As a relative newcomer to the Iron Trust I took up the invitation to join our Iron Trust secretary, John Needham, and learn more about the work of the FSA.

What an (impressive) eye opener it was!

John knew so many people here, supporters and FSA members!

I discovered the FSA do tremendous work representing football league, and non-league club supporters. They lobby, and thus influence, government decision making and are proof that FANS HAVE A VOICE, more powerful than most of us realise!

And so it was football fans from across the country gathered together on Saturday at AFC Wimbledon’s Plough Lane for the FSA’s 2022 AGM. Supporters discussed the organisation’s work throughout the year and proposed new policies on a range of issues affecting match-going fans.

The necessary formal matters were dealt with, Apologies for absence, the minutes of the Annual General Meeting dated 19th November 2021, annual review of the auditors.

And then it got more interesting…. the Annual Review of FSA activities. Kevin Miles, CEO (and over 20 years with the FSA) spoke on the following topics

The Fan-led review

4 of the 5 contenders for PM support the Fan-led review, there is one who may not fully support, Liz Truss.  

Premier League clubs do not support the idea of an Independent Regulatory body (IREG) claiming they are capable of implementing regulation.  It was suggested that their behaviour so far indicates otherwise. My opinion…. if they were capable of putting aside their own commercial interests for the good of the football pyramid, why was the Fan Led review was required in the first place?

The FSA want IREG. If Premier League were allowed to regulate, the protections they may give the EFL today can also be taken away by the Premier League in the future.

FSA funding

It was surprising to learn that this comes largely from the Premier League (>90%), but then I realised this may not be quite as generous as you might think, remember PL supporters’ organisations, as well as EFL and non-league, are in the FSA.

There is a desire to diversify the funding sources, but maintain the FSA’s independence, however the PL is likely to remain the main funder.

Good news was announced in that funding is going to increase by 50% and will now be based on a 5 year cycle (it was 3 year) which allows better planning cycles for the FSA.  FSA Full time staff will increase from 14 to 22. The FSA see an even greater role in the future with IREG and see 40-50 Full time staff

The meeting then addressed the various motions that had been tabled.

Motion 1 was topical for the times we live in. Presented by The Women’s Game Network, requesting the FSA to make an urgent public statement of solidarity with all transgender footballers and supporters, including non-binary and gender non-forming people, and especially Trans-women and trans feminine people, who are the target of heightened discrimination at this time (the FSA subsequently made this public statement on the FSA web site on August 31^st)

Motion 2 was the for the Participation of young people and highlighted the age profile of supporters’ organisations (too old, John and I are prime examples!). It was difficult to see many under 50’s, even under 60’ in the FSA AGM audience!. This topic has also been voiced at Iron Trust meetings. It’s good to see that Lee Turnbull at SUFC has launched a Youth Board.

Motion 3 concerned Cryptocurrency in football. Some football clubs are using (abusing) their supporters loyalty as a means of enticing supporters into investing in this highly speculative, unregulated market. FSA is to develop a plan of action to address this.

 Motion 4 was about the FSA and Football Supporters Europe working together. Seems this relationship is developing quite well.

The afternoon had a number of “workshops” that consisted of smaller groups, with more opportunity to ask questions, receive talks on Cryptocurrency, Fans for Diversity, Women’s voice in a Men’s game and Sustainability with Pledgeball.  There isn’t enough time or space to explain these in detail here, more can be found on the FSA web page.

*Report written by board member, Steve Hawes*