MPs rush to back Fan-Led Review as momentum grows to save football

TODAY the momentum behind the Fan-Led Review received a massive boost with 52 MPs adding their support to Fair Game's campaign to save the future of football and have the Review's recommendations implemented in full.

The Review led by the former Sports Minister Tracey Crouch MP included 47 recommendations which would for the first time embed financial sustainability, good governance, equality standards and proper fan and community engagement into the National Game - and all under the watchful eye of a new fully independent regulator. The Review has the full backing of Fair Game, a coalition of 34 value-driven professional football clubs campaigning to improve the governance of our national game.

The 52 MPs all responded to a call from Fair Game and its supporters to attend a two-hour drop-in session at Westminster and publicly endorse the Review. The demand was such that MPs were forced to queue out the door.

The call was the main focus of the inaugural Fair Game Week. Over the last seven days, the 34 clubs of Fair Game have posted tweets, produced videos, printed programme ads and shown messages on their big screens, all urging fans to reach out to their MPs.

The 52 MPs come from the four main political parties - Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Scottish Nationalists.

John Scales, former England international and Fair Game ambassador, was present at the drop-in session and said: “Today has been a true game changer. The political support from across the spectrum has been overwhelming.

“Momentum is building. A year on from the European Super League, and with several clubs on the brink of extinction, now is the time to deliver real change. Football is the people's game and we need to protect its heritage and traditions.

“We are calling on the government to include a new Football Bill in the Queen's Speech and commit to implementing all the findings of Tracey Crouch's review in full.”

Niall Couper, CEO of Fair Game, was also at the drop-in session and added: “A recent poll of 11,000 Premier League fans found 85% want an independent regulator. All 34 clubs of Fair Game want one too. And now MPs are rallying around that too.

“We knew there was support in parliament, but this has far exceeded our expectations. We were here for just two hours and struggled to keep up with the demand. The message is loud and clear: ‘Boris Johnson: Legislate now and save football’.”

Mike Amesbury, Labour MP for Liverpool Weavervale, said: “Fair Game puts the need for stronger regulations centre stage We want better governance and sustainability and that needs a regulator with real teeth.”

Fleur Anderson, Labour MP for Putney, said: “I support the proposals of the Fan-Led review being fully implemented. We need to stop another Derby County from happening.”

Tonia Antoniazzi, Labour MP for Gower, said: “Fair game is a brilliant initiative because it not only recognises that fans are the heart of football, but it maps out a realistic future.”

Paula Barker, Labour MP for Sheffield, said: “Football without fans is nothing. We need real change where fans at the heart of decision making and that is why I’m backing the Fan-Led Review.”

Jack Brereton, Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, said: “I very much support the Fan-Led Review and its implementation. We need to ensure we support football clubs and encourage them to do more good work in the community.”

Andrew Bridgen, Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire, said: “The current system isn’t working. Without change, there will be more Derby Countys. We need a better solution for football and the game.”

Nick Brown, Labour MP for Newcastle-upon-Tyne East, said: “Fan engagement is at the heart of football. It deserves to be at the heart of decision making.”

Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, said: “Fair Game is a fantastic initiative. It is important than fans’ voices are heard after the debacle of the European Super League. I look forward to working with Fair Game in the future.”

Dan Carden, Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, said: “Fans are the asset of football and they need to be at the heart of the game and its decisions.”

Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, said: “No other sport defines our identity like football. Therefore we need fans to be at the heart of all the decisions.”

Douglas Champman, SNP MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, said: “I’m a football fan myself and the game has been taken over by larger groups. We need to protect the grassroots to maintain the game.”

Alex Cunningham, Labour MP for Stockton North, said: “Fans have been shut out of football for too long, especially in big clubs. It is time to change that and give fans more control.”

Tan Dhesi, Labour MP for Slough, said: “In order to ensure good governance and sustainability in the beautiful game we need to implement all the recommendations of the Fan-Led Review. As a football fan, I think it is imperative that we as MPs do all we can to deliver this fundamental structural change.”

Jonathan Edwards, Independent MP for Carmarthen, said: “Most supporters want sustainability. Football is more than just trying to chase unachievable dreams. Football is so important to the heritage, culture and community of the surrounding areas.”

Anna Firth, Conservative MP for Southend West, said: “We need a fairer distribution of funding. It needs to be a bottom up. The Fan-Led Review is the key to bringing this fairer distribution in.”

Kate Hollern, Labour MP for Blackburn, said: “This is a great opportunity for fans to have a say.”

Rachel Hopkins, Labour MP for Luton South, said: “We need sustainability. Its important for our clubs across the leagues to survive.”

Ruth Jones, Labour MP for Newport West, said: “It is not just about the game on the pitch. Clubs like Newport County do a fantastic job across the city and in the community. And that needs to be encouraged.”

Pauline Latham, Conservative MP for Mid Derbyshire, said: 'It’s time for a review into football to help stop what has happened to Derby County happening again. '

David Linden, SNP MP for Glasgow East, said: “Without fans, football is nothing. If fans aren’t involved in the decisions that direct football, it will be catastrophic for the game. Top-down governance of football has to end.”

Tony Lloyd, Labour MP for Rochdale, said: “Football is such an important sport. We need a sense of fairness back in football to protect the interest of fans and the game.”

Justin Madders, Labour MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston, said: “Football is not running for its own interests or the interests of the fans. It is a money-making machine. We need to put fans back in the heart of our game.”

Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, said: “Recent times have shown how important fans are. We now need to put fans back at the heart of football.”

Steve McCabe, Labour MP for Birmingham Selloak, said: “Football needs fans unless we get a better deal football may lose them.”

Kerry McCarthay, Labour MP for Bristol East, said: “What is clear is that people are fed up with the impact of money on the game, so I’m really happy to support the campaign to change that.”

Ian Mearns, Labour MP for Gateshead, said: “We were pushing hard for a Fan-Led Review and now we want to see it front and centre of the Queen’s speech. Fair Game is a lovely group of clubs helping to keep up pressure for change.”

Christina Rees, Labour MP for Neath, said: “Fans need to be put back at the heart of the game. This has to be done to stop football collapsing.”

Cat Smith, Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, said: “Football is more than a sport. It is love, commitment, and community identity. We need to wrestle it back.”

Jeff Smith, Labour MP for Manchester Withington, said: “Football needs to change. The Fan-Led Review is a good recipe for organisational structure in football.”

Mark Tami, Labour MP for Alyn and Deeside, said: “Clubs like Wrexham and Chester have suffered under terrible owners. It is about time we change this and the gap between the top and bottom closed.”

Valerie Vaz, Labour MP for Walsall South, said: “It is important that clubs speak with one voice. Fair Game is doing a good job at ensuring these recommendations will be implemented. We need one voice to make sure the government listens to the fans.”

Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test, said: “What we need is everything that is in the Fair Game manifesto. It relates to a key understanding of what football is about. People don’t see their club like business ventures like the outside world does. I experienced this with Southampton, yet fans kept turning up through thick and thin. We need to drive bad ownership out and start to change the organisational structure of the game.”

Beth Winter, Labour MP for Cynon Valley, said: “It is about the fans at the end of the day. Football needs to represent that.”

Mohammad Yasin, Labour MP for Bedford, said: “There should be fairness in all leagues. Money should be distributed fairly. We want small clubs to perform and I support fairness in football.”

The following MPs also posed for photos: Kim Leadbetter (Labour MP for Batley & Spen), Barbara Keely (Labour MP for Worsley and Eccles South), Siobhain McDonagh (Labour MP for Mitcham & Morden), Stephen Hammond (Conservative MP for Wimbledon), Sara Britcliffe (Conservative MP for Hyndburn), Toby Perkins (Labour MP for Chesterfield & Staveley), Daniel Zeichner (Labour MP for Cambridge), Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale), Kevin Brennan (Labour MP for Cardiff West), Yasmin Qureshi (Labour MP for Bolton South East), Jonathan Ashworth (Labour MP for Leicester South), Jessica Morden (Labour MP for Newport East), Simon Fell (Conservative MP for Barrow and Furness), Damian Green (Conservative MP for Ashford).