Government Plans To Give Soccer Back To Fans

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England’s government is going to unveil radical proposals that would give soccer fans first option to buy their clubs when they were put up for sale and require clubs to hand over a stake of up to 25% to supporters’ groups. A way to give fans a far greater say in how their soccer clubs are run and overhaul the way the game is governed.

The plans include:

• • Requiring clubs to hand a stake of up to 25% to fans in recognition of their links with their local community.

• • Implementing a change-of-control clause that would allow fans a window to put together a takeover of their club if it was up for sale or went into administration.

• • Giving the soccer authorities a deadline to reform the FA and remove “vested interests” from the board, and streamline decision making.

• • Introducing a unified system of governance that co-ordinates issues such as club ownership and youth development.

• • Allowing professional leagues and the FA additional oversight of club takeovers.

Portsmouth’s financial collapse, the outpouring of anger in response to the leveraged buyouts at Manchester United and Liverpool that loaded the clubs with combined debts of more than $1 billion, and last week’s shock resignation of the FA chief executive, Ian Watmore, in protest at the “vested interests” on the board are all understood to have persuaded the prime minister to act.

The government could, however, face legal challenges from existing owners over the dilution of their shares. It has echoes of the model proposed by the so-called Red Knights attempting to buy Manchester United. Wealthy fans will contribute 74.9% of the overall purchase price, but supporters will hold a “golden share” of just over 25%, giving them a blocking stake on any change of ownership and an influential boardroom voice.

While the government will reiterate that it has no desire to regulate soccer directly, the prime minister believes the democratisation of soccer club ownership taps into wider themes about the “mutualisation” of public services and the need for regulatory reform.

This could put some wrinkles in Diddy’s plan to buy the Crystal Palace while some Dallas Cowboys fans seriously wish this was an option for them.