Supporters’ Trusts and the issue of supporter-owned football clubs were making the news in February.   Following the departure of Sven from Notts County, the Valentine’s weekend Guardian even ran a piece advocating fan ownership in its Editorial column.

With so many clubs in financial crisis, the article said it was time to think again about football’s finances and the way clubs are run. It conceded that it’s hard to divorce success on the pitch from money in the bank but, it argued, there must be a more financially sustainable way of running clubs.  Supporter-owned clubs, it asserted, are the answer. 

Drawing on the examples of Barcelona and Real Madrid the article also highlighted the Bundesliga where clubs have backed the rule that fans should own a majority of shares in an effort to guarantee stability, continuity and proximity to the supporters. “In practice it really does seem to mean accessible ticket prices go hand in hand with excellence in depth. Here, brave pioneers like AFC Wimbledon fight to break through the daunting cost barrier. They need a limit on corporate investment if they're to succeed. A supporter on every board would be a start.”

The Guardian’s editorial was timely.   The list of football clubs in financial trouble in this country grows ever longer, and in many cases the money crises only worsen.  No surprise then that supporters’ trusts from the Premiership to the conference are finding themselves in the news as they make efforts to salvage their respective clubs.  At Portsmouth FC, where financial difficulties are well documented, the Pompey Supporters' Trust has been in dialogue with Sulaiman al-Fahim (the businessman who acquired Portsmouth at the start of the season) about the possibility of Mr Fahim handing over his 10% share in Portsmouth Football Club to the Trust.  On Monday 22^nd February, Mr Fahim resigned as the club's non-executive chairman stating that he will donate his shareholding to the Trust.  Fahim was quoted as saying, "This is a community club and should be owned by the fans and supporters. They should be involved and have full transparency in their club. The supporters should have a say in it. And the club should be managed with financial transparency." Noble sentiments they may be, but whether or not Fahim’s shares end up in the hands of the Trust remains to be seen. No formal offer has yet been made to the Trust, and it is understood that the South African consortium interested in buying the club wish to purchase 100% of shares.

We will have to watch how the story develops in coming weeks, but at the time of submission, it had just been announced that Portsmouth had entered administration.  A historic event in the history of the Premier League, and one that we all hope will have positive implications for football governance.

Trusts are active with just as much urgency in the lower reaches of the football leagues – none more so than at Chester City FC, who have just been expelled from the Blue Square Premiership for various misdemeanours, including failing to fulfill fixtures and non payment of Football creditors.  There was the possibility of the club being bought by a Danish consortium  and CFU (City Fans United - www.cityfansuinted.com), which was created from the merger of Chester City Supporters’ Trust and Chester City Independent Supporters’ Association, had been in early discussions with the Danish group. According to the CFU website they had secured an undertaking from the prospective buyers that they would not proceed without CFU backing, but it appears the club agreed a deal without reference to CFU or Chester supporters.  Without consultation, CFU did not want the Danish bid to proceed, as they believed the consortium had no adequate business plan or strategy for running the club on a day to day basis, nor sufficient finances to cover the current debt, or plans for community involvement. 

Following City’s expulsion, CFU stated, “We are angry that Chester City FC was allowed to fall into such a sorry state and we call upon the football authorities to review their rules on the ownership and financial control of football clubs, before the supporters of another football club are forced to endure the pain felt by fans of Chester City FC. CFU have previously outlined our vision for the future for football in Chester but, like all supporters of Chester City FC, we must take some time to grieve. We believe that 125-years of footballing history will live on through and each every supporter of Chester City FC. Rest assured that City Fans United will continue to fight for the future of football in Chester”.

We can only sympathise and wish Chester supporters and CFU well.

No club should be complacent.  Even fans of clubs in the ‘Big 4’ are mobilising.  In recent weeks Manchester United’s Supporter’s Trust (MUST) endorsed the Green and Gold campaign, producing and selling 30,000 scarves and boosting Trust membership to over 50,000 – a swell in numbers crucial, as they see it, to persuade the Glazers to go but also to form a significant group to participate in any future ownership structure.

In 2010 football is still waking up, it seems, to the fact that supporters are the only constant in football and the only people with the long-term commitment to guarantee a club's future.  Having a Trust is a good start.  It’s a voice for fans and it is the organisation that, when the proverbial hits the fan, is well placed to kickstart a disaster recovery plan, or, in the worst case scenarios, mop up the pieces. Perhaps GTST will never need to be as heavily involved in a club crisis like those faced by the Trusts and fans at Portsmouth and Chester, but it is not beyond the bounds of possibility.

Will Douglas – GTST Board Member