SUPPORTERS DIRECT SUPPORTERS SUMMIT 2016
Sponsored by
WELCOME TO THE SDS
CONFERENCE 10th January 2016 | Glasgow, Scotland
WELCOME ALL, I hope you’re enjoying a good start to 2016. It’s a pleasure to welcome you back to Hampden Park for our 2016 Supporters Summit. Since our last event back here in June last year, the landscape in which we operate has changed considerably. Today we look forward to hearing from the Sports Minister about the Government’s consultation into what rights supporters could have when it comes to fan involvement and ownership. We await the results of the process which will take into account a wide of views. We stand ready to work with our members and other fan groups to help them navigate legislation created once announced. Additionally, along with the Government and governing bodies, we’ve been working on the development and implementation of a number of initiatives aimed at reducing the barriers for supporters to representation, involvement and ownership in the game. We’re pleased to be announcing today the launch of Club Development Scotland, a new unit offering expertises in areas of governance, ownership and finance. We are sure this, along with the collaborative
approach we’ve developed with the Government and governing bodies, will go a long way to ensuring supporters are firmly embedded within the game. Events like today’s are particularly special and show how far the supporter trust and fan representative movement has come. It is widely acknowledged that supporters are vital to the game, but seldom get opportunities to have their views heard or indeed to hear from key stakeholders responsible for the game’s governance. We feel events such as today go someway to address that. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank ‘Community’ for their sponsorship of this event and all the speakers for sharing their experiences and for giving their time. I hope you enjoy the event.
Andrew Jenkin Head of Supporters Direct Scotland
SPEAKERS MICHAEL BRUNSKILL
NIAMH O’MAHONY
Michael is a life-long Sunderland fan, with a very thick skin, having grown up in Gateshead (that’s next door to Newcastle). He became involved with the FSF during the “No To Game 39” campaign and joined as Director of Communications in 2008. Before that Michael worked at the Institute for Public Policy Research North (ippr north) - an independent think-tank which looks at regional and national policy issues.
Niamh O’Mahony is currently a member of the Board of Management at supporter-owned League of Ireland side Cork City FC. City have been fan owned since 2010 when supporters trust FORAS (Friends of the Rebel Army Society Ltd) took charge. FORAS has also been instrumental in the setting up of the Irish Supporters Network, which is a national organisation of supporters trusts in the Republic, and will lead the ‘Clubs and Supporters for better governance in Football’ project in Ireland from January 1.
PHIL SUMBLER
EILIDH BARBOUR
Phil Sumbler is Chairman of the Swansea City Supporters Trust, a position he has held since the summer of 2006. Overseeing the organisation that holds a 21% shareholding of Swansea City, the club has in that time risen from a new club in League One to an established Premier League club and the Trust themselves have been seen as a shining light of what fan ownership can achieve. They have held a shareholding in the club since 2001 when the Trust, local businessmen and supporters all rallied against the then owners of the club before embarking on a remarkable journey that always looked against the odds. Phil has been a fan since 1978 and has written four Swansea City related books including “From Graveyard To Ambition, the official history of the Swansea City Supporters Trust”
Eilidh is a freelance sports broadcaster. She predominantly works for BBC Sport and BT Sport reporting on games from the Premier League, FA Cup, Scottish leagues and Scottish Cup as well as the Champions League and Europa League. Eilidh was recently part of the BBC team at the Women’s World Cup in Canada and will be part of the team heading to France for Euro 2016. She is also part of BBC Radio 5 Live’s golf commentary team covering the major tournaments and Ryder Cup later this year. Eilidh’s presenting credits include Match of the Day 2 Extra, Match of the Day FA Cup highlights, Football Focus on BBC World Service, BBC Breakfast and BBC News channel.
DAVID C. WATT David arrived at the IoD from a background of running his own business for over ten years – a consultancy focussed on individual and organisational development, particularly in the sport and leisure industry. Prior to this he had worked in both the private and public sectors. David also spent two and a half years leading Scotland’s Millennium activities and celebration, encouraging a range of partners to contribute £11.6 million to the festivities throughout Scotland in the year 2000. David also serves as a non-executive director on the Scottish North American Business Council, Fife Sport and Leisure Trust, Quality Scotland and British Gymnastics, as well as acting as an advisor to individuals and groups in the public, private and voluntary sectors. He is an ambassador for the Prince and Princess of Wales
Hospice in Glasgow and was recently appointed Chairman of the Commonwealth Gymnastics Confederation. He is the author of many newspaper and magazine articles as well as several books focussing on event organisation and the management and administration of sport. In 2010 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by Edinburgh Napier University. On a personal note, he is a keen golfer – past captain of the Dukes Club in St Andrews, and follower of rugby, particularly Edinburgh and Scotland, with a keen non-party interest in politics and current affairs. Excellent corporate governance coupled with strong leadership are essential for Scotland going forward and the IoD has a key role to play in delivering this through supporting and developing directors. Talented and committed directors are vital to the nation’s prosperity and David is enthusiastic about the role the IoD can play in supporting, representing and providing for its members and other business leaders to the benefit of them, their companies or organisations and so the national economy and civic society.
2016 ITINERARY 10:40AM
Registration
11:10AM
Opening Speech & Welcome – Eilidh Barbour and Andrew Jenkin (Head of Supporters Direct Scotland)
11:30AM
Mr Jamie Hepburn MSP (Minister for Sport) on Scottish Government Consultation into Supporter Involvement
11:55AM
Swansea City Supporters Trust’s Phil Sumbler on fan involvement at a Premier League club
12.35PM
Q&A Session hosted by Eilidh Barbour
1PM
Lunch
1:40PM
Lee Price (Author of The Bundesliga Blueprint) on what Scottish football can learn from the Bundesliga when it comes to Supporter Involvement
2:15PM
Sean Hamil (Lecturer at Birkbeck University) on ‘The Supporter Ownership Model: Time for Reflection?’
3PM
Workshop #1 (Training by the Institute of Directors ‘Governance - What It Means’) & Workshop #2 (Irish Supporters Network)
3.40PM
Workshop #3 (Training by the Institute of Directors ‘Being a Sports Director – Roles and Responsibilities’) & Workshop #4 (The Football Supporters Federation)
4.20PM
Closing Remarks and Thanks