be much The possibilities – however good and bad slimmer.

– go on and on. On one hand, a wage cap could be good for the long term sustainaThis idea is similar to the draft system in bility of the club, but on the other the long the National Football League. The teams term pleasure could suffer. The fans obviwhich finish with the worst regular season ously want to see their club live on, but do record get the first pick of players avail- they want that to come at a cost such as able to draft for the following season. losing big name players?

It’s a similar programme in The National Hockey League, again in America. The teams which have the worst season are given the best possible chance to get first pick when it comes to their draft, while the teams who had better seasons have the lowest chances in their lottery.

Of course they don’t. Whatever happens when it comes down to finances in football is always a touchy subject, there is always a negative with a positive. Although there are no plans in place to move this concept to Scotland, it is just another thing that the SPFL board can consider.

Even in Basketball, in the NBA in America, the players have taken wage cuts to try and make the sport a more level playing field. Although many argue that the NBA is no less dominated by a few teams than it was 10 years ago, at least it can be seen that the authorities, franchises and even the players were willing to make changes to try and make the sport more exciting for fans.

It’s time that football caught up with the rest of world sport, strides are being made into technology, it is only natural that finances and competitiveness are the next things to follow.

I’m not looking for football to become like American sports – filled with franchises, excited for advertisements just as much as the sport – but owners, players and the authorities need to try and make change.

Celtic are dominating the Scottish Pre-

By Blair Condie @BCondie92

genuinely excited to hear from all the speakers as I believe they all truly understand and believe in the work we do as an organisation

A good time for scottish football & fan owned clubs

We’ve also been busy developing research around a range of topics within the game which will be distributed at the Conference. Included within the publication will be research on the alcohol ban, safe standing and what fans think of governance within the Scottish game. We’re also honoured to be presenting research on the future of fan ownership in Scotland at the ‘Football & Communities of Resistance’ Conference on the 12th of June in Manchester. We’re happy to say the paper makes a positive prediction on the future of community owned clubs within Scotland.

For Supporters Trusts, we’ve been busy picking up new skills and information to best help you with your own objectives and feel free to get in touch at any point if you require support or advice from us. I’ve been happy to attend many Trust meetWe as an organisation have made plenty ings and so many of you are doing excelof tracks in the past 12 to ensuring that lent work and I look forward to hearing supporters are firmly at the heart of the from more of you in the coming months. game and not only have a say, but are lisI would like to congratulate fan owned tened to on the most pressing matters.

Stirling Albion on their recent promotion The recent news that the Government will to the SPFL League One. It’s a great club be establishing a working group to look at who deserve to be heading in the right further fan involvement within the game direction and I believe they’re starting to was met with much encouragement by benefit from a stable ownership and manall at the organisation and we hope is the agement model. On a similar note, I promstart of more clubs recongising the im- ised a friend at their Supporters Trust I would promote his fundraising efforts for portance to the game supporters have. the John Hartson Foundation. So please It’s been a busy few weeks for us all with check out Mattie Hollingworth’s 100 mile our Conference coming up on the 15th bike ride around the London and Surrey of June. I cannot encourage fans enough area here. to sign up for a ticket (just £10) via our EventBrite page (click here to go to the I look forward to seeing some of you at site). Speaking at the event will be a range the our Conference and continuing to of excellent speakers, emphasising how support many of you in your efforts and important supporters are to game. This objectives. includes former Kilmarnock and Morton manager Kenny Shiels, Professor Stephen Morrow, representatives from ‘Hull Best wishes, City Till I Die’ and Borja Garcia of Lough- Andrew borough University. It promises to be a Project Manager very informative and interesting day. I’m @AndrewJenkin While the past season provided much in the way of entertainment on the field, off the field there has been enough evidence to suggest that a tide is turning within the game.

colours of our scarves update The ‘Colours of our Scarves’ Programme has kicked into gear over the last four months working with over 2200 participants, taking part in a cross section of workshops, focus groups and facilitated discussions. In addition to this, we have also visited Falkirk FC, Dundee Utd FC, Hamilton Accies FC and Hibernian FC for Matchday exhibitions, which were received very well by the club’s players, staff and supporters alike.

The ‘Colour of our Scarves’ programme will interact with football clubs, football supporters and residents of communities around football stadia to gain a unique perspective on the issue of sectarianism nationwide, whilst exploring and attempting to gain more knowledge and research on the differentiation and geographical anomalies in the

prevalence of Sectarianism that may currently exist in Scotland. In addition to this the programme will also give the participating individuals a knowledge and understanding to better address and change the existence of sectarianism locally.

Over the next fourteen months it is our intention to visit all the other senior football grounds in Scotland and take the programme nationwide.

For more information on the programme please visit here.

Hearts too, have only recently found themselves in a position where fan ownership is coming into play. Towards the end of the season, the club begun to turn their fortunes around, however it was a little too late and they were relegated to the Championship.

a response to geoff brown’s comments regarding ownership structures St Johnstone owner, Geoff Brown, their additional investments to keep has this week hit out at the idea of the club afloat, and now each club is fan ownership being the way for- at the mercy of the fans. ward in football.

The fans care about their clubs, they The businessman, whose family want what is best for them. At both have ran the Perth side for almost Hearts and Dunfermline, as well as 30 years argues that his club have a number of clubs further down the benefitted from a stable owner who divisions, fans have taken control of has run the club, while many of their their club in a committee formed barivals have flirted with the prospect sis – and each of these clubs, given of administration, with some clubs time, have begun to turn their foractually finding themselves in that tunes around. predicament.

Stirling Albion – the club who beBrown maintains that a one man came the first League club in the UK owner is the best, and believes clubs to be entirely fan owned – have now which are run by committees can’t gained promotion to League One, be held to account over their demise. and have amassed a squad which many are of the belief that they can In the last few seasons, Rangers, challenge again for Championship Hearts and Dunfermline have found promotion once again. themselves almost begging fans for

Although it could still be another couple of years before a fan committee take control at Tynecastle, the foundations have been built for this move to take place. The same is at Motherwell. Fan ownership is becoming a possibility at this club, and despite reports this week, the fans still maintain the ambition to seize control of their club within the next year or so.

football can compete at the highest levels of football.

Many argue that it is not competing right now, so surely this shows that there could be something wrong with the way it currently operates?

Clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have – at least for the last 20 years – played a major role in the Champions League, and Dortmund have re-emerged from their ‘90s participation in the competition to once again become a contender amongst Europe’s elite.

Fan ownership in these clubs works because of the continued support each member gives to the club, which is something that Scottish football fans do have in them when Although fan ownership in football is it is required. a relatively new concept – certainly in Scotland anyway – but the concept If and when fans are called upon to is proven elsewhere. German clubs save their club, they turn up with the have shown that they can thrive with goods when no one man investor the fan ownership concept. does. Clubs can’t rely on someone Bayern Munich and Borussia Dort- who has no passion for the club, no mund have shown that they both affiliation and is only looking to recan challenge on the European coup the money they put in with a stage, whilst Barcelona is also ma- tidy profit. The fans don’t want this. jority owned by the fans.

Fans want to see their club survive.

Arguably the most successful club They want their club to succeed. in Europe in the last 8 years, the They don’t want to lose part of their Catalan club are run as a democra- community, part of their heritage. cy, where fans vote for changes at If all goes well, they’d be ecstatic the top and all can make their own should the club even manage to win votes on every decision the club a trophy along the way. take. Even Real Madrid have a similar ownership model to their rivals!

Change is required in Scottish football. It may take time, and it may be a Fan ownership is proven at the high- bumpy road, but the way things are est levels in European football. Al- currently set up, the passion is being though Scottish football is not once overruled by profit. what it was, our clubs are still being given the opportunity to compete on By Blair Condie this stage. With patience and contin- @bcondie92 ued investment from fans, Scottish

Damian Collins MP: “Get to the Supporters Summit and get your voices heard”

ised and will again include high profile figures from football, sport, media and politics.

Damian Collins, MP for Folkestone and Hythe, and the man responsible for the cross party supported Football Governance Bill has come out strongly in favour of Supporters Direct and the FSF’s call for proper consultation with supporters about the future of our national game, and urged fans to attend the Supporters Summit on the 26th July.

The AGM’s of both organisations will be held the evening of Friday 25th July.

To enquire about opportunities to get involved either as a delegate, sponsor or supporter group, please contact Mark Bullock/Victoria Goodfellow on events@supporters-direct.coop or call 020 72731592

His Bill is designed to tackle some of the issues long campaigned on by SD and the FSF, including the most recent Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee reports – the fifth report in forty years demanding big changes to the way the game is run in England. In his message, Collins said:

supporters direct summit 2014 - at wembley stadium Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters’ Federation will host the joint annual Supporters Summit in London at Wembley Stadium on 26th July, 2014.

The event brings fans together from across the UK and Europe from clubs and supporter organisations to debate the issues at the heart of the game.

Last year’s Supporters Summit, held at St. George’s Park, included debates on Governance, Ownership, Transparency, Ticket Pricing, Discrimination and Safe Standing.

The full programme for the Supporters Summit 2014 is currently being final-

Supporters’ Federation. I would urge fans to attend the upcoming SD/FSF Summit and have their voices heard.”

Robin Osterley, Chief Executive of SD, commented: “We welcome Damian’s work on the running of the game, which is a continuation of the work done by John Whittingdale’s Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. Fans need to unite on the big issues, along with our other allies in the game – at grassroots, in non-league, and across football. So many of us share a desire to see the way the game is run changed to benefit the fans and all those who care about it, and not just a privileged elite. We urge you to seize the opportunity on the 26th July, and help us to create a real manifesto for change that we can all campaign on together.”

“Football is nothing without the fans and any reform of the sport must include consultation with supporters You can get tickets for the event here. including representative bodies such as Supporters Direct and the Football

Always fair energy prices Because that’s our goal too

Being a member of a supporters’ trust is about more than just loving sport. It’s about being involved, having your say, listening to others and working together as a community to secure a sustainable future for your favourite team. In short, it’s about fair play.

You may not think sport has much in common with your gas and electricity bills, but at Co-operative Energy, we’re motivated by the same values as the trusts you work so hard to support.

Sport is steeped in history, full of winners, pioneers and athletes who went the extra mile for their teammates. In a similar way, the Co-operative movement has been holding the torch for communities, ethical trading and honesty since the Rochdale Pioneers opened the doors of their first shop in 1844.

A real alternative In 2011, almost 200 years later, Co-operative Energy – part of the Midcounties Co-operative - was founded on the same principles. We wanted to

offers consumers an alternative to the Big 6 energy suppliers - a different choice based on fair prices, transparency, renewable energy sources and a commitment to customer service and Co-operative members.

Three years on, we’ve gained plenty of supporters and 200,000 customers.

And, although we’ve grown fast, we’ve kept our promises to them, offering consistently fair prices and a strong set of values.

When some energy suppliers were hiking their prices by as much as 11%, we decided to absorb rising energy industry transport and distribution costs and raise ours by a modest 2.5% on average. Our range of fixed price tariffs is designed to offer flexibility, value for money and complete peace of mind - without any early exit fees.

communities across the UK. In fact, you could say we’re team players.

Our goal for the future?

To grow without losing sight of what makes us unique, to continually offer our customers a fair energy deal and to put the ball back in the energy consumer’s court is our goal.

We’re very proud to be working with Supporters Direct, because your hard work, true dedication and team spirit are exactly what the international Co-operative movement is all about.

You’ll support your team for life.

And, as your energy supplier, we’ll be here for you for life.

A rallying cry for renewables We’ve sourced our energy responsibly (the carbon content of our electricity in 2013 was less than half the national average), hosted the UK’s first Community Energy Conference and worked with renewable energy

For more information please visit: www.cooperativeenergy.coop/sports Or call 0800 093 7535 quoting 'Supporters Direct'