Fair Game calls on Premier League clubs to embrace the future

“We believe there are clubs among the elite 20 that have the foresight to think beyond short-termism”

Niall Couper, CEO of Fair Game

FAIR Game issued an urgent call to Premier League clubs to ‘take off the blinkers and embrace the future’ as they prepare to gather tomorrow to discuss their collective response to Tracey Crouch’s Fan-Led review into the governance of football.

Niall Couper, CEO of Fair Game, said: “The Fan-Led Review has laid the path towards a brighter future.

“The Premier League now stands at a crossroads.

“The choice is simple: Take the path of the Fan-Led Review and help grow the game in every corner of the country, or risk football’s very future and choose the dead end of self-interest.

“The latter choice has one natural conclusion: the slow decline of our national game.

“Fair Game remains hopeful that some of the clubs can see the bigger picture.  But it requires forward thinking and bravery.

“We believe there are clubs among the elite 20 that have the foresight to think beyond the short-termism currently being espoused by some of the Premier League’s member clubs.

“We call on them to back the future of our National Game, support the Fan-Led Review and join Fair Game.”

Niall Couper added: “The financial flow within the game needs re-writing. Investment in the pyramid is not a waste but the saving of our game. In every industry, investment is the way forward. It is time some of the Premier League clubs took off their blinkers and embraced the brighter future the Crouch review has presented.”

Fair Game believes in the abolition of the parachute payments and the introduction of a Sustainability Index.

The Index would allocate cash the parachute payments and the existing solidarity payments according to how highly clubs score against four criteria: Financial sustainability, good governance, equality standards and fan engagement.

A majority would then be ring-fenced to academies, infrastructure and community projects.

Niall Couper added: “The benefits of the Index would resonate throughout the game. The consequences would be obvious: a growth in player quality, financially sustainable revenue streams at clubs, and a growing popularity of the sport at community levels.

“That would benefit not only well-run community clubs across the pyramid but the game as a whole.”

Fair Game is a group of 32 value-driven football clubs: Accrington Stanley, AFC Wimbledon, Altrincham, Ashford United, Basingstoke Town, Bath City, Bristol Rovers, Bury AFC, Cambridge United, Carlisle United, Chester FC, Chesterfield, City of Liverpool, Curzon Ashton, Darlington FC, Doncaster Rovers, Dorking Wanderers, Ebbsfleet United, Gateshead, Grimsby Town, Hungerford Town, Leyton Orient, Lincoln City, Luton Town, Maidstone United, Newport County AFC, Rochdale AFC, Salisbury, Shrewsbury Town, Tonbridge Angels, Tranmere Rovers, Worcester City.