SDS E-MAG May Issue
Inside: NATIONAL FOOTBALL SURVEY RESPONSE PARS TRUST LEADING SAVE THE PARS SDS LAUNCH AFFINITY DEALS FOR BENEFIT OF SUPPORTERS & TRUSTS
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 contact: Mark Reid Project Manager Supporters Direct Scotland Room 4, Beta House, Innovation Park, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4NF mark.reid@supporters-direct.org 01786 845 606
www.facebook.com/ScottishFans www.twitter.com/ScottishFans www.linkedin.com/groups/Scottish-Football-Fans-4574404 www.pinterest.com/scottishfans
PAUL GOODWIN Head of Supporters Direct Scotland
the increasing development for sustainable community owned football clubs continues to give us the opportunity to be a much needed organisation that has a growing network. Making sure that everybody knows we are here and are now able to do serious business on behalf of the fans has been as important as anything else we have done so far.
Within a short space of time significant progress has been made across all the areas of our operation and we are proud of what Last spring the plight of Scottish has been achieved. The highFootball fans was highlighted lights include: with the difficulties at Rangers showing that no matter which • Launch of Fans’ club you supported you really Parliament didn’t have much say on the big • 6 Roadshows issues in Scottish football. Here • Successful National at Supporters Direct Scotland Conference we had our own difficulties with • Launch of Scottish Fans a splintered movement, no staff, web site no properly functioning Council • Significant input at and a difficult reputation with Hampden Park including the football authorities. the Na tional Football Survey and discussions Thanks to the formation of a on league reconstruction new fans Council and the input • Meaningful support to of the Scottish Government; clubs and fans groups who believed that it was essen needing assistance (in tial that the voice of the fans cluding Rangers, Hearts be heard, a new strategy was and Dunfermline put in place and funding guar Athleic) anteed for a set period. This is not the final solution for fans; This does not mean that we as the funding is only for a limhave got everything right, and ited period; but is very much the there remains much to be done, start of giving fans of all clubs but the organisation is now welland all organisations the chance positioned to move to the next to have their say. The developstage of development where it ment of our Fans Parliament and can help deliver even greater
value to its key stakeholders, whether fans, clubs, football authorities or the Scottish Government. Most importantly we believe that the development of the Fans Parliament concept can offer ALL fans the opportunity to voice their opinion now safe in the knowledge that it will be represented to the Scottish Government and the Football Authorities in a professional way. The Fans Parliament is now established through the Scottish Fans web site and in the next two years we want to bring it to life through a range of activities that gives ordinary fans various different routes to participate in the key debates on all important matters around our game. This is football democracy at work and we want to encourage every fan to join their Supporters Trust or equivalent organisation as we strive to get the collective voice of fans heard loud and clear. Please do join our network, spread the news about Supporters Direct Scotland and Scottish Fans and feel free to pick up the phone and talk to us and be involved in what we are doing. Thanking you for your continued support Yours in Football Paul
NEIL BONE Chairman of Supporters Direct Scotland Council Another season draws to an end and it has been a spectacular non-event for an Ayr United fan: Mid table, first team with nothing to play for and out the cups early. Don’t mention the National team. So why am I so chipper? Well it’s a mixture of reasons. As a fan of an ordinary provincial side I have always enjoyed adversity, and I know that without the downs, you don’t enjoy the ups quite as much. So maybe next season will be better? But, what league will we be playing in? Will we have fairer distribution of cash? Will there be an early start to the season with a sectional league cup, will there be a new league body, play offs perhaps, what form will the playoffs between top two tiers take. All season we have been subjected to the League Reconstruction talk. Do you know, it
was entirely predictable that there would be no real change, because, quite simply there was no overall plan that the league clubs and in particular the SPL could agree on. 11-1 voting has stymied change; it allowed 18% of the League to veto change. I’m not saying they were wrong, and I‘m not saying they were right. Simply stating that 82% of clubs who wanted change were left disappointed, and didn’t some of them let everyone know about it. In fact the other 18% (or two clubs) I believe actually wanted change too. However, it held a rich irony, because 80+% of fans in three separate Football surveys have stated that they want larger leagues, and we are continually left disappointed. Footballing karma. At least we can all look forward to next season and hope that it will get better. we’ll not really. Because whilst 10 owners failed to realise their plan, thousands of fans continue to have their preference for larger leagues and an end to the monotony of 4 times a year castigated. We must continue to engage with our members, show them that their Trusts are putting their views to the clubs, this will drive new memberships. At a National Level we will collate views and take them to the Authorities and Legislators. So whether ‘cule’ or ‘socio’ (or Munchen equivalent) it’s our job individually and collectively, to ensure that fans are given serious consideration...
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TABLE OF CONTENTS NATIONAL FOOTBALL SURVEY RESULTS AND RESPONSE
PAGE 6
LEAGUE RECONSTRUCTION
PAGE 8
PARS TRUST LEADING SAVE THE PARS
PAGE 10
SDS LAUNCH AFFINITY DEALS FOR BENEFIT OF SUPPORTERS AND TRUSTS
PAGE 12
MEET THE SDS COUNCIL
PAGE 22
GRETNA 2008
PAGE 24
COULD THE GERMAN MODEL PAGE 26
WORK IN SCOTLAND?
SURVEY RESULTS Supporters Direct Scotland were delighted to be invited to participate in this major piece of work and believe that the results are consistent with our views on how important fans are to our game. The fact that nearly 7,000 people gave their views shows how important they feel about the game
that they love.
ment can in the coming years be seen as the perfect way to ensure We believe that there were some that the correct level of engagecompelling examples of fans speak- ment is developed as a platform ing with one voice on the major that can benefit both fans and the issues surrounding our game and football authorities. after a year of turmoil it is encouraging to see that those views are “We believe that now started to be taken on board. Those fans have clearly indicated there were some that the best communication with fans is through engagement with compelling examples Supporters Groups. We believe of fans speaking with that Supporters Direct Scotland one voice on the mathrough our Scottish Fans Parlia-
Preferred number of clubs for top division
jor issues surrounding our game and after a year of turmoil it is encouraging to see that those views are now started to be taken on board�.
With league reconstruction looming it was again a reminder to the Football Authorities that the current status quo is just not wanted with only 9% of fans happy with what we currently have. The desire for larger leagues remains statis-
tically significant and we believe if that means fewer games then the clubs involved would need to adjust their financial models accordingly. With 95 % of fans wanting the governing bodies to work together and for them to produce far more stringent regime it is no surprise to see 71% of respondents wanting better financial controls and regulations for the clubs that they love. With the spectre of Administration and Liquidation shows no sign of abating anytime soon, this we believe is an essential element of our game that the fans want better managed to ensure that our clubs are embedded in the communities that they serve and are not subject to the whims of individuals who put personal desires above that of the development of sustainable football clubs.
“The desire for larger leagues remains statistically significant and we believe if that means fewer games then the clubs involved would need to adjust their financial models accordingly” As part of that desire for community clubs it is interesting to see that 92% of fans feel that the way forward for their own club is the development of home grown local talent which is of course the way forward to have sustainable clubs. With 83% of fans feeling that the clubs must be more accountable to their fans it comes as no surprise that 93% of fans believe that fans must have a Director on the
Board at their Clubs. Of course with 5 community owned clubs in Scotland already it comes as no surprise to see that 79% of fans believe that the community owned model is something that can and will work in Scotland.
work with the football authorities and the clubs in the months and years ahead to ensure that the voice of the fans is heard loud and clear and that in partnership with them we have a stronger more viable game for future generations to come.
We look forward to continuing to
Preferred number of leagues
What Your Club Means To You (collected from the survey): “its more like a family than a club” A Celtic fan “It’s my local team. Can’t imagine going elsewhere.” An Ayr United fan “They are rubbish but they are my rubbish” - A Stirling Albion fan “Makes me laugh, cry and everything in between” - A Rangers fan “My first love.” - A Dunfermline fan “My club have been the one stable thing in my life!” - A Dundee fan
#FANSVIEWS Some of your best tweets: “Should Scottish football fans be thanking SDS RESPONSE Ross Co and St Mirren TO LEAGUE for saving our game RECONSTRUCTION from money only, drivVOTE en chairmen?” - @ jockmccruyff Following the news that the The reason the number of banning orders has increased is due to over policing...not an increase of trouble or ‘hooligans’. - @ ThatBoiRico “King Kenny x 10, Leighton in goal” - on her Scotland Dream 11 @ImGingerMidget
Scottish football league will not be restructured we at Supporters Direct Scotland made the following statement. “We are disappointed that the opportunity to reform the Scottish game appears to have stalled. Whilst the majority of fans have consistently wanted larger leagues we believe that the appetite still exists to bring one league body, a better voting structure, better financial distribution throughout all the leagues, more playoffs and a pyramid structure is still there to be negotiated and grasped. “We believe that the considerable momentum that has been created needs to be
maintained. To that effect we would propose that the SPL, SFL and SFA employ mediators to try to find a solution that deliver the critical elements of the current plan. The reasons cited for the lack of progress by both dissenting clubs and many SFL clubs too seems to concern issues raised by their fans. Supporters Direct Scotland is willing to be involved in any form or negotiation and mediation process at local or national level to ensure that this essential restructuring gets back on course. “We remain committed to working with all fans groups, within our network, to ensure that their views are represented and believe that unless a compromise is found soon then it will have a detrimental effect on the well-being of our game.”
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PARS TRUST
LEADING CHARGE
TO SAVE THE PARS Representatives of the Pars Supporters Trust and Supporters Direct met the Administrator for Dunfermline Athletic Football Club Limited, Mr Bryan Jackson of BDO earlier this month. Following the succession of concerning stories relating to the club, the Trust used this opportunity to make clear their intention of playing a positive role in its future and to understand how they can play an active part in securing the club for future generations alongside an element of supporter ownership. The Trust role was pivotal to the engagement of the local community and, together with connection to the world-
wide Pars supporter base, was key to the success in the early stages of the Save the Pars campaign. Prior to administration the PST already recognised the situation at the club and instigated a staff support fund into which supporters could donate money which was directly distributed to playing and non playing staff due to a continued six months of late and deferred wage payment. Over £12,000 was raised and distributed, allowing the team to play on and support a successful Under 20’s Team reach the Scottish FA Youth Cup Final. Following Administration and subsequent redundancy of nine senior playing staff, the PST worked jointly with other supporters groups by taking a leading role in the Save The Pars campaign which resulted in excess of £50,000 be-
ing raised and made available to the Administrator within three weeks through various fund raising activities together with a committed monthly donation of £3,200 which continues to grow. The next stage for the PST is to gain a significant element of supporter ownership and bring the club back into the community, check out the Pars Supporters Trust website for more details.
SDS LAUNCH NEW PARTNERSHIPS
FOR BENEFIT OF FANS & TRUSTS Supporters Direct Scotland has launched its new affinity partnership programme which will see a potential financial boost from the pay back scheme to Football Supporters Trusts in Scotland and members of the ScottishFans.org network. Formally announced at East End Park in Dunfermline last Friday (3rd May) in the company of former Dunfermline captain Roy Barry and Margaret Ross, Chair of the Pars Trust as well as directors from the two new affinity partners,
the new fundraising scheme will directly back to the trust or netbring financial benefits to fans and work member. Trusts alike. Margaret Ross, Chair of the Pars Mark Reid project manager at Trust said “I think anything that Supporters Direct Scotland, said: can help us raise money and also ““We’re pleased to put in place help our supporters save money these two affinity partnerships in the process then it’s ideal and which will benefit Trust members I look forward to seeing what we and provide welcome new income can make of it”. into the Supporters Trusts. We hope to add more of these ar- Chris Hodgson, Director at Create rangements in the future to ben- and Prosper said: “We share a pasefit all of our members. sion for football and as a firm we have a history of assisting sportThe affinity partnerships with ing clubs and societies. With this ‘Create and Prosper Financial Ser- in mind we are delighted to be vices Ltd’ and ‘Insuredirect.co.uk’ given the opportunity to work include discounted product offers with Supporters Direct Scotland for members of the Supporters Di- and would like to offer the memrect football Trust network within bers of supporters Trusts and Scotland and “Scottish Fans” football fans the opportunity to network partners. In additional benefit from our services whilst the partner company themselves helping supporters Trusts or footwill give an additional proportion ball clubs. In the event of proceed-
ing with advice through Create and Prosper we will discount advice fees by 10% and also provide a 10% cash-back to the client’s nominated Trust, Club or network partner.” David Nicholson from Insuredirect. co.uk said: “Insuredirect.co.uk is happy to enter into partnership with Supporters Direct, ScottishFans.org and the Supporters Trusts because we believe in what they, collectively, are trying to achieve – to keep the fans at the core of Scottish football is essential in ensuring the future of the game here in Scotland.” Create and Prosper is a firm of Independent Financial Advisers (IFA’s) based in Scotland and are one of around 600 firms in the UK to have been awarded and currently hold the title of Chartered Financial Planner, the highest accolade awarded in the industry. They have also been Finalists at the Money Marketing Small Company IFA of the Year awards in 2012 and 2013 being the only Scottish based Company to achieve this. Financial Advisers are split into
two parts, Independent and Restricted. InsureDirect.co.uk in its current form is an online insurance portal which allows customers to find the best deals for both personal and commercial insurance products and purchase these products in an easy and hassle-free process. InsureDirect.co.uk puts the customer in direct contact with the best deals for our products and allows insurers to manage policies directly, including claims management, therefore keeping this pollution of the system to a minimum. Insuredirect.co.uk is an online provider of general insurances including motor, home, travel and commercial. Insuredirect will offer a 5% discount to customers on ALL business or the option of FREE add-on products in addition to offering 10% of net commission to the client’s nominated Trust or network partner. Create and Prosper can be contacted on 01592 593740 or via email at info@cpfsltd.co.uk and insuredirect.co.uk directly from its website or on 01592 640011
Visit www.scottishfans.org for videos from the launch
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LEAGUE
RECONSTRUCTION Blogger Michael Woods gives his views on the league reconstruction saga. The issue of league reconstruction in Scottish football has hung like a deep, dark shadow over the domestic season since before the campaign even began. When Rangers FC were confirmed as Third Division competitors for the 2012/2013 season, thoughts immediately sprang to how the blue half of the Old Firm could be incorporated back into the top division as swiftly and pain-free as possible. It’s not news to acknowledge that money is the single most important commodity in professional football at present – make no mistake, if it had been Kilmarnock FC or St Johnstone FC that had suffered the plight of Rangers, the reconstruction of domestic football in Scotland would not have been slammed onto the debating table in quite such a desperate and rushed fashion as it has been. I am not suggesting that reconstruction isn’t required – it most definitely is – just not to the complex degree that is being mooted. A Premier League of sixteen teams, a First Divi-
sion of twelve sides and then sub-divisions, created on a regional basis. Scottish football has to understand that as a footballing nation, they are ‘minnows’. There is no escaping this. The country’s two top sides fail on a regular basis when faced with any opposition out with their domestic challengers. The odd win over more illustrious footballing sides is hardly an argument to the contrary. The national side has not qualified for a major international tournament since 1998 and before then they did not advance past the first round of any tournament that they did qualify for. So even when Scotland were able to boast talent such as Denis Law, Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness, they still failed when faced with opponents of any discernible ability. Approaching the future of Scottish football should be done with a sense of realism and perspective. This is a country that is void of any real talent in terms of players, whose club’s cannot cope outside their domestic comfort zone and that for some reason is governed by three separate bodies. To suggest the immediate future is bright for the sport in this country takes a great deal of brass and no little ignorance. This is a small, Northern European football nation. One whose national team has achieved very little and whose club sides’ achievements can easily be matched by teams from similar sized countries around the world.
However, that is not to say improvements cannot be made. The size of the nation in terms of population should not be seen as insurmountable barrier. There are many examples of small countries producing high quality national and club sides; Uruguay, Netherlands, Bosnia to name a few. Lack of resources will be a problem, but not an issue that should be used as a regular excuse by players, managers and those running the game.
The size of the nation in terms of population should not be seen as insurmountable barrier. The biggest problem that faces Scottish football and what will determine the level that can ultimately be achieved, is the inherent cowardice and fear that the national playing style is drenched in. Firstly, it should be noted that this is not a solely Scottish problem, rather a British one, but the relevance remains. Many within football – and the fans – would have you believe that one of the great ‘merits’ of the game in this country is it’s toughness, the bravery and passion of the players and the fullblooded commitment shown on the field of play. This is nonsense. The way in which the vast ma-
jority of teams in Scotland play, with their kick-and-rush style shows a deeply ingrained fear within the players and management. Fewer and fewer players are willing to take responsibility when in possession of the ball, scared of mistakes they may make and the possible consequences. Defenders hoof the ball up field, lacking any confidence in their own ability to play out from the back; and hard, sliding challenges are cheered as loud as goals on occasion, the players committed to proving their toughness and bravery, as if haunted by a persistent masculinity complex. Midfielders refuse to engage in short passing patterns, instead happy in resorting to aiming for the ‘channels’, where lumbering forwards will carry out their remit as the team’s resident Clydesdale. This style and approach – accepted by the sheep-like masses in attendance – is a familiar theme up and down the country, from the professional leagues to weekend amateur matches played out on the boggy marshes that constitute pitches.
Reconstructing the current professional divisions aren’t going to even begin to help cure the sport of the ills that had riddled it for generations.
In fairness, there are a few select individuals at the highest level of Scottish football that shun such a tradition to a certain extent. Johnny Russell at Dundee United, Leigh Griffiths at Hibernian and James Forrest at Celtic are all very skilled young men, although in Forrest’s case, his impressive pace masks a poor level of technique and decisionmaking. The point I am making here is that if you are going to attempt to rebuild and rebrand Scottish football, the current governing bodies are going about in the wrong way, or at least focusing on the wrong problems. Reconstructing the current professional divisions aren’t going to even begin to help cure the sport of the ills that had riddled it for generations. It doesn’t really matter where Rangers and Celtic are playing or how well they are doing in Europe. What truly matters is the playing style with which the appropriate bodies and clubs adopt when nurturing the next decades worth of footballers.
You can have the best possible league set-up you can imagine – pleasing every possible stakeholder, but if the quality of play isn’t enough to trouble anyone outside of these borders, then what’s the point? Scotland as a football nation is amongst the poorest in Europe. You only have to look at the current World Cup Qualifying groups for evidence. It isn’t something that will be addressed over the next five years, ten years, or event fifteen years. This is an issue of tradition; of a country that has an opinion of itself that far exceeds reality; of a cowardly playing style, consumed by fear that trickles down from the very top, all the way to the kids playing in the street. Attempt to address that, and the possibility of creating a strong fundamental philosophy on which to build upon could well become a reality.
You can follow Michael on Twitter @ mjwood_alba
AIRDRIE SUPPORTERS TRUST HELP REINSTATE OLDEST SHOW IN TOWN Traditionally the perception by the general public towards football Trust’s has been primarily a view that it’s all about gaining control of their football clubs. Across the country from Dumbarton to Dunfermline football Trusts are going above and beyond that to develop community engagement programmes to assist and enhance community activity. Wednesday the 24th of April again brought the partnership of the Airdrie Supporters Trust, The Scottish FA and North Lanarkshire Active Schools Team, Airdrie Football Club, and the owners of the Excelsior Stadium together to deliver the Airdrie’s Schools Cup. This is the second consecutive year the cup has been run after a long hiatus. The Airdrie Supporters’ Trust were and still are committed to promoting football in the community and took it upon themselves to be a leading force in reigniting the desire to reinstate this historical tournament. The tournament ended abruptly in the 1990’s when Airdrie FC sold the old stadium “Broomfield”.
participating in an educational workshop outlining the history of the competition and highlithing local history and trying tio install a sense of pride and understanding of the past.
Over the decades the Airdrie schools cup has seen many players grace the field and proceeded to the oldest Schools football tour- go on to play at much higher levels. nament in the world. The original any players have participated Cup is still housed in the Hampden Museum, and this year, forms part and enjoyed the original Cup tourof the ‘More Than a Game: How nament, of which Ian McMillan, a Scotland shaped World Football’ current Airdrie board member, is exhibition at Kelvingrove Museum perhaps the most famous. Willie Henderson, John Brownlie, Ian in Glasgow. Angus, Gardner Speirs and Sandy The football festival was reintro- Clark are others who went on to duced into the local Schools foot- forge long professional football caball calendar by the Airdrie Trust reers having played in this tournalast year and proved very success- ment at a young age. ful. The Airdrie supporters Trust has been supported by the Scot- The Airdrie supporters trust hightish FA, North Lanarkshire Council lighted 4 key areas they wanted and North Lanarkshire Leisure as to address and recognised that well as from Airdrie Football Club, this historic competition could Excelsior Stadium Company and be utilised as a vehicle to address local businesses all along the way other social issues. The trust set and through the culmination of collective efforts a historical and beneficial sporting event was reintroduced.
As the oldest Schools football tournament in the world it was fantastic that the Airdrie schools were once again given the opportunity to participate in a festival which allows children to enjoy sport and have fun The Airdrie supporters trust playing viewed the reintroduction of this football in event as the central part of the their local legacy that was the original Airdrie Stadium whilst Schools Cup, which coincidently is also
out to: Involve all Primary Schools in Airdrie and surrounding vil lages. • Encourage children to choose healthier lifestyles, using football as a medium. • Encourage a renewed sense of community within Airdrie and surrounding villages. • Encourage children to enjoy football and have fun while playing it. The tournament on the day consisted of 24 Primary Schools taking part. The games were 7-a-side and each school was represented by 10 players. The schools participating were: All Saints, Calderbank, Chapelhall, Chapelside, Clarkston, Corpus Christie, Dunrobin, Glengowan, Golfhill, Greengairs, Kirk o’ Shotts, New Monkland, Petersburn, Plains, Rochsolloch, St Aloysius, St Andrew’s, St David’s, St Dominic’s, St Edward’s, St Mary’s, St Serf’s, Tollbrae and Victoria.
By the end of the day it was clear to see that fun was had by all and it should be considered another great success that the trust can be proud of and it is clear evidence that demonstrates how football trusts can and do play an integral role in sustaining community spirit through such initiatives while also providing a service in addressing lifestyle choices. Willie Marshall, chairman of the Airdrie Supporters Trust, said: “We’d been trying to bring it back for a few years, but because of the SFA Fair Play we couldn’t make it a competitive tournament. “We wanted to encourage the primary schools to get into football and get them back to the stadium, so we had meetings with the SFA and North Lanarkshire Council last year and they were positive. “We were told in the meetings that we are at the forefront in holding this type of organised football event in Scotland and both organisations wish to use the event as a model for others. “Last year 21 schools took part but this year all 24 took part. We couldn’t do it without the SFA, they’ve supplied seven coaches today and the council have supplied the school co-ordinators and, crucially, the coaches to bring the kids from the school. “We’re indebted to both of them, as well as the stadium and the club. The stadium company have been able to provide the facilities for free, which is great.” Supporters Direct Scotland look
forward to attending the next Tournament and would like to say a huge congratulation to all groups involved in reinstituting this historic competition not least the Airdrie Supporters Trust. Should you wish to find out more information about the Airdrie supporters trust or if you require membership information please email airdrietrust@hotmail.com
Supporters Direct Scotland are delighted to announce a working partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and their Football Memories project. There are over 84,000 people in Scotland with dementia, the equivalent of every spectator on an average Scottish football weekend. Thousands of people with dementia loved their football, and still do. Alzheimer Scotland’s Football Memories project harnesses that passion for the game to improve their lives. The project was launched two years ago and trains volunteers to spend time with people with dementia who have an interest in football, talking about teams and matches from the past and working with images and memorabilia to stimulate memories. As part of our partnership with the project, we’ll be producing a series of interviews with all football fans talking about who’d be in their all time X11 for their club. You can view the first in our series with Head of SDS Paul Goodwin on YouTube, talking about his favourite Partick Thistle players.
Supporters Direct Scotland is delighted to welcome the Scottish Disabled Supporters Association to the Scottish Fans Network. The Scottish Disabled Supporters Association (SDSA) was launched in October 2010 and its aims are a mirror image of those of CAFE (Centre for Access to Football in Europe) who help set up the SDSA and continues to supports it. Those aims are: • To enable disabled people to follow football in Scotland • To achieve equal access for all football supporters in Scotland • To increase disability awareness and improve the lives of disabled people using the special influence of football within Scotland • To establish a Scottish network of disabled football supporters We met with SDSA on the 16th
of January and they were able to share information about the Scottish Disabled Supporters Association and its development over the last couple of years. We’re very pleased to consider the SDSA as a part of our network as we aim to represent all football fans across the country for the benefit of the game. If you’d like to join the Scottish Fans Network and see how it could benefit your organisation, please do not hesistate to get in touch with andrew.jenkin@supportersdirect.org or learn more here. To find out more about CAFE the work of the SDSA please contact their Administrator Neil Strevens at neil.strevens1@gmail.com or on mobile 07752830921
BEYOND OUR BORDERS PORTSMOUTH On Saturday, just days after the legal action that freed up Portsmouth to be converted into the biggest community club in Britain, SD Chair and Brentford fan Brian Burgess welcomed the Trust and putative Chairman Iain McInnes, at the match between his club and Portsmouth. Current Brentford Chairman and soon to be appointed FA Independent Chairman Greg Dyke, also joined them for a chat. A highly competitive match saw Portsmouth take the lead, but Brentford pulled level and scored the winner in the last ten minutes of normal time. About the efforts of the Portsmouth fans, Brian Burgess said, “The effort and commitment shown by the fans and the wider community of the city has been immense. I know from the countless messages we’ve received that it’s inspired and captured the imagination of fans across the country.” Ashley Brown, Chairman of PST said: ‘It was a really positive meeting with Brian and Greg. They clearly have a wealth of knowledge which is going to be invaluable to us as we develop our community club model and we will be looking to talk in more depth in the near future to learn more from their experience. As Chair of Supporters’ Direct, Brian has a keen interest in
what we are trying to do and we are sure the relationship with SD will deepen as our project unfolds.’ Iain McInnes, prospective Chairman of PFC said: ‘It was a pleasure to catch up with Greg again, who I have known for many years as we used to live near to one another. He’s a great appointment as he’s not only a proper football man but in these times of financial hardship he has great knowledge of the challenges that most if not all lower league clubs are facing, from first hand experience and that can only be a good thing. We have also invited Greg to come to Fratton Park next season once he is in his new role at the FA, to see how we are getting on with our project.
porter ownership of football clubs. We also advise clubs on their ownership and governance structure and work with football associations, leagues, UEFA, and European institutions.
‘Brentford were the perfect hosts and they have a terrific club, which deserves the success they are having on the field at the moment. We look forward to our paths crossing on the field again soon.’
SD Europe will work alongside Panathinaikos, which is majority controlled by the democratic Panathinaikos Alliance. The project will begin immediately.
PANATHINAIKOS
We believe that sport can be improved through the increased involvement of supporters in governance and decision-making – and that this can also deliver wider social and economic benefits.
Supporters Direct Europe (SD Europe) and Panathinaikos FC have today announced the agreement of a joint project, which is aimed at placing the Greek Super League club on a more sustainable footing for the future. The project will include joint work on areas such as Governance, Finance and Membership. SD Europe is an organisation that assists football supporter organisations in over 20 countries in achieving formal structured involvement in their clubs and associations; and developing sup-
THE VENUE
The Football Association’s National Football Centre is the home of football development in England. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO>>
THE VENUE
WELCOME TO 2013 ANNUAL SUPPORTERS’ SUMMIT VENUE: St. George’s Park
DATE: 22nd June 2013
The Football Association’s National Football Centre is the home of football development in England. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO>>
WEBSITE: www.supporters-direct.coop
The 2013 Annual Supporters Summit will be held jointly between Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters Federation and will this year be held at The Football Association’s National Football Development Centre at St George’s Park, Burton, on 22nd June 2013. The event will welcome fans from across the country, with delegates representing Supporters Direct member trusts & clubs coming from across Europe as well. Tickets start at just £10 and are on sale now. Speakers already confirmed for the Saturday include F.A. Chairman David Bernstein, Swansea City Chairman Huw Jenkins, and Tim Connolly from supporter owned NFL Club the Green Bay Packers. Delegates will also get the chance to have a free tour of the brand new facility at St. George’s Park the brand new base for the England National Team.
The Summit will host a number of workshops dedicated to the following topics which will allow delegates and key industry figures to discuss and challenge theory and practice:>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>
Sustainability or Bust Reclaim our Game Twenty’s Plenty for Away Tickets Tackling Discrimination Through Football Protecting Stadia as Assets of Community Value Transparency & Vigilance Fan Engagement: Why It Works for Clubs and Fans Improving Football Governance Through Supporter & Community Ownership Discrimination: How fans can help The Away Fan’s Experience Redressing the Balance: Women in football
More information including how to buy tickets for the Saturday can be found at
www.supporterssummit.co.uk
THE EVENT WILL WELCOME FANS FROM ACROSS THE UK, WITH MEMBER TRUSTS & CLUBS ALSO COMING FROM ACROSS EUROPE | TICKETS FROM £10!
KNOW YOUR COUNCIL The council assist the Board by monitoring activity against budgets, development plans and other Key Performance Indicators in their particular area and contributing ideas and suggestions regarding SD strategy in their area for consideration by the Board. Several seats are reserved on the main Board for individuals who serve on these Councils.
NEIL BONE BRIAN GUTHRIE Chairman Vice-Chair
Neil Bone is a qualified Architect who works out of Glasgow. Neil follows Ayr United and has done so since 1978, and he has served on the Society Board of The Honest Men Trust since its inception in 2003 acting as Secretary for the first six years. Neil also sits on the interim committee of Junior side Whitletts Victoria, as a THMT Rep assisting them in becoming a Membership Organisation. Elected to the Scottish Council on February 2011 Neil will serve until 2014.
Brian Guthrie has worked within the Music Industry for 40 years in numerous positions ranging from journalism to promotion & band management, radio presenter, production as well as owning and operation of an independant record label. Apart from rock`n`roll his main obsession is Falkirk F.C. who he has supported since the age of ten. During that time he has served both fans - as founder of both the Federation of Supporters Clubs and cofounder of Bairnstrust who he served for twelve years -
and the club itself for whom he has served as a full director as well as Fans & Family Liason Officer and point of contact for visiting guests, scouts etc. In 2012 he was co-opted onto the Scottish Council of Supporters Direct and soon after became Vice Chair.
FRASER
MACDONALD
Fraser has over 15 years’ experience in a number of international marketing roles with major Japanese and American firms including Canon, NEC and currently with Dell. Dundee born and raised, he has spent many years working down south, after graduating from EM Strasbourg management school in France. Fraser spent several years as secretary of the Dundee FC Supporters’ Association, before being instrumental in founding the Dundee FC Supporters’ Society in 2003/04 where he also served as secretary for a number of years and is now in his second spell as a trust director. Fraser is also a director on the board of Dundee FC, the UK’s only
top-flight supporter-owned club, since November 2011, and has a long involvement with Supporters Direct, both as a key liaison with his own trust and a former member of SD’s Scottish Advisory Group, before being elected to the Scottish Council for a three year term in March 2012 and coopted as a director on the Supporters Direct board in December 2012.
ELAINE MILLER
Elaine has over thirty years experience of Community Development working in both the Public and Third Sector. As well as an Honours Degree in Psychology she has qualifications in Community Development, Adult Learning and Managing Not for Profit Organisations. She has worked with a variety of groups to encourage empowerment, community engagement and participation. She was previously a Development Worker for SDS and has been a director on the Killie Trust Board since 2006. Her remit on the Trust Board is to identify community projects and source funding for them.
MORAG McHAFFIE
ALLAN WILSON
He has a particular interest in Sport and Social Enterprise and is a Director of a number companies including Sports Governing bodies, Charities and Community Interest Companies.
A passionate believer in the Community Ownership and Fan Governance of Sports Clubs he was co-opted onto the SD council in 2012 to assist SD in developing these aims with Clubs and Fans groups exploring the opIn March 2012 Morag was Allan Wilson is the Lead Bio- tions and opportunities elected for a 3 year term. medical Scientist and Labo- for their own Clubs. Morag is a season ticket holder at Firhill and attends all away Thistle matches, unless Scotland happens to be playing in some obscure part of the world! Morag is secretary and travel contact to the North-West Supporters’ branch.
ratory Manager in Pathology for NHS Lanarkshire and is based in Monklands Hospital in Airdrie. Allan follows Clyde and has done so since 1992, and he has served on the Board of The Clyde Supporters’ Trust since 2005 acting as Secretary from the date he joined. Allan is Over the past 25 years she also an active volunteer for has also held the post of Clyde and helps behind the secretary to the old Supscenes in fundraising. porters Association, and its successor, the Supporters’ Federation; Save the Jags and of the embryonic Jags Trust during its first 6 years, returning in 2009 as a member of the JT Board. Morag is presently Chairperson and selected from the Trust Board as the fans representative to the Board of PTFC Ltd. The Jags Trust is an equal largest shareholder with 1 million shares.
RICHARD ATKINSON
Richard is a Director of the Family owned Maxi Group.
CRAIG WILSON Craig Wilson is a PR professional and lives in the east end of Glasgow. A Celtic fan since his childhood, he still attends games when time permits. This is Craig’s first involvement with Supporters Direct Scotland after his 2012 election and is bringing knowledge from a background that involves spells at the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish FA to the organisation.
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THE FALL AND RISE OF GRETNA SUPPORTERS TRUST SDS’s Network Support Manager Andrew Jenkin takes a look at the work Gretna Supporters Trust in the establishment of Gretna 2008. What with the difficulties Rangers have endured and current crises engulfing Hearts and Dunfermline, it’s easy to say the last twelve months have offered little promise for the financial future of Scottish football. However, this isn’t a new revelation and the signs have been there since 2008 when Gretna FC were liquidated following a rollercoaster six seasons under the ownership of businessman Brooks Mileson. The collapse highlighted the shortfalls, dangers and precarious nature some clubs can (and many have) find themselves in under autocratic ownership. The club’s rise and fall was well documented. After a succession of successful seasons, the club were competing amongst the country’s best and their run culminated in a Scottish Cup Final appearance in 2006 where they cruelly lost out on penalties to Hearts. In the club’s first full season in Scotland’s top division, the ill health of Mileson came to light as did the re-
alisation of the club’s financial woes without his backing. The club’s supporters society swiftly became the supporters trust with the aid of Supporters Direct Scotland and new finance was sought to keep the club aloft. Perhaps ironically, Mileson was a devotee of grass-roots football, and made donations to several football supporters trusts, including Dundee United’s Arab Trust, Ayr United’s Honest Men Trust, Dundee’s Dee4life Trust and Berwick Rangers’s Supporters Trust. The spin in his tale was of course the problems his own club’s supporters faced following his withdrawal as they stared at the prospect of Gretna no long having a league club. Following the demotion of the club to the bottom tier of the SFL, no new bidders were forthcoming and Gretna FC were wound up and promptly liquidated. The then newly formed Supporters Trust however remained resilient and set about establishing a new entity under the name of Gretna 2008. Two months later the club was registered and looking for a league to compete in. Craig Williamson, previously chairman of the Supporters Society described the reaction of the Supporters Trust when they first learned of liquidation. “At that point we realised the club was going to fold but we weren’t go-
ing to lie down and decided we would start a new club and take it forward from there.” One of the club’s first moves was to appoint the University of Cumbria’s football officer Stuart Rome as team manager and recruited much of the playing squad from Workington’s reserve team. Williamson was one of the key driving forces in the swift establishment of the new club and is now Chairman of Gretna 2008. The new club is wholly owned by the Society and its board elected by the Society’s members.
“At that point we realised the club was going to fold but we weren’t going to lie down and decided we would start a new club and take it forward from there.” Four years on from their registration, he explains some of the struggles the supporter owned club faces, their plans for the future and offers some advice for other supporters trusts. Williamson spoke fondly of their first steps as a new club: “It’s been great. We were accepted (into the East of Scotland league) with open arms and I think we’ve added value to it”.
The club have plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Although the club were declined entry into the South of Scotland league, they were accepted by the East of Scotland league and following promotion to its Premier Division last season are now looking back up again rather than down. Following their swift promotion the side are now competing against the likes of amateur giants Spartans and reigning champions University of Stirling and adjusted well to their new surroundings sitting comfortably in mid-table in the 12/13 campaign.
“We would recommend trusts being more proactive in the running of their clubs. It might prevent any mismanagement at higher levels and ensure the preservation of the interest of the “ordinary” fan. Trusts have a duty to support and drive forward the club they support”. And not only have the club consolidated on the pitch but are make strides to do so off it too. In 2009, Gretna 2008 were granted a 25 year lease by Raydale Community Partnership (RCP) to access Raydale Park, the former home of Gretna FC. This offers them a great asset which they can use for the benefit of both the club and the community. The club are responsible for the majority of the maintenance and have plans to redevelop it with the approval of the RCP. Williamson spoke of the value of Raydale Park by saying:
“Whilst we could do with refurbishing the club house and changing rooms it’s still as a good facilities as most of the other clubs in the East of Scotland and gives us a solid foundation to move forward”. However, whilst the future does look promising for the ever growing club, there are of course challenges they face and being a fan-owned club always brings certain difficulties with it. “The need to produce accurate budgets has been learned over the last 5 years and fundraising is a constant headache. We’re always having to look at income streams, Raydale Park is in the community, we have to look at using it for everything not just 22 times a year for games – we have to look at every opportunity where we can make some income”. The Gretna Supporters Trust went through times of such hardship to the point where the key priority for Gretna 2008 is that of many within Scottish football, to simply survive. Whilst the main struggle is fundraising, there is always the challenge of sustainability which is testing so many clubs across Scotland, from grassroots to the SPL. “Sustainability is the most important thing, this is our 5th season and I do think we’re getting to a level where we’re taking it forward and getting new income streams coming in so of course the immediate aim is sustainability”. However finance isn’t the Trust’s only concern and the transaction of being a Trust trying to save a club, to being a Trust in charge of a club has brought new responsibilities. “Maintaining a proactive committee is paramount, as is generating
the interest of the Trust members. Keeping the members informed of developments is a priority and the website is the main source of information. We have recently introduced Facebook and Twitter to keep fans up to date and a text alert system is used to inform of postponed matches. The main difference in structure is the feeling of joint responsibility and self-reliance, together with the dependence on volunteers to ensure match days run smoothly”. Although sustainability and developing for the long term is understandably their key concern, the club do have plans to develop the club’s community roots in the future. From being one of the more recent Supporter Trusts set up to save Gretna FC, they’ve now been through the mill and come out the other side guiding Gretna 2008. Their words of advice for other trusts? “We would recommend trusts being more proactive in the running of their clubs. It might prevent any mismanagement at higher levels and ensure the preservation of the interest of the “ordinary” fan. Trusts have a duty to support and drive forward the club they support”.
EAST OF SCOTLAND PREMIER DIVISION
P 1 Spartans 17 2 Whitehill Welfare 16 3 Stirling University 17 4 Gretna 2008 16 5 Edinburgh City 19 6 Civil Service Strol. 18 7 Heriot-Watt Uni 18 8 Preston Athletic 17 9 Vale of Leithen 17 10 Lothian T/Hutch V 19 11 Edinburgh Uni 19 12 Tynecastle 17
PTS 40 37 35 24 24 24 22 21 20 20 15 12
THE GERMAN WAY Head of SDS, Paul Goodwin, looks at how community ownership in Germany could work in Scotland When we think of German engineering with can’t but help think of the quality of BMW, the style of Audi and the reliability of VW. Why? Because we as consumers know that it is true and that these products live up to the promise of the offer they give to the consumer. Of course outwith the car industry there are dozen of other global brands such as Bosch, Siemens , Adidas, etc., proving that our friends in Germany tend to deliver well thought through products time after time. So when the German football authorities decided to think through the failures of past International indiscretions (that’s failure to win the big prizes in the early 2000’s!) you can see looking in from the outside that if they were going to engineer football then they were going to get it right. I was reminded of this in the excellent David Conn article in the Guardian that I would recommend anybody with an interest in community ownership
to read. http://www.guardian. co.uk/football/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2012/dec/01/german-fan-owned-clubs-bundesliga Conn has watched and admired the “German way” off the park for years and in this article firmly nails his colours to the mast with regards to what he prefers when it comes to the English Premier League against clubs working with the 50 plus 1 community ownership model. Rather than restricting the development of the game in Germany it seems that at all levels the so called lack of finance compared to the perceived “commercial strength” of the EPL has produced the right results for fans on and off the park. Fast forward to the hammering that the mighty La Liga giants had in the first leg of the Champions League semi - finals and you have to say that what they are doing in Germany seems to be working on and off the park.
football that is just so efficient on and off the park. Indeed it is so Germanic. It’s a bit like those aforementioned cars. They just have a feel to them that say quality, reliability and it will just not let you down. So too with their football. They have quietly and effectively built a marketing platform that has allowed for democracy that brings fans/ customers with them which is easier when you have local talent prevalent, safe standing, an integrated travel policy and a pricing policy that allows access to even the larger clubs at a price that is affordable no matter where you sit in the socio economic ladder. You can, for example, watch Borussia Dortmund for just £9. Not bad for a side who are the nations current Champions and have just thumped the darlings of Spanish football. What they also do at club level is to use the experience of their top players who have retired and get them involved in running of clubs; if not on the training ground then within their Boardrooms. It’s not just from the Beckenbauer, Hoeness and Muller era but also from a more recent period. Names like Sammer, Voller and Allofs appear as a link that clubs can use to build on their knowledge as well as giving fans icons that they can often vote for as president.
Germany is of course a large country, with passionate fans and a world leading economy, so it has a great starting point. What it also has are clubs that are deeply embedded in their communities right from the top of the Bundesliga down to the local village team. It is that pride and passion that is the lifeblood of football in Germany So could the German model and today they seemed to have work in Scotland? Well it would captured a special essence of be easy to say no; but you
would have to qualify that by saying not under the current structure. Even allowing for one league body and better financial distribution we would need to see significant changes in the outlook of the clubs to embrace what is on offer. There is certainly scope for better fan engagement and there is a platform in place through the launch of the recent Fans Charter. What is also needed is recognition that fans are the most important stakeholders in the game and if you work with them they will likely spend more money with you and encourage more people to join the club success breeds success. Christian Seifert, the Bundesliga chief executive since 2005, is at pains in a long interview with the Observer to ensure the fans are top of his list of priorities. “We value the fan culture we have,” Seifert emphasises. “We are the last of the big leagues with standing areas and nobody wants to touch these standing areas. The clubs are committed to having many cheap tickets because it is considered very important in Germany that people who do not have very much money are able to come to the stadium. “Here, football is one of the last activities which really brings people together, across all ages and all classes of income,” he says. “Politics does not do it, the church does not
make it happen. Most chairmen and chief executives have been very much involved with football, they have been supporters and players. They see from a pure business perspective they could raise prices and make more money. But they have decided to take less money and enable people whose families have supported the club for generations, and young people, to keep coming. We want to have our whole society as part of our football, in our stadiums.” Seifert sounds like the type of guy that should be running the new league structure in Scotland when it undoubtedly does come about. I would get the Headhunters lined up now as he could be what is missing is the engineering expertise that will need to come from that new league body as they try to manufacture a quality product.
DO YOU THINK FAN OWNERSHIP COULD WORK IN SOTLAND? JOIN THE DEBATE!
FAN OWNERSHIP IN NUMBERS
5 51
COMMUNITY OWNED CLUBS IN SCOTLAND
PERCENTAGE OF A CLUB THAT MUST BE OWNED BY COMMUNITY IN GERMANY
WIN! A SIGNED COPY OF SAVING
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL BY PAUL GOODWIN
QUIZ TIME 12 questions here on Scottish football for you to have a go at 1.) Which football team play at Recreation Park?
7) Mark Roberts manages which team?
2) Which footballer has played for the most Scottish SFL and SPL clubs?
8) Which Scottish Player In 2005, equalled Jimmy Greaves’s British record of six league hat-tricks in a single season?
3) Who is the only footballer to have won European footballer of the year and also played in Scotland during his career? 4) Which football stadium in Scotland was the first to install dugouts? 5) In the first ever Scotland v England match, all of the Scottish players played for one club side, which club was it? 6) List the following players in order of most Scotland caps first. Danny McGrain, Gary Naysmith, Andy Goram, Christian Dailly, Joe Jordan
9) Berti Vogts was in charge for the first three games of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. Name the opposition? 10) Name the three teams John Hartson played for between Arsenal and Celtic? 11) Name the goal scorer when Scotland beat Switzerland 1-0 at Euro 96 12) Which SPL team has conceded the most goals in a season? Send your answers into us @ andrew.jenkin@supporters-direct.org