The slides for my discussion at the Social Science Centre in Lincoln, on 29/10/13

1. Moving the goalposts:
some realities of
democratic football
governance
Professor Richard Hall
@hallymk1
Richard-hall.org
A conversation at the Social
Science Centre on 29/10/13

2. • Some realities of being a football
fan in England
• Some realities of being a football
fan in Walsall
• Some realities of democratic
football governance

3. On being a [politicised] fan in
England: it’s complicated
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A long history of disasters (Popplewell and
Taylor)
A recent history of marginalisation (Heysel and
ID Cards)
Euro ’96 and New Labour’s Charter for Football
The Football Task Force (c.f. The Chester Report
of 1968)
Supporters Direct and mutuality
BSkyB and Manchester United
Football Disorder Act 2000 (passport control and
exclusion orders)
The IFC and the IFO
92 insolvencies in the Top 5 divisions since ‘92

4. • Fan culture: independent supporters
groups; fanzines; away travel
• Serious investigative and academic
writing
• Lobbying: the Football Supporters'
Association (FSA); the National
Federation of Supporters' Clubs
(NATFED); the Football Supporters‘
Federation
• Governance: Supporters’ Direct

6. Supporters’ Direct: for co-operation
• Formed in 1999: 3rd FTF Report
• Based at Birkbeck; funded via the Reduced
Pools Betting Duty
• The example of Northampton Town
supporters and Brian Lomax
• Models: Company Limited by Guarantee;
Industrial and Provident Societies; notfor-profit Community Benefit Society
• The Social and Community Value of
Football (2010)
• 400k fans; 190 trusts; 73 have a
Director; 33 own clubs
• Germany: eingetragener Verein; 50%+1;
licensing

9. Live issues
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Safe standing
Racism
Ticket prices
The future of the national team
Coaching
The health of the grassroots
The role of the media
The sale of club culture
Financial fair-play

10. On supporting Walsall FC:
you think it’s going to get
better; but it never does

14. • Walsall: 170k; de-industrialisation; coal,
limestone, leather; we don’t come from
Birmingham
• Walsall FC: Division 4 winners (twice);
runners-up six times; play-off winners twice;
League Cup semi-finalists (once); FA Cup 5th
Round
• Walsall 2 Arsenal 0, 14 January 1933
• 36 managers since WWII
• Governance: Chairman; 6 Directors plus CE;
take-overs; Company Limited by Guarantee
• Walsall FC is an SME: employees/turnover
• Fans’ groups: Saddlers Club (official); ISSA;
WST then WSS
• Websites: UptheSaddlers; WST

15. Matters arising at Walsall FC
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Ownership and the role of a pension fund
Sale and leaseback of the ground
AGMs and representation
Relationship between Board and fans
Relationship between Council and Board
Perceived subsumption of Football Club’s
identity to commercial interests of
Walsall FC Ltd

16. Walsall Supporters’ Trust
• An early (1999-2000) Trust
• Active at Companies House: 10th largest
shareholder
• CLG then IFS
• Active at AGMs: racism; ticket prices;
cash turnstiles; community work; sale and
leaseback; rent
• 500 members at point of “crisis” in 2002
• Walsall Til I Die Book
• Early political project becomes pragmatic
• http://www.walsallfctrust.org.uk/

17. Walsall Supporters’ Trust
Community Benefit Purpose
The Society’s purpose is to be the vehicle
through which a healthy, balanced and
constructive relationship between the Club
and its supporters and the communities it
serves is encouraged and developed. The
business of the Society is to be conducted
for the benefit of the community served by
the Club and not for the profit of its
members.

18. Walsall Supporters’ Trust
The Society’s objects are to benefit the community by:
4.1 being the democratic and representative voice of the
supporters of the Club and strengthening the bonds
between the Club and the communities which it serves;
4.2 achieving the greatest possible supporter and community
influence in the running and ownership of the Club;
4.3 promoting responsible and constructive community
engagement by present and future members of the
communities served by the Club and encouraging the Club
to do the same;
4.4 operating democratically, fairly, sustainably,
transparently and with financial responsibility and
encouraging the Club to do the same;
4.5 being a positive, inclusive and representative
organisation, open and accessible to all supporters of
the Club regardless of their age, income, ethnicity,
gender, disability, sexuality or religious or moral
belief.

20. Walsall Supporters’ Trust: it’s a saga now
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The relationship between Board and WST
The relationship between the WST and supporters
Limited resources and energy
The lack of renewal of WST people
Poor visibility of WST
Inability to form an umbrella for various fan
groups, or to produce a shared manifesto
The problematic Walsall Til I Die project
Ron Atkinson
Limited support from other Trusts as a network/SD
The lack of a crisis/disempowerment
Individual burn-out and emotional disengagement

21. Walsall Supporters’ Trust: *successes*?
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Initiating democratic governance of a supporters’
group at WFC
Shareholding, sale and leaseback, rents, and AGMs:
accountability
Raising the possibility of supporter co-operation
as a political project
A more innovative relationship between the WST and
supporters
Engagement with ex-players
Sponsorship of players and contribution to Walsall
in the Community
Walsall Til I Die as an educational and cultural
project
Ron Atkinson as a refusal to be cowed
A pay-on-the-day turnstile

22. Some realities of democratic
football governance
• Personal [Disillusioned Saddler]: I love
football. I just don’t like it anymore.
• Social: What does “co-operative” mean in
the context of a football club?
• Emotional: Is it possible to be activist
and to retain your self? How do you/your
group balance pragmatism and principle?
• Scale: is broader, regional or national
associational democracy possible?
• Analogy: the link between football and
[higher] education [funding, regulation,
governance]