FAIR GAME this afternoon has revealed the best ranked football club in England when it comes to good governance. The top three clubs are Cambridge United, Carlisle United and Lincoln City.

Huge Bolton fan Ruth Madeley, famed for her roles in Years and Years, The Rook and Doctor Who, and her BAFTA-nominated performance in Don’t Take Me Baby, revealed the winner.

The Good Governance scoring was a combination of data from Fair Square, Responsiball, HerGameToo and Fair Game researchers under the guidance of Jack Ruane with advice from Rob Harrison, director of Ethical Consumer.

The top three clubs are Plymouth Argyle, Forest Green Rovers and Portsmouth, and it was left to TalkSport presenter to reveal the winner.

The scoring came from publicly available financial data and was crunched by a wide range of financial experts from across the UK, including Mark Middling, lecturer of accounting at Northumbria University; former EFL finance analyst and founder of Goal Assist Joshua Price; finance expert and consultant for Sheffield Hallam University Adam Davis; lecturer Dan Plumley from Sheffield University; Christina Philippou senior finance lecturer at Portsmouth University; and Richard Evans lecturer at Birkbeck College.

“We both believe football can help bring people together, transcend boundaries and inspire positive change. This partnerships opens the door for our members to use their research and knowledge and apply them to the football.”

Paul Widdop, Co-founder Football Collective

“Football is at a crossroads. The arrival of the regulator represents a huge opportunity for football to change. We need a game that is more sustainable. A game that looks at helping the entire pyramid. Fair Game have made great strides over the last two years in giving clubs lower down the pyramid a voice and we want to be part of that.”

Rob Angus, Swindon Town CEO

“The sad news about Wigan is the latest wake up call for football. the current system cannot be allowed to continue. We need an independent regulator and, crucially, financial flow that rewards well-run clubs.”

Niall Couper, Fair Game CEO

“The sad news about Wigan is the latest wake up call for football. the current system cannot be allowed to continue. We need an independent regulator and, crucially, financial flow that rewards well-run clubs.”

Niall Couper, Fair Game CEO

“Football is being used as a real positive – positive for individuals, communities and society – and you only have to look at the brilliant outreach programmes that are offered by all of our football clubs across the county to see how important they are to their communities.

“But what happens when this goes wrong? Following the pandemic, many teams outside the Premier League are struggling financially, and if you add mismanagement into that, you have a situation that could threaten the very existence of the club.”

Council leader Cllr Lezley Picton

Lucy Powell tells Fair Game that new regulator must have financial flow at “its heart”

“Football has extra responsibility because we all belong to a football club, they are our identity, where you come from, where our history is – the people who love us and care for us. We need to make football a bad environment for those who don’t want to live up to that responsibility.”

Alison McGovern, MP for Wirral South

“If the aim is to secure football’s long-term future, then we need a regulator that’s match fit.”

Niall Couper, Fair Game CEO

The co-owner of Grimsby Town has issued a stark warning to Britain’s politicians: Failure to implement a regulator into football would be ‘catastrophic’

“Every fan of every club dreams that their team will one day ascend the dizzy heights of the football pyramid. But recent moves by some of the biggest clubs have attempted to pull up the drawbridge. We hope this new role will counteract that.”

Cllr Doug Rathbone, Mayor of Kendal 

“There is a lot to be welcomed in the White Paper - stronger rules on financial regulation, a corporate governance code, and protection of a club’s heritage. But there are still a few issues that need to be resolved - notably financial flow and whether the regulator will have the teeth it needs”

Niall Couper, Fair Game CEO

“Fans want it, politicians want it, communities want it. The question now is to ensure that it is fit for purpose”

Niall Couper, Fair Game CEO

“Fans want it, politicians want it, communities want it. The question now is to ensure that it is fit for purpose”

Niall Couper, Fair Game CEO

“At first glance it looks like a B+. But it is not perfect. Over the new football weeks those that truly care about football need to work tirelessly to turn this into an A*”

Niall Couper, CEO, Fair Game

“We need to start championing financial sustainability, good governance, equality standards and fan engagement. And there is a huge role Liverpool and Everton can play in shaping that new future for football. A fairer future.”

Niall Couper, CEO, Fair Game

“Now is the time to resurrect the concept of the ‘solidarity levy’. It would transform the lower echelons of the football pyramid”

Niall Couper, CEO, Fair Game

“Football needs a culture change. It needs to start celebrating and rewarding good behaviour, and we believe the Sustainability Index does that.”

Niall Couper, CEO, Fair Game