Twenty-five clubs, from the Championship down to non-League, have today launched a manifesto calling on a value-driven, more sustainable future for the game across England.
Fair Game’s vision was outlined at AFC Wimbledon’s Plough Lane and has been created with the support of several dozen experts and academics in addition to the backing of high-profile political figures including Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester.
The 48-page document provides a vision for a more balanced sport with solutions focused on improved governance and protecting the history of clubs. It is the product of six months of work and arrives during the consultation process of a government review led by former sports minister Tracey Crouch.
Fair Game wants to have direct input into that review and its aims are framed around four key principles: sustainability, integrity, independent regulation and community. The manifesto says football needs to incentivise and encourage good practice and wants every supporter to feel proud of what their club stands for.
Niall Couper, Fair Game’s chief executive, said: “Tracey Crouch’s review represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change football for the better. We have to grasp it and we believe our proposals lay that path.
“We want a sport where every fan can put their shirt on in the morning proud in what it stands for, safe in the knowledge that the traditions and heritage of their club will always be there."
The absence of a Premier League club is notable, while the Championship’s sole representative is Luton Town. Informal discussions have taken place but no top-flight side has been willing to sign up.
"We ask them to be brave and sign up, that's what we hope they do," Couper said. "We need to make sure we don't have another Bury, Macclesfield or Cardiff City playing in red or Hull City being renamed the Tigers or owners who end up in jail."
One of the leading recommendations from the interim report of Crouch’s review published earlier this summer was the establishment of an independent regulator. Fair Game’s manifesto outlines what that should look like. They are proposing a board of 11 directors, appointed by the government and created by legislation.
"We're speaking to their advisors to how we can influence that group," Couper said. The review is expected to be published in late autumn.
A new financial structure is essential, Fair Game argues, and they are calling on the Premier League parachute payment distribution to be revamped in addition to the introduction of a salary cap across the board.
“Fair Game’s proposals are exactly what football needs,” Burnham said. “I’m only too aware of the dangers that exist. We've seen the collapse of Bury and the spectre of the ESL. Football is integral to our communities.
“The game needs a reboot. I back the need for an independent regulator, for an owners’ and directors’ test that is fit for purpose, and most importantly the protection of the heritage and traditions of our clubs.”
The Fair Game clubs
Accrington Stanley, Basingstoke Town, Bury AFC, Bristol Rovers, Cambridge United, Carlisle United, Chester FC, City of Liverpool, Curzon Ashton, Darlington, Dorking Wanderers, Ebbsfleet United, Gateshead, Grimsby Town, Leyton Orient, Lincoln City, Luton Town, Maidstone United, Newport County AFC, Rochdale AFC, Tonbridge Angels, Tranmere Rovers, AFC Wimbledon and Worcester City.
