Consultation On Supporter Involvement In Clubs

[jenblueeyes]

Knowing what a gobby lot you can be, I thought you might be interested in this information about the Scottish Government's consultation on options for football supporter involvement in their clubs - including fan ownership. If you want to get your voice heard, please click on the link to the consultation included in text below. Anyone posting comments on here won't have their views included as part of the consultation. You have until 15 January to complete it.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on options for football supporter involvement in their clubs – including ownership. It is seeking as representative a response as possible from supporters and has asked if we can alert members of the Tartan Army.

Minister for Sport Jamie Hepburn said:

“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring football supporters have the opportunity to be involved in the decision making and running of their football club wherever possible. I know some clubs already engage well with their fans, but I believe we can do more.

“Our consultation is seeking views on each of the main options to strengthen supporter involvement in clubs: a right to influence, a right to govern, a right to bid, and a right to buy.

“Football clubs occupy a special place in the hearts of supporters and communities in Scotland.

“This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of Scottish football. I encourage you to make your voice heard and have your say.”

The Scottish Government believes supporters should have a role in decision-making – or even ownership, when the opportunity arises – of their clubs. Parliamentary debate on legislation earlier this year demonstrated unanimous support for this position and a consultation is now underway on the full range of options available on football supporter involvement – including ownership:

• right to influence;
  
• right to govern;
  
• right to bid; and
  
• right to buy.
  

The consultation is available online for people to complete, and the Scottish Government is working with fans’ representatives, football bodies and MSPs to ensure all views are heard.

The consultation timeline is longer than usual and will run until 15 January 2016 to specifically allow for the widest and most representative range of responses.

Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence. It is expected that a report on the consultation will be published in Spring 2016.

The consultation follows on from the Scottish Government’s establishment of a working group led by an independent chair, Senior Lecturer Stephen Morrow of Stirling University, which was asked to identify, consider and provide recommendations on potential ways to increase and improve supporter involvement clubs. The working group – which included representatives from the Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, Supporters Direct Scotland and sportScotland – published its report on 30 January 2015 and made a number of recommendations which are now being taken forward.