Weeks to save football as we know it..

[silent majority]

Damian Collins steps up again and makes some relatively radical proposals to save football from collapse;

https://thefsa.org.uk/news/damian-collins-mp-weeks-to-save-professional-football-as-we-know-it/

The full statement is here;

https://thefsa.org.uk/news/a-way-forward-for-football-damian-collins-mp/

[bedale rover]

If adopted sounds like a good plan to stop clubs relying on benefactors who then either leave them in the lurch or use the grounds as collateral for their own ends

Not sure how this will go down with the overspenders on the championship who dream of a payday in the EPL

[roversontheup]

Sounds like music to my ears. I despise so much of what football has become since the creation of the PL. I just want my sport back.

[graingrover]

I believe clubs should all be run .....exactly like ours is ...by people with the right values and ethics .

[bedale rover]

If adopted sounds like a good plan to stop clubs relying on benefactors who then either leave them in the lurch or use the grounds as collateral for their own ends

Not sure how this will go down with the overspenders on the championship who dream of a payday in the EPL

The only caveat would be that the gap between the EPL and the rest of the EFL would be cavernous and I am not sure how that could or should be bridged

[selby]

It's a devil when it has took a pandemic to start people in high places thinking about things that have been staring them in the face for so long, or should I say the first time the spivs have been hit in the pocket and the goose that has been laying the golden egg for so long has become ill.

[Jimmydee]

Quote. “re set and adopt new ideas”  now that would be good.

[ss1953]

I believe clubs should all be run .....exactly like ours is ...by people with the right values and ethics .

We are lucky to have a well run club. But we must remember that we have only survived because we have the great good fortune to have 3 rich benefactors who have poured money into the club, without asking for its return. One of their best bits of recruitment was to employ Gavin Baldwin.

At some time in the future the current directors will stop supporting us financially. At that point we must be able to balance our income and expenses.

I have always liked Damien Collins. He is a very sensible guy, who is not trying to push solutions for any ideological reason.

 

[since-1969]

Finances of every Efl club should be based on sustainable funding and responsible management.
The wage bill is normally the largest overhead of most clubs and this has been allowed to be stretched to the breaking point of many clubs . Salary capping has to be fundamental to its business model with unbuild stress testing to avoid the reliance of cup runs and transfer fees in sustain funding .
 The present system of transfers completions prior the season’s start has to be continued , with loans being allowed throughout the season instead of the current transfer window , this would help with injuries as smaller squad sizes has to be part of the fundamentals of sustainability. The leagues structures of 23 teams is just no affordable.  Smaller league sizes of 18 but to include more Cup competitions both preseason and during the seasons should be encouraged with league points awarded to the winning side and added to their corresponding league totals as rewards for success to encourage larger teams of other divisions to participate and raising incomes of the over participating clubs. Something has to change after all football makes millions for its players without loyalty or patronage.

[idler]

With a squad of 20 per club how are clubs expected to have enough players to loan some out?
Clubs need gate money so taking 5 or 6 home games away will help nobody.
Look at how attendences for cup competitions has dropped over the last few years. More people buy season tickets now and shun a lot of games where they have to pay. How many away fans would want to travel to away games in these competitions as well?
Personally I don't think any of those three options would be voted for by the clubs.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

In principle, sounds like a good way forward but how we get from a to b is the bigger question.

Not sure whether having a backstop position like this will make owners more or less responsible knowing someone else will pick up the pieces if their gambles don't come off.

If there is the will, all those involved in the governance of football and professional sport as a whole, could bring legislation to force clubs to offer part ownership to fans. We know of clubs who have gone down this route already Inc Swansea, which is a reasonable model to use as a benchmark.

On the other hand, this may for better or for worse, deter potential investment in clubs.

Certainly something that isn't really new albeit, dressed up a bit differently. I'm sure S_M has seen many a proposal around the same theme.

[silent majority]

Damian Collins has been a strong advocate for football supporters for many years. I remember the days when he took on Ken Bates when he was lording it over Leeds Utd and Damian tore into him on numerous occasions during the Select committee hearings leading to old Ken Bates sidekick, Shaun Harvey, stating he didn't know who owned Leeds!

But this move from Damian has been put together with the joint owner at Sunderland which should give you the message that this is viewed quite seriously in the game. They are using our, The FSA's, governance proposals, as a backbone for all these key reforms. The FA have also stated in recent weeks that they are taking our proposals seriously.

At long last we may be seeing major reform, and with financial support from government thrown in, we may get to the other side of this with a game that reflects the society and community that it represents.

[silent majority]

Baz,
Have you read the full proposals from Damian Collins? I think this is new and workable. It also has high level support and this initial proposal has been put together with the support of the Sunderland joint owner.

We are seeing something new, it all depends on the appetite to make it work.

[Alan Southstand]

I can’t see anywhere in those proposals where it suggests re-aligning the woefully unbalanced financing situation between the Premiership and the rest. Surely, that’s one of the most important factors in any proposed re-structuring?

It’s painfully obvious that the EFL is in desperate need of some sort of governing body, instead of this mamby pamby system that we have currently.

[silent majority]

I can’t see anywhere in those proposals where it suggests re-aligning the woefully unbalanced financing situation between the Premiership and the rest. Surely, that’s one of the most important factors in any proposed re-structuring?

It’s painfully obvious that the EFL is in desperate need of some sort of governing body, instead of this mamby pamby system that we have currently.

It's not there because its irrelevant. It's about saving football clubs, not levelling up a hyper inflated football system.

There is a governing body, its called the FA. The problem has been that the FA has absolved itself of any control over the EPL and EFL for a number of years. Our proposals intend to restore that.

[IDM]

Will be interesting to see how this all develops.

Thanks for keeping us informed SM.

[RoversAlias]

Charlie Methven has little influence at Sinderland now I believe - anyone who has seen Sunderland Til I Die will one him as the Partridge-esque posh boy who provided most of the most ridiculous moments in season 2 - but these proposals are a good starting point for a solution that can save the lower leagues so I look forward to seeing what the government do with them.

[ss1953]

SM, one of the biggest issues in the game is that there are 2 governing bodies. One of the first steps to reform is to merge the FA and the Football League.

This would be the ideal opportunity to get all the reforms done in one go.

[silent majority]

SM, one of the biggest issues in the game is that there are 2 governing bodies. One of the first steps to reform is to merge the FA and the Football League.

This would be the ideal opportunity to get all the reforms done in one go.

The EFL is not a governing body, it’s a members organisation. The last thing we need is a merger because then we would have the members governing themselves.

[Alan Southstand]

It's not there because its irrelevant. It's about saving football clubs, not levelling up a hyper inflated football system.

There is a governing body, its called the FA. The problem has been that the FA has absolved itself of any control over the EPL and EFL for a number of years. Our proposals intend to restore that.

On your first point, I think you’re missing what I’m trying to get across. I think it’s very relevant, I.e. the mismatch in financial distribution amongst Clubs. No-one is suggesting hyper inflating anything, rather deflating the amount of funds being thrown at the elite. The gap is being allowed to widen and all it’s doing is enticing people to risk everything to get a piece of the money pie. Additionally, before they even think about re-structuring the efl, they should scrap the totally unfair system of parachute payments. Only relegated Premiership teams get rewarded handsomely for getting relegated!

On the second point, my view stands. The current system of governance is totally flawed and unworkable. But, personally, it’s no good doing a re-structure, point 2, without first sorting point 1. If we did that, we’d still have a totally unbalanced league system. If a job’s worth doing........etc, etc.

[since-1969]

Leopards can’t change their spots . If the season was to start now the same old mistakes will continue. High wages , over ambitious owners , greedy agents digging the graves of our favourite teams . The government will NOT bail out football when it has contracts worth £billions going forward . Smaller clubs should be bailed out by the PL the FA and Efl before we loose many of our historic clubs.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I'm still not comfortable with government involvement long term. Although, I believe football should be able to sort itself out, there may be scope for government assistance in legislation that might help things along the way.

Prevention is always better than cure, so if that means compulsory fan stakehold, more financial transparency, regular independent auditing, stronger owner and director tests, stronger and fairer FFP rules including the abolition of parachute payments, then we'll be on the right track.

The governing body, the FA, should have all the tools and resources to step in when required. As I understand it, they hold the 'golden share' anyway don't they?

The league operators, the EPL and the EFL operate under the framework set out by the FA however, I think at the moment it's a bit muddy which body is the arbiter of the rules and regulations. It should be the FA that rules, vets, monitors, disciplines, sanctions in all matters of football ownership etc.

Then we have bodies that represent the fans, the players and the managers.

There was talk of an independent regulator which could deal with disputes, conflicts, complaints and resolutions which could be the final arbitration if there are appeals to FA 's judgements.

[silent majority]

Baz,

The proposals that Damian Collins has come up with sit alongside the Governance proposals that we came up with and which we presented to MP's and the FA. The Select committee wholeheartedly supported us at the back end of last year and in recent days we've heard that the FA have also considered in detail our proposals and that we should hear something soon as to the way forward. We call for an independent regulator but within the framework of the FA, as that's where it makes most sense.

The new proposal for an FFA, which Damian Collins has asked for, also sits within the FA but has a panel of independents, football supporters, PFA etc. Again its the right place. The money will come from the Government but control comes from elsewhere.

Our proposals for Governance reform are here. Its a long read though;

https://thefsa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/FSA-Proposals-to-improve-football-regulation.pdf

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Cheers S_M. If its within the FA then that's great!

I'm sure the vast majority of people connected with football want to see a cleaner, fairer game from top to bottom.

The Bury, Bolton and now Sheff Wed and Derby issues drag on for too long however, as said above, prevention is better than cure.

[Filo]

Is n’t against FIFA or UEFA regulations for Governments to be involved

[silent majority]

Is n’t against FIFA or UEFA regulations for Governments to be involved

To be involved, no.

To interfere politically, yes.