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Football supporters from across the UK will be lobbying Parliament on Tuesday (February 5) as part of a campaign aimed at winning fans a greater influence in the clubs they support.

Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust chair Tim Hartley, who will be attending, said the lobby, organised by the Supporters Direct movement, had two key objectives:

1. That the Football Association needs to include a rule as part of the new football club licensing arrangements that guarantees a structured relationship between supporters and clubs and

2. That the UK Government needs to establish the Government Expert Group before the beginning of next season (2013-14) to explore methods of removing barriers to increased collective supporter share ownership in their football clubs.

The lobby will also be calling for the designation of sports stadia as Assets of Community Value, as detailed in the 2011 Localism Act. This would help to play a crucial part in preventing the separation of clubs from their grounds, and the asset-stripping we’ve seen in the game over the years.

More than 50 MPs, including some from Cardiff, have also pledged to be there.

Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust chair Tim Hartley said: “Cardiff City FC is a vital part of the community it serves and brings us all together like nothing else. Football club owners, managers and players may come and go but we the supporters will always be here. Clubs like Arsenal recognise this and at Cardiff too we have a good relationship with the club. But proper engagement with supporters should not be a matter of individual goodwill.

“The Supporters Trust movement believes fans must have a say in the way clubs are run and that requires a more formal, structured approach. The football authorities say they agree but have not so far acted. We now need to ensure a structured relationship with fans is written into a club’s licence.

“There is nothing for clubs to fear. We will always have the City’s best interest at heart and proper engagement with supporters will actually strengthen clubs and ensure they remain valuable assets to the communities they serve.”

ENDS

Trust board member Keith Morgan, an acknowleged expert on football club finance, gives his verdict on the Bluebirds’ latest accounts.

Click the link to read Keith’s views:  https://www.ccmb.co.uk/fudforum/index.php?t=msg&th=347914&start=0&rid=0

Supporters’ Direct have issued a Press release following the publication of the Money Report by accountancy practice, Deloitte’s.

Click the link for more info  https://www.supporters-direct.coop/?news-article=supporters-direct-statement-deloitte-money-league

The Trust has welcomed a partial lifting on restrictions on Bluebirds fans going to next month’s Leeds United game.

Board member Keith Morgan contacted our counterparts at Leeds United to seek their help in lobbying for changes to be made to the early kick-off originally proposed and the voucher system.

In an email, Keith Morgan wrote: “I am a member of the Cardiff City Supporters Trust board and am writing concerning the arrangements and restrictions being forced upon our fans for our forthcoming visit to the game.

“ As you are probably aware, restrictions for your fans this season at the Cardiff City Stadium were greatly relaxed from those in previous seasons on the agreement with Leeds that the same would apply for the return fixture. However, Leeds now have reneged on that agreement, now insisting on both an early kick-off time and a ticket voucher exchange system at a remote location before they will issue any tickets to visiting fans.

“Are you aware of the issue and as a fellow Trust organisation is there any pressure you can bring to bear on your own club to change their stance?”

Yours in hope

Keith Morgan

In the last of a series of e-mails to the Trust, Paul Keat of the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust, said: “I hope by now you have heard about the change in KO time for the fixture on February 2nd to accommodate extra travel time for away fans?

“We are unsure whether this would have been done anyway but think you should view it as a small victory to both Trusts to force the compromise. Unfortunately, the voucher system still stands, but this has long been the situation for a number of other clubs for several years.

It is, however, encouraging that a link stated: “This change of kick-off time has been made possible due to the reduction in the potential of disorder as a result of the improved behaviour of the minority of fans who have previously acted in an inappropriate manner from both sides. We would appeal for this improvement in overall behaviour to continue for the benefit of the majority of fans.”  

Keith Morgan said: “The Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust are pleased that there has been a partial lifting of the restrictions on supporters wishing to travel to next month`s game at Leeds United. Although we feel that the remaining restriction of a voucher exchange is still unnecessary bearing in mind the recent record of excellent behaviour by our fans, it is a step in the right direction.

 “The change has been brought about by a combination of great work and pressure by CCFC and stadium manager Wayne Nash, the Supporters’ Club , the FSF and the Trust’s links with the Leeds United Trust who have been pressurising their own club and West Yorkshire Police on our behalf.”

Chris Coleman with Trust members

The home dressing room at the Cardiff City Stadium was the scene for a question and answer session with Wales manager Chris Coleman, which had been arranged by the Trust.

Trust members quizzed the Wales manager and FAW Public Affairs head Ian Gwyn Hughes in the latest of a series of roadshows and events across Wales as the football association builds better grassroots links with fans.

Coleman was happy to answer questions on any subject and spoke about the impact of Gary Speed’s death on him and the Wales team, Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey and the difficulty of being an international manager in terms of getting players released by clubs while trying to avoid upsetting clubmanagers.

Questions were also raised about Wales players being made available to meet supporters – particularly younger fans – the use of a rugby stadium, the Parc y Scarlet,s for Wales games and the lack of matches in North Wales, which it seems is due to the fact that Wrexham’s ground is not up to standard for international matches.

Chris Coleman chats with Trust chair Tim Hartley

After the session, Coleman posed for photos and signed autographs.