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The Culture, Media and Sport Committee issues a call for evidence on Football Governance

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is today launching a new inquiry into the governance of professional football clubs responding not only to the high-profile coverage of Liverpool and Manchester United, but also to broader concerns that current and future generations of football supporters of clubs across the country are ill-served by current football club regulations. The coalition agreement includes an undertaking to encourage the reform of football governance rules to support the co-operative ownership of football clubs by supporters, and our inquiry will consider the case for strategic Government intervention in the administration of professional football clubs. In so doing it will look at the scope for enhancing supporter involvement in decision-making processes and consider whether current regulatory processes – including fit and proper persons tests – are adequate. Questions the Committee will consider, include:

·         Should football clubs in the UK be treated differently from other commercial organisations?

·         Are football governance rules in England and Wales, and the governing bodies which set and apply them, fit for purpose?

·         Is there too much debt in the professional game?

·         What are the pros and cons of the Supporter Trust share-holding model?

·         Is Government intervention justified and, if so, what form should it take?

·         Are there lessons to be learned from football governance models across the UK and abroad, and from governance models in other sports?

Committee Chair Mr John Whittingdale said:

“The Government has said that it will encourage the reform of football governance rules to support the co-operative ownership of football clubs by supporters, and there is widespread concern that the current governance arrangements are not fit-for-purpose. Our inquiry will look at the case for strategic Government intervention and improved self-regulation and will consider models which involve supporters more in how clubs are run. We are keen to hear from a wide range of interested parties, including fans, as well as the clubs themselves and their own regulatory bodies.”

The Committee is inviting written submission on the above and other matters relevant to the inquiry. A copy of the submission should be sent by e-mail to cmsev@parliament.uk and have ‘Football Governance’ in the subject line. Submissions should be received by Wednesday 26 January 2011.

Guidance on submitting written evidence

It assists the Committee if those submitting written evidence adhere to the following guidelines:

Each submission should:

•          state clearly who the submission is from, i.e. whether from yourself in a personal capacity or sent on behalf of an organisation

•          be about 3,000 words in length / run to no more than six sides of A4 paper;

•          as far as possible comprise a single document attachment to the email;

•          begin with a short summary in bullet point form;

•          have numbered paragraphs; and

•          be in Word or Rich Text format (not PDF) with as little use of colour or logos as possible.

Please supply a postal address so a copy of the Committee’s report can be sent to you upon publication.

It would be helpful, for Data Protection purposes, if individuals submitting written evidence would send their contact details separately in a covering email in a block of text laid out vertically.

You should also be aware that there may be circumstances in which the House of Commons will be required to communicate information to third parties on request, in order to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Though there is a strong preference for emailed submissions, those without access to a computer should send a hard copy to:

Committee Assistant

Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Committee Office

House of Commons

7 Millbank

London  SW1P 3JA

A guide for written submissions to Select Committees may be found on the parliamentary website at: https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/have-your-say/take-part-in-committee-inquiries/witness/

Please also note that:

·         Committees make public much of the evidence they receive during inquiries. If you do not wish your submission to be published, you must clearly say so. If you wish to include private or confidential information in your submission to the Committee, please contact the Clerk of the Committee to discuss this.

·         Material already published elsewhere should not form the basis of a submission, but may be referred to within a proposed submission, in which case a hard copy of the published work should be included.

·         Evidence submitted must be kept confidential until published by the Committee, unless publication by the person or organisation submitting it is specifically authorised.

·         Once submitted, evidence is the property of the Committee. The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to make public the written evidence it receives, by publishing it on the Internet (where it will be searchable), by printing it or by making it available through the Parliamentary Archives. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure. The Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.

·         Committees do not normally investigate individual cases of complaint or allegations of maladministration.

·         Once submitted, no public use should be made of any submission prepared specifically for the Committee unless you have first obtained permission from the Clerk of the Committee.

For up-to-date information on progress of the inquiry visit: https://www.parliament.uk/cmscom

Thirty eight programmes and signed tickets including Giggs and John Charles’ autographs and Calzaghe and Hopkins fight programme are being sold on ebay in aid of the Fred Keenor Statue Appeal. All proceeds to fund. All sold under seller’s name: upthebluebirds

CITY LEGEND HONOURED

One of Cardiff’s most famous sons will be commemorated with the unveiling of a road named in his honour this weekend.

Cardiff City’s FA Cup winning captain, Fred Keenor, will be recognised for the massive part he played in the capital’s history when the road leading to Cardiff City Stadium is renamed Ffordd Fred Keenor.

Cardiff Council deputy leader, Cllr Neil McEvoy will be joined by former Welsh internationals and Bluebirds favourites, Nathan Blake and Phil Dwyer and Fred Keenor’s nephew Graham Keenor for the unveiling of the road sign on the drive that leads to the Bluebirds’ ground, off Leckwith Road.

The unveiling will take place on Saturday, December 4 at 2pm ahead of high-flying City’s Championship clash with Preston North End at 3pm.

Cardiff-born Keenor famously led Cardiff City to glory and lifted the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium in 1927 after the Bluebirds beat Arsenal 1-0 to become the only team outside of England to win the coveted trophy.

Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Neil McEvoy, said: “I am a massive Cardiff City fan so for me, personally, it is a great honour to be involved in a project that honours one of the greatest players in the club’s history and indeed, someone who has played a huge part in Cardiff’s history as a city.

“It’s amazing that it has taken 83 years for his contribution to be recognised. I’m delighted that we do now have a lasting tribute to this Cardiff hero and I’m really looking forward to the day in the not too distant future when a statue in his honour is erected in the city. The big conclusion from this is that football is no longer the Cinderella sport in terms of civic recognition.”

Fred’s nephew, Graham Keenor, said: “I’m very excited about the naming of this road after Fred. It’s wonderful to finally have recognition for my uncle and his family. It’s also really great for all Cardiff City fans.

“I regularly keep in contact with Fred’s only surviving son, Bryn, who is 83 and lives in Tunbridge Wells, about developments here regarding commemorating his father. It’s absolutely tremendous for him and he is very grateful.”

The Council has also thrown its support behind the plan to build a statue in honour of Keenor and has pledged £15,000 to the appeal to raise funds for the project.