Sustain the Game!

[STAR Liaison]

.... Lifting this post out of the Team Board where it didn't get much attention .....

STAR is signed up and backing it. The Covid-19 situation has made the crisis in football governance and finance even worse. But this could mean it’s a great time for change.

The campaign is backed by supporters’ groups from almost all 92 clubs, some clubs themselves, politicians from the three major parties and leading football media figures like Jamie Carragher who said “this is a difficult time for the game but it’s also a chance to make real changes.” The campaign looks for urgent action from the authorities to protect the very existence of clubs in this dangerous time.

The five principles of the campaign are:

1. Protect our clubs - football clubs are community assets and an important expression of individual and local identity, they deserve legal protection and urgent support to secure their future;
2. Transparency - everyone has a right to know who owns their club, and how clubs and the authorities operate. Owners are custodians of clubs on behalf of all of us;
3. Financial controls - fans want rules with real teeth which are independently enforced, clubs and leagues can't be left to regulate themselves;
4. Strengthen the pyramid - football as a whole is wealthy, but we need a smarter and fairer use of the money in the game to encourage sustainability;
5. Supporter engagement - fans are the lifeblood of the game, they need a voice in their clubs and on all issues that affect them and their communities.

To find out more about Sustain The Game! and see all signatories visit: http://www.thefsa.org.uk

[Millsy]

Nice!

[Green]

The campaign looks for urgent action from the authorities to protect the very existence of clubs in this dangerous time.

Which authorities, and what action is required?

Looks very broad in scope and very general at the moment. A bit "Down with this sort of thing", dare I say it. Fine if it's only just getting started but feel like it needs a bit of refining if anything is to come of it other than placard waving.

[STAR Liaison]

The campaign looks for urgent action from the authorities to protect the very existence of clubs in this dangerous time.

Which authorities, and what action is required?

Looks very broad in scope and very general at the moment. A bit "Down with this sort of thing", dare I say it. Fine if it's only just getting started but feel like it needs a bit of refining if anything is to come of it other than placard waving.

Sorry for tardy reply. The following statement is now on the STAR website:

"Professional football in the UK is in crisis and it needs Government support – i.e. money – NOW. If you’re concerned about the game’s future and Reading’s place within please lobby your local MP and / or Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden. If you live in Reading West please get in touch, as a constituent, with Alok Sharma, the Business Secretary.

While £1.5bn support for the Arts has been offered football has had nothing but platitudes and the vague hope that the Premier League will rescue everyone else. It won’t and it can’t. Dozens of clubs, key assets in their communities are at risk. Macclesfield have just gone. Bury are forced out of town to play several leagues lower. Wigan have big problems, League 1 and League 2 clubs will struggle to pay September wages let alone October’s with the stadiums now closed to fans indefinitely. We are not talking massive sums of money here. Damian Collins MP offered a workable plan in the summer that would cost around £200m. Rick Parry, chair of the EFL, currently suggests about £250m.

STAR Board members are meeting virtually with the Football Supporters Association on 1st and 7th October to see what we can do at a local level to address this national crisis. As far as we know Reading FC is not under immediate threat though there have been recent staff cuts. But we will be affected if we don’t have opponents to play or divisions to play in or if the Premier League and the big clubs in particular draw further away from us – and just offer football that is about brand and television, not community and match-going.

So please take the time to write a personal email to your MP or Oliver Dowden MP simply asking for immediate financial help to save the football pyramid and the hugely valued clubs within it. If these go down our society will be a lot poorer for it and the Government’s inaction will be remembered."

[STAR Liaison]

And also this from the Football Supporters Association:

"We're continuing to lobby the Government and you might have seen that a load of the FSA's APPG for Football Supporter members have been lobbying the sports minister in Parliament this week and via open letter (which we worked with Damian Collins on and he received a lot of coverage for). We'll continue to do that briefing to MPs but every fan group can also play a role writing to their local MP."

[Green]

Maybe one for the unpopular opinions thread, but suppose the long suffering tax-payer does pay up at a time of national hardship - where does the money ultimately go? To [b/m]illionaire owners and players?

While noone wants to see their own club go to the wall, there aren't too many professional clubs I'd shed a tear for in all honesty.

If any public money does go in I'd want to see some pretty tight restrictions on where it's spent, and maybe also use the opportunity to push for reform of the game's finances. Maybe it's time we looked at spending caps/wage ceilings etc.

[Sutekh]

+1

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Yeah +1 Greenerz

[STAR Liaison]

"An unpopular, illegitimate, & dangerous scheme in the eyes of the overwhelming majority of fans.” In an unprecedented move, fans’ groups from across Europe have issued a joint statement in opposition to a European Super League.

There is a hugely supported petition condemning the idea of the the big European clubs breakaway league.

The statement has just been published on FSE’s website and on their social media:
https://twitter.com/FansEurope/status/1 ... 6415224833

STAR has signed this though we don't show up on the list on account of our lack of European creds. One day!

[Sutekh]

"An unpopular, illegitimate, & dangerous scheme in the eyes of the overwhelming majority of fans.” In an unprecedented move, fans’ groups from across Europe have issued a joint statement in opposition to a European Super League.

There is a hugely supported petition condemning the idea of the the big European clubs breakaway league.

The statement has just been published on FSE’s website and on their social media:
https://twitter.com/FansEurope/status/1 ... 6415224833

STAR has signed this though we don't show up on the list on account of our lack of European creds. One day!

Agreed. The PL is already a step too far and this is just the final walk off the plank.