Sports Minister speaks at general meeting of football supporters

I am delighted to be here today as Minister for Sport to speak to members of the FSA (the Football Supporters’ Association) at the home of English football, Wembley Stadium.

It is a privilege to be with you at this AGM, which is of course Malcolm Clarke’s last as Chairman, after just 22 years. I know the enormous impact he has had, and I wish you all the best.

You’re all here today to discuss how fans can have more of a voice and how your concerns are addressed by the game.

Fans are the heart and soul of the game and I want to outline how this administration will support you.

The inclusion of the Football Governance Bill in Wednesday’s Speech from the Throne is the first step in realising that support. The Bill introduces a new regulatory body for football.

The FSA is one of our key partners, ensuring that the voices of fans are represented as we develop these proposals. I am committed to continuing to work with you to deliver on this commitment, which will ensure a more sustainable future for our football clubs and ensure that the voices of fans are heard. Having worked closely with you over the past few months, I know first-hand the impact you have had.

Every football fan deserves the chance to follow the team they love without having to fight back against unfit owners. They deserve to fight to keep their club’s name, colours and crest. They deserve to watch their club try to join a closed league of select clubs that have been poached from the rest of the English football pyramid. Or even risk seeing their club disappear altogether.

Our football fans are the best in the world, so we want to repay that dedication by making this country the best place in the world for football fans.

We do this by giving fans more say in how their club is run, ensuring that football clubs are financially sustainable and safe for future generations.

This means that clubs regularly consult a representative group of fans on strategic matters and other issues of importance to supporters. This means that a wide range of fans, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to have their say.

Too often we have seen the financial mismanagement of beloved clubs like Bury have a devastating impact on loyal fans and local communities, and the Secretary of State’s first visit was to Gigg Lane. Irresponsible ownership, unsustainable financial models and inadequate regulation have cast a shadow over too many of our community clubs.

Their experiences highlight the weaknesses of the current football governance systems put in place to protect clubs, governance systems that have led to excessive and reckless risk-taking, something that the new regulatory regime will address.

But as we work to address these issues, I also want to acknowledge the fantastic global success story of English football. It is one of our greatest cultural exports, attracting larger audiences and higher revenues than any international competitor.

That’s why we need to ensure that the Regulator’s approach is proportionate, risk-based and targeted, while putting the fans at the heart of it. I am confident that providing this stable regulatory environment will attract investors who will enhance the experience for you, the fans. This is a view shared by a number of clubs across the football pyramid.

I know the risks that clubs face are real and present, so we will act as quickly as the parliamentary timetable allows to get the Regulator in place.

I would like to conclude by thanking the FSA for the invitation to speak at this year’s Annual General Meeting.

And to take this opportunity to congratulate Kevin Miles on being awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List in recognition of his services to football.

This award recognises Kevin’s dedication over many years to ensuring that the interests of football fans are looked after and that local communities have a stalwart ally in protecting their local football clubs.

These local clubs are a vital part of the social fabric of Britain.

They are important social assets that bring people from all walks of life together, so we must protect and nurture them for the sake of the fans and the local communities they serve.

I look forward to our continued collaboration as we change football for the better.