FSF Football Webber

The FSF Annual Report 2013
LOYAL SUPPORTERS
PROUD SUPPORTERS OF THE FA, FA CUP & SCOTTISH FA / PROUD SPONSORS OF THE WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CUP
williamhill.com 0800 44 40 40
2370 shops
Contents
Contents
The FSF Annual Report - 2013
04. 06. 12. 14. 18. 20. 24. 26. 30. 32. 33. 34. Introduction Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets FSF International Work Safe Standing FSF Polls & Virgin Money Survey News Review 2012-13 FSF Football Writers Awards 2012 Watching Football is not a Crime! Supporter Liaison Ocers FSF Matters FSF Financial Statement Whos Who Contact the FSF
The Cherry Red Records Stadium, also exist to provide grassroots members with a voice and point of access at a local level. If you think the FSF is missing a trick when it comes to campaigning get involved, make your argument via the FSF AGM, your local division, or the relevant FSF member - email info@fsf.org.uk or call 0330 44 000 44 to find out who that is. If you present a strong enough case your suggestion can happen. Sitting on the sidelines complaining that the FSF should do something isnt enough - the FSF is a voluntary organisation and is only as good as its members. If you have an idea, get involved.
About the FSF

The Football Supporters Federation (FSF) is the democratic organisation for all football supporters, which has more than 220,000 members made up of individual fans and affiliated supporters organisations from every club in the professional structure and many from the Pyramid.
Kingsmeadow, Jack Goodchild Way, 422A Kingston Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3PB Telephone: 0330 44 000 44 Email: info@fsf.org.uk Twitter: @The_FSF Facebook: facebook.com/thefsf
How does the FSF work?

The FSF is a democratic organisation with an elected National Council (NC) which oversees campaigns and policy. Policy is set by members and affiliated/ associated supporters organisations at the FSFs Annual General Meeting. Campaigns are coordinated by a designated member of staff, Executive Committee (EC) or NC member. The FSF also has roles on the FA Council (at which Malcolm Clarke sits on behalf of the FSF and Supporters Direct as the fans representative), at the Fixtures Working Party (Ian Todd), Kick it Out (Raj Chandarana), Rail Forum (Rick Duniec & Amanda jacks), and Supporters Direct (Ian Todd). Regional divisions
Editor Michael Brunskill

The FSFs Annual Report 2013 has benefited from the valuable contributions of: Amanda Jacks, Andrew Stephens, Dave Rose, Garreth Cummins, Jon Darch, Ken Malley , Kevin Miles, Lee Marshall, Malcolm Clarke, Mark Platt, Martin OHara, Nina Donkin, Paul Corkrey, Peter Daykin, Raj Chandarana, Rick Duniec, Sarah Brunskill, Steve Frosdick, Steve Powell, Stuart Dykes, Wayne Nash and many others who contributed in their own way via quotes, imagery, fact-checking or just being nice when I was a bit hassled. Thanks to all.
Introduction
From the Chair

FSF Chair, Malcolm Clarke
It has been a challenging but also very successful year. Challenging because securing the financial future of the FSF remains a major priority. To that end we have re-structured the organisation, including the appointment of Kevin Miles as Chief Executive, and prioritised the diversification of our income streams. In time we intend to become less dependent on the football authorities, although we remain very grateful for the support we receive from the FA directly and the Fans Fund financed by the Premier League. The exciting new member benefits scheme we plan to implement will not only help us financially but will bring many advantages to our members. I am delighted that for the second successive I continue to represent supporters on the FA Council. In addition to speaking regularly at the full Council, I was reelected as Vice-Chair of the FA Membership Committee and I am a member of the Alliance Committee (the former deals with clubs FA membership and the latter with the professional and semi-professional levels below the Football League). Last season I was added to the judicial panel of members who sit on FA regulatory commissions, which consider alleged breaches of rules, both on and off the field. In undertaking my FA role I report back to, and take guidance from, both our National Council and the Board of Supporters Direct. In representing the members of both organisations on the FA I hope I have gained the respect of my fellow FA Council members, even if they do not always agree with me, and are sometimes tired of hearing my voice! A dominant area in my FA work and elsewhere has been the overarching issues of football governance and financial sustainability. Alongside David Lampitt and Tom Hall of SD, I gave further oral evidence FSF membership is FREE of charge at: www.fsf.org.uk/join or call the FSF office: 0330 44 000 44 year we are holding a joint conference. I hope and expect that this will continue in future years as part of a continuing close working relationship, which I personally hope will eventually lead to discussions about whether it is in the long term interests of supporters to maintain the two separate organisations in their current form. We have many common members, seek funding from some common sources, and sing from the same hymn sheet on the key governance and financial issues. Finally, I offer my sincere thanks to all the staff of the FSF, my fellow National Council members and the officers of our divisions for their support and hard work throughout the year. We have been working very closely on this with our partners and friends in SD who, of course, have a specialist role on club ownership, governance, finance and licensing, whilst the FSF has a more wide-ranging remit. to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee and we achieved undoubted success when both the Committee and the Government adopted views quite close to ours on many of the key issues, and included my letter as an appendix to their report. If real change isnt forthcoming it will be interesting to see whether the Government carries out its threat to legislate.
Join the FSF:
Introduction
Introducing the Chief Exec

FSF Chief Executive, Kevin Miles
In November 2012, I was appointed to the newlycreated post of Chief Executive of the FSF, a role I have undertaken in addition to the tasks I have carried out for the last 15 years as International Director. It is a privilege to be asked to lead the FSFs staff, a group of very talented and hardworking individuals now pulled together into a very effective team. Since the re-structuring of the FSF as agreed at the EGM, we have focused on four primary areas of activity: campaigning, service provision, financial consolidation and external relations within football. We have significantly increased and refined our campaigning activity, and in the process considerably boosted our public profile and media visibility. Our away fans campaign has initially targeted ticket pricing (Twentys Plenty), and has won both wide media coverage and an echo among fans. The Safe Standing Campaign has made good progress, focusing on enlisting the support of clubs for new trials to demonstrate the long-denied demand from within the game. The tone of that debate has changed for the better, and we have also seen the potential for improvement in the treatment of fans standing in currently seated areas. Events over the last year have highlighted the continued impact of racism within football. While the FSF has always had clear anti-discrimination and pro-diversity policies on paper, its fair to say that our levels of activity on these issues has not always measured up, and that is something we have undertaken to correct. The Supporters Summit workshops led by Kick It Out and the Gay Football Supporters Network are a statement of intent, but will be just the beginning of committed partnership We dont however simply complain from the sidelines: as a credible representative supporters organisation, we have much to offer in terms of constructive input and collaborative efforts, and positive engagement at all levels of the game can only enhance our standing, and with it our ability to improve the lot of supporters. That is, after all, why were here. Malcolm has referred in his report to the efforts we are putting into securing the financial basis of the FSF. The other priority has been to reposition the FSF, to ensure that supporters have an influential and constructive voice within football. Clearly we have to have the independence to criticise and protest wherever necessary and theres no doubt that there is plenty within modern football with which to take issue. The enhanced functionality of the new website will offer further service benefits and we continue to improve on our communications, internally with members, and externally in terms of both our profile in the media and our use of outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. Developments within the game such as the appointment at all league clubs of Supporters Liaison Officers offer us new opportunities to engage constructively on behalf of our members. We have endeavoured to maintain our high standards, in terms of both quality and quantity, in our provision of services to football supporters at home and abroad. Demand for our assistance in terms of casework continues to grow in line with our reputation for success, and the Fans Embassy services provided to followers of England and Wales have continued to be a feature of every international away game. working around racism, homophobia and other diversity issues.
Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

The FSFs Bid to Make Football More Aordable
Actionimages
62 for Arsenal v Man City: the ember that sparked a media fire
Fans contact the FSF to talk about a huge range of issues. With the best will in the world some arent exactly fundamental to following your team (The kiosk ran out of Mars bars at half-time) while others can be more serious, such as concerns around heavy-handed policing or stewarding. Cut through all of that though and the truth of the matter is we all love going to the game, even if it isnt perfect. Its what differentiates the matchgoing football supporter from the passive TV viewer. We love being there. With that truth in mind its reasonable to argue that the single biggest issue facing football fans is cost.
Unaffordable ticket prices put a barrier between the match-going fan and live football in a way that no other single issue does. If you cant afford a ticket, you cant go nothing else matters in that equation. This isnt news to football fans of course. Many of us pay eye-watering prices week-in, week-out for the privilege of entering a stadium to watch our team play. And thats before you consider the associated food, drink and transport costs. It all adds up. Back in 2012 our National Fans Survey was completed by 4,000 of you and 92% told us that ticket prices were too high. In politics they call that a
landslide. 40% said you were going to fewer games because of those prices (up from 25% in 2009). FSF Chair Malcolm Clarke told the BBC, Theres a huge amount of wealth swilling among Premier League clubs, and theres no excuse to keep charging the prices they often do. But its not just the top-flight where fans face high prices - those in the Championship and beyond can face similar hurdles in following their teams. The game is playing Russian roulette when it comes to attracting younger fans, who might start voting with their feet to become pub only fans, or even turn their backs on the game altogether. However, it did seem to come as a shock to some journalists and the news that Manchester City returned 900 tickets for their visit to Arsenal on Sunday 13th January was the ember that sparked a media fire. You could almost hear the penny dropping, If the Premier League champions cant shift away tickets then something must be up!
@RicTurner and @phookit
Groups like Spirit of Shankly and Against Modern Football handed out this flyer at the Fan Meetings
Twentys Plenty Launch

With that in mind we snapped into action and organised two meetings to test out our ideas for a campaign called Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets. The first took place in Manchester on Thursday 24th January, with a follow-up in London on Thursday 31st January. The idea behind Twentys Plenty is simple we want clubs to agree to charge no more than 20 for away match tickets (15 concessions). Around 80-100 fans attended each meeting with dozens of clubs represented including some of the biggest supporters groups in the country . Twentys Plenty was warmly received. Its the first time that many of these individual fans, fanzines, websites and groups from rival clubs have joined forces and agreed on, well, anything really.
We were also proud to welcome Marc Quambusch to the London meet. Marcs a Borussia Dortmund fan and one of the key players behind Germanys Kein Zwanni - Fuball muss bezahlbar sein (roughly translated that means No Twenty - Football must be affordable). In fact, Twentys Plenty even popped up on a couple of banners in Germany!
The idea behind Twentys Plenty is simple we want clubs to agree to charge no more than 20 for away match tickets.
Bring a bunch of fans together in a room and youre bound to face some awkward and challenging questions, in the best possible way. Any two fans have three opinions, so you can imagine what its like facing a roomful of passionate supporters. We think this is a good thing. Challenging questions test a campaigns strength and see if it stands up so what were the common queries?
Twentys Plenty Q&A

Q: Twentys Plenty just seems to be about the Premier League what about fans of clubs outside the top-ight?
A: The Twentys Plenty campaign applies to fans at all clubs - high ticket prices are a blight on our game throughout the leagues. The weekend after Twentys Plenty was launched (Saturday 26th January 2013) we looked at on-thegate prices for League Two. At five out of eight away ends you wouldnt have got change from 20. We appreciate that some fans pay less than 20 and this campaign might not apply to you. Thats great and were pleased that football is affordable for you! Wed love to get to a stage where everyone is paying 20 or less and we certainly arent saying that all away tickets should be 20. Thats just the maximum cap wed like to see. Of course there are many other elements of the away fan experience which are as important as ticket prices - transport logistics, policing and stewarding, matchday facilities and so on. Twentys Plenty is simply one tenet of an upcoming campaign to celebrate and support the away fan. Travelling supporters improve the matchday experience for everyone, as anyone whos ever been to a game with no away fans can tell you. If stands look empty and atmospheres suffer you can bet the money raked in from media rights will fall too. A TV subscriber in Asia or North America wants to pay for a product that looks exciting off-field too. The amount of money that football brings in through TV dwarfs the revenue generated from away ticket sales. The Premier Leagues combined media rights package tops 5bn over the course of a deal covering 2013-16 and the increase in revenue from the domestic TV deal alone is 1.2bn. With Premier League total season attendances hovering at around the 13 million mark it means that every single ticket at every single game could be subsidised by 32 from the increase in the domestic TV deal alone. Cheaper tickets for away fans helps Premier League clubs future-proof tomorrows media windfall. 5bn deals wont roll in forever if the stands are empty. We also believe that away fans are the beating heart of football. Travelling supporters bring colour and atmosphere to grounds, spend the most money
Actionimages
Q: Why does Twentys Plenty only focus on away fans?

A: Were unequivocal on this too many clubs charge too much money for home and away tickets. However, a campaign targeted at away ticket prices (currently) has more chance of success. The Premier League claims home occupancy rates of 95% and the whispers we hear from within the game suggest clubs are more concerned about away fan attendance.
watching their teams and invest the most time in their clubs. The away fan should not be taken for granted and a targeted campaign has more chance of success than one without specific focus.
Arsenals Black Scarf fans group march to the Emirates in December; an estimated 2200 fans attend
Actionimages
Q. Is a 20 cap not unrealistic?

A: Sometimes you have to aim high (or low, when it comes to prices!) and in any campaign or negotiation process you have to be ambitious in your initial plans. Whats the point in calling for a 35 cap if most fans feel thats too expensive anyway?
The FSF also represents more than 220,000 individual and affiliate members and the call for a boycott on ticket prices remains a minority view. Most members we speak to see boycotts as the nuclear option and still want to watch their club play even if prices are too high.
Q. Why not organise a boycott, surely clubs would listen then?

A: There are both practical and moral considerations at play. Its extremely difficult to organise a boycott that has any impact on the national conscious or TV viewer. Even if there were gaps in the away end theres no guarantee anyone would even notice. How many knew about Huddersfield Towns very impressively organised boycott of Bramall Lane? Thousands of Terriers fans boycotted the game but there was little to no national media attention. There are other ways to get coverage such as a peaceful demo on match-day.
Q. What happens if my (smaller) club loses fans to the Premier League giant down the road because they oer 20 tickets?
A: Twentys Plenty is aimed at away fans only - it does not affect home tickets. Nothing would be any different. Regardless, it would be unimaginable for a fans organisation to support very high prices at the top of the game in order to maintain a differential with clubs lower down the pyramid. But we do continue to lobby the FA and Premier League with regards the distribution of income which should be spread far more evenly throughout the game. With all the above considerations in mind weve chosen to focus on away tickets. And who knows? In the future the momentum from a successful campaign on away tickets could kick-start a campaign on home ticket prices or educate owners to the benefits of more affordable football. We shouldnt let the best be the enemy of the very good. And we do believe Twentys Plenty has very good, achievable aims. If Twentys Plenty was successful not a single fan would pay a penny more to watch football. But every fan would benefit from the availability of cheaper away ticket prices given on a reciprocal basis.
How many knew about Hudderseld Towns very impressively organised boycott of Bramall Lane? Thousands of Terriers fans boycotted the game but there was little to no national media attention. There are other ways to get coverage such as a peaceful demo on match-day.
So What Can I do to Support the Twentys Plenty Campaign?

The Football Supporters Federation can tell the story on a national level and well continue to lobby the FA, Football League and Premier League around the issue of ticket prices. While we can explain the central tenets of the campaign to them in our regular meetings, we firmly believe that issue will be won by fans at club level. Clubs are more inclined to listen to their fans than anyone else. If a clubs fan-base is prepared to say, Different things will work for different fans at different clubs, but as a starter for ten see the Actions for Fans (below) which outlines plenty of ideas. Some of them will only take minutes while others are ideal for those who have a little more time and energy to commit. We back Twentys Plenty and think away fans should be rewarded for their loyalty then we, as fans, might have a chance of more affordable away football.
Actions for Fans
Sign the Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets
that but on a regional basis with rival clubs? We can help you contact rival supporters groups or fanzines. FSF affiliate Spirit of Shankly have done this and brought together traditional rivals such as Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United.
petition: www.fsf.org.uk/tickets. This will automatically trigger an email to your club and the relevant league outlining your support for Twentys Plenty. Its the first step, the easiest step and around 10,000 fans have already done it.
Tell your fellow fans about Twentys Plenty. Email, Facebook, Twitter or whatever other social media the cool kids use nowadays - spread the word! Weve had loads of flyers printed which explain why we launched Twentys Plenty and theyre available free of charge to fans, fanzines and supporters groups who would like them. Contact us and get your batch to hand out at games.
Visual displays are another way for fans to
support the campaigns aims. If youre going to organise a visual display please email tickets@
fsf.org.uk for further advice as its not quite as simple as turning up at the ground with your banner at the ready. Clubs like to be informed in advance and there might be other issues such as fireproofing, ensuring other fans views arent blocked and so on. But get it right and your banner could be big news.
Protests outside the ground/handing out flyers.

). I t (e.g. informing the police, club and council). It s us to o pr rom mot o e your actions to yo your ur also allows promote w fans. s. fellow
Again, wed advise you contact tickets@fsf.org.uk
Designated walkouts or boycotts (such as

un nre eal a is sti tic or e ven counte ve ter-productive. te unrealistic even counter-productive.
Germanys Kein Zwanni) or mid-match actions (e.g. fans turn back en masse for a minute or two). Some fans n in at atte tendance te ce at FSF meetings argued for attendance bo oycotts whi ile eo t ers felt they th y we w re unachieva abl b e, boycotts while others were unachievable,
before going ahead with this action as there are red re often other factors which need to be considere considered
Its a an n en enorm enormous mous cha challenge hall ha len e ge e but if f yo you u ge genuinely enu nuin i el in ly B Bring ring ri ng tog together og get eth her th the he fans fans ns gr ns groups, rou oups ps, fa ps fanzines, anzines s, w we b ites bs sa n blo nd ogs w ho sup u port up po y po our team m and websites and blogs who support your wr writ ite a joint letter to o th the e club outlining your write commitment to Twentys Plenty. How about doing thin nk y ou co coul uld ul d su succ cces cce essf sful lly yp ull ul l it o ff a t yo your ur c lub lu b think you could successfully pull off at club then you ure e al almo m st mo s g uarantee e d me edi d a co c vera ve r ge ea nd youre almost guaranteed media coverage and YouTube fame. Wed suggest exhausting the actions above before trying this though.
10
Premier League Response

Back in January Goal.com reported that Premier League clubs were weighing up a proposal to offer free travel to away travel to fans. Stoke City Chief Executive Tony Scholes came up with two initiatives in November 2012. The first was for clubs to agree that away fans should never pay more than the cheapest home ticket. At present away fans must be charged the same price for comparable accommodation which means they can still pay more than home fans in the cheapest seats. The second idea was for clubs to provide free coach travel to all fans. Scholes told the Premier League shareholders, representatives of all 20 clubs and the FA, that the scheme would cost each club between 500,000-800,000 per annum. The consensus among the clubs at the Premier g meeting g was that the issue of subsidised League travel was specific to individual clubs, although there was an agreement that the issue would be given further consideration and a report brought to the shareholders in due course, said Goal.com. Wh hil i e we w would welcome free coach travel for While fan fa ns it is sn nt t a ma m gic bu b llet to making footb t al a l mo m re fans isnt magic bullet football more affo af ffo ford rdab rd a le ab e. M any fan a s pr an p efer to o tr tra avel b av y ca ar or affordable. Many fans prefer travel by car tra ain, ,t hey he yd y d ra ath her b e able le et o ma ake t h ir own he wn w wn ay train, theyd rather be to make their way th her e e an and d pa p yc ch heape per prices pe es a t th he ga gate te e. Ot the her r there pay cheaper at the gate. Other fans con ntacted us to say they had co onc ncerns tha h t th this i contacted concerns that would lead to an increase in enforced police escorts.
Ticket Prices Five Times Ination

The BBCs Price of Football survey showed that the average cost of the cheapest adult ticket in the top four divisions of English football has risen by 11.7% - more than five times the rate of inflation. The results were published in October 2012 and covered 166 clubs including those in the Blue Square Bet Premier and Womens Super League.
Lowlights:
The average price of the most affordable ticket Only two out of 92 league clubs offer a day out for less than 20 this season. Last year it was 12. Arsenal have the most expensive season ticket at
in the past year.
in league football has gone from 19.01 to 21.24
1,955, while Montroses was the cheapest at 90.
Actionimages
Sunderland lift the 2012 Womens Premier League Cup
Sign the Twentys Plenty Petition:

Supporters call upon football clubs at all levels of the game to recognise and reward the amazing contribution of away fans by getting together to agree an across the board price cap on away match tickets of 20 (15 for concessions).
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS Sign the Petition:

www.fsf.org.uk/tickets
11
FSF International Work

England Fans Embassy & FSF Cymru Season Review
THE FOOTBALL
S U P P O R T E R S
FEDERATION
fansembassy
The England Fans Embassy clocked up the air miles with seven away trips in the past 12 months, and thats not even including Euro 2012. Ken Malley tells the tale of a busy year The team had a very busy Euros working with local fan volunteers (mostly from Ultras groups), Football Supporters Europe (FSE), the British Police and the British Consulate. We handed out around 15,000 copies of our Free Lions fanzine, spoke to thousands of fans and received 80 calls to the 24-hour hotline. Problems ran the spectrum, as usual. From the standard I cant find my hotel to the slightly more problematic My pre-booked hotel doesnt seem to exist. We even shipped a fans suitcase (left on a station platform) 450 miles across the country to its grateful owner. From broken arms to a diabetic in desperate need of a sugar rush, we saw it all. But England fans behaviour was once again very good and the UK Ambassador to Ukraine sent us a glowing letter of appreciation. After the tournament we also helped evaluate FSE Fans Embassies at a meeting in Hamburg. Post-Euros England have played seven away games including the now infamous on/off game in Warsaw in
October. Despite torrential rain being widely forecast the Poles decided not to close the stadium roof, rain lashed down, and the game was postponed for 24 hours. The Fans Embassy assisted the FA, passing on information to fans and helping with accommodation and rearranged flights. Away games against Italy, Moldova and Sweden passed without any serious problems although local police refused to let us set up next to our Italian counterparts even though theyre friends. Fans were also praised for their behaviour in Moldova by the UK police. England fans continued to project a very positive image. The good humour and passion for the game was typified by the good natured gatherings in bars and cafes around Chisinau, said Superintendent Rachel Barber who headed the UK police delegation. The double-header in March away to Montenegro and San Marino offered logistical challenges. The majority of fans stayed elsewhere and only travelled to the host cities on match days. As a result part of our team stayed in Rimini then joined the others on the day of the game in San Marino. We followed this with another split team in Montenegro where some stayed in Budva before joining our colleagues in Podgorica on match day.
England Fans Embassy Away Days

Brazil 2 2 Eng (2nd June 2013, Rio de Janeiro) Montenegro 1 1 Eng (26th March 2013, Podgorica) San Marino 0 8 Eng (22nd March 2013, San Marino) Sweden 4 2 Eng (14th September 2012, Stockholm) Poland 1 1 Eng (17th October 2012, Warsaw) Moldova 0 5 Eng (7th September 2012, Chisinau) Italy 1 2 Eng (15th August 2012, Geneva)
FSF Cymru Fans Embassy Away Days

Serbia (11th September, 2012, Novi Sad) Serbia swamp Wales 6-1, their heaviest defeat since 1996. Croatia (16th October, 2012, Osijek) Wales slip to second bottom in Group A after defensive blunders by Lewis Price and Ashley Williams lead to a 2-0 defeat. Scotland (22nd March, 2013, Glasgow) Wales come back with two second-half goals to grab three points.
12
Actionimages
fsfcymru
The team at FSF Cymru had three away trips in the past season with two in particular highlighting just how valuable the service can be, in very different ways. Paul Corkrey tells more
Other International News

England
Through FSE we have been involved in the campaign to improve ticket pricing and met with UEFA to discuss Champions League ticket prices. President Michel Platini acknowledged 2011 final prices were a mistake and more tickets in the cheapest category are now made available. FSF Chief Executive Kevin Miles and FSF Cymrus Paul Corkrey were part of the FSE team that met with Platini to give the fans perspective on plans to change the format of the Euros. A panEuropean format looks likely by 2020.
Serbia
Security for Welsh fans was a very high priority and FSF Cymru met with police and the Welsh FA (FAW) to ensure a problem free trip. Around 400 Welsh fans made the trip and the local constabulary kept a close eye on supporters at all times even on FSF Cymrus customary charitable visits to local schools and orphanages. The match was held 80 miles outside Belgrade in Novi Sad where the Welsh fans were mostly based. Once in the stadium toilets flooded and no drinking water was made available to fans. Police agreed to let FSF Cymrus Neil Dymock leave the stadium to buy 400 bottles of water at his own expense which were distributed among grateful fans.
FSF Cymru
FSF Cymru would also like to pay tribute to Simon Insole, a friend and colleague who passed away aged only 49. Simon played a big part in changing fans attitudes towards the police force and will be sadly missed. We know our colleagues and the England Fans Embassy think likewise. RIP Simon. FSF Cymrus Neil Dymock, Paul Corkrey, and Vince Alm met regularly with the FAW and South Wales Police to discuss arrangements for upcoming away trips and other fan issues.
Scotland
FSF Cymrus Fans Guide was distributed by FAW with match tickets - the team also met with the Tartan Army Supporters Club and liaised with venues in Glasgow to ensure fans had places to congregate during the trip. By noon there were more than 2,000 fans in Glasgow but the awful weather meant many more were still stuck in North Wales while their tickets were with the FAW in Glasgow. FSF Cymru arranged for these fans to collect their tickets as late as possible before kickoff and, despite the awful weather, everyone made it in time.
13
Safe Standing
Safe Standing
2013: The Football Industry Gets Onboard
If the Campaigns story in 2011-12 was one of shifting public opinion in favour of safe standing, 2012-13s narrative was driven by ever-increasing industry support. Since last years AGM on 7th July 2012 a remarkable 22 clubs have officially given their backing to the Safe Standing Campaign. In fact, lets call it 23 since Derby County announced their support one day before last years AGM. Six Premier League clubs formally back the FSFs Safe Standing Campaign as do Championship clubs, collectively, in the form of the following motion, which was put to the Football League in February 2013: The Football League would encourage and support the instigation of a rail seat/safe standing trial period at any League club wishing to run such a trial. This permission would only apply during a new build or stadium redevelopment. Only one club opposed it. On Friday 7th June, more than two-thirds of the Football Leagues 72 clubs also voted in favour of a motion to explore safe standing trials. Many other clubs offered behind-the-scenes encouragement during 2012-13 and a number of other significant football figures have expressed their own personal interest. Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis is on the record as being open to safe standing while West Ham Uniteds Chairman David Gold regularly pronounced support via his Twitter account @DavidGoldWHU. Political players even got in on the act with Cabinet Minister Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP saying, I can see no reason why football clubs should not be allowed to introduce any form of accommodation which is compatible with modern safety standards. There are many football supporters who would prefer to get back to some kind of standing crowd. www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/safe-standingparliamentary-event-11th-dec-2012 The Case for Safe Standing in Football gave us the chance to showcase our plans to MPs, football industry figures, police and journalists. The event received a great deal of national media coverage and prompted real engagement from senior police officers on the subject of standing at football. The event was chaired by Roger Godsiff MP and featured a top table of Bob Symns (Chief Executive, Peterborough United), Brian Doogan (Aston Villas Head of Media), Fiona McGee (researcher and writer), Professor Steve Frosdick (independent safety expert) and Supt Steven Graham (West Midlands Police). One of the days key contributions came from Supt Graham who boasts more than 20 years experience Of course this growing industry support must be highlighted to politicians if theyre going to act and give the thumbs up to a safe standing trial. With that in mind we took The Case for Safe Standing in Football to Parliament (Tuesday 11th December 2012) which was kindly sponsored by Roger Godsiff MP, who also tabled an Early Day Motion in favour of a safe standing trial. We rallied hundreds of fans to contact their MPs in order to promote the EDM too.
Safe Standing Heads to Parliament
Find Out More

Find out more about The Case for Safe Standing in Football Parliamentary event:
14
Safe Standing
of policing football matches and is the operational lead for the policing of football in West Midlands. He told the audience fans should have the choice to sit or stand and said he doesnt believe that standing necessarily leads to disorder: If you put a decent person on a terrace, theyre a decent person. If you put someone with criminal intent in a seated area, theyre someone with criminal intent who may misbehave. To say that just because you put someone in a standing area they will misbehave is fundamentally wrong. The person who threw the coin at Rio Ferdinand threw it from a seated area. The person who jumped on the ground at Hillsborough and assaulted the goalkeeper [Sheffield Wednesdays Chris Kirland] did so from a seated area. It wasnt the fact they were in terraces that made them behave like that. They behaved like that because theyre morons. They behaved like that because theyre criminals. Bryan Drew of the UK Football Policing Unit also attended and said the Association of Chief Police Officers was very happy to engage in this discussion and this debate. Its a positive step and well continue to present our case to ACPO and the SGSA. We believe that a safe standing trial would offer receptive clubs and match day commanders the opportunity to properly test rail seats in a controlled environment. Without that trial how can clubs and fans possibly challenge the baseless assertion that The Government has made it clear that the police have a big say in this and that is why engagement is so important. The Government says it needs compelling evidence from all the relevant authorities, including the police before it will approve safe standing areas. Their concerns centre round disorder and security rather than the possibility of another Hillsborough-like disaster. In the words of Supt Graham: In God We Trust, everyone else [should] bring data. We have very little experience of what standing looks like in the 21st century, in football grounds in the UK. Im delighted Villa arent proposing to tear up the entire Holte End and make it all standing, what theyre saying is weve identified an area of the ground where they can trial
Actionimages Safe Standing Roadshow
The Peterborough United Delegation Amongst Rail Seats in the Hannover 96s AWD Arena
However, standing can and does provide a safe and controlled environment for fans in League One, League Two, and beyond. Match-going fans know that much tension at football stems from the efforts of stewards to force fans to sit down, creating an us against them mentality.
Where next?
standing equals disorder? But which club is willing to host a trial? Step forward Aston Villa. Chief Executive Paul Faulkner, local match day commander Supt Graham and the clubs fans all want to see this. So the club, fans and police in West Midlands are all in agreement Villa Park is ripe for a trial.
it. Thats what we need to do, gather some data so we, as an industry, can make informed decisions and give supporters the best possible experience.
Villa Chief Executive Paul Faulkner with Paul Lambert
15
Safe Standing
Cardi Citys incredible journey - by Dr Steve Frosdick

In 2001 Cardiff City was a near bankrupt club in an antiquated stadium with infamous supporters. In 2013, it is an award-winning and customer-friendly business with broadly well-behaved fans. To begin with, it seemed sensible to allow spectators The clubs whole ethos is about recognising the diversity of its customer base and delivering to its legitimate expectations. Hence there is a Family Stand, excellent hosting of away fans, premium areas and a stand for the noisier fans who create most of the atmosphere. As is common in many grounds, this latter group wanted to stay standing throughout the match. Stadium Manager Wayne Nash faced a dilemma. In one area of the ground, pockets of persistent standing were an informal choice. Standing would be tolerated and managed in the Canton Stand, but actively discouraged elsewhere. But Wayne Nash wanted to go further, to clarify the legality and safety of what was being done and then to formalise it. After consulting fans representatives and the authorities he asked me to examine the arrangements and prepare a report. The report confirmed the view that persistent standing at the Cardiff City Stadium was neither illegal nor inherently unsafe. Accordingly, the club notified the authorities that all such standing would be channelled into a well-managed area in the Canton Stand. The corollary was that standing would not be tolerated in any other parts of the ground. Fans had the choice of relocating to the managed area or sitting down. This new policy provided fans with a fair choice and was approved by fans representatives. Cardiff City deserve credit for being the first stadium
Actionimages
bringing huge complaints from fans who wanted to sit down. Yet in the noisy Canton Stand, almost everyone was stood up behind their seats.
to officially formalise this approach to persistent standing. The solution was specific to the stadium and its fans but the general principles must surely be applicable to other grounds.
Cardiff: the First Club to Admit the Truth About Standing in Seated Areas
Do Female Fans Want The Choice To Stand? Yes!

Opponents of safe standing sometimes argue that it will make football stadiums less diverse places. We believe football should be open to all, regardless of age, disability, race, sex or any other identifying factor, and dispute the underlying assumption that younger or female supporters do not support safe standing. 85% of female fans who completed the FSFs 2012 Annual Survey said they backed the choice to sit or stand while one in three actually said Peterborough United Chief Executive, Bob Symns, says his clubs existing standing facilities are full of men, women, children, youngsters, senior citizens; they just prefer to stand. If the football authorities believe that safe standing would scare fans away they must bring evidence, not opinion. they preferred to stand, given the choice. 93% of those who preferred to stand cited better atmosphere as a reason for this choice.
16
Safe Standing
Clubs Supporting Standing Trials in England & Wales
Key
Support a standing trial Already have standing areas
Sunderland Leeds United Barnsley Doncaster Rovers Burnley Oldham Athletic Peterborough United Wolves Shrewsbury Town Aston Villa Watford Swansea City Cardi City Bristol City Swindon Town Brentford Exeter City Plymouth Argyle Portsmouth Aldershot Town Hull City Derby County
Clubs with Standing Areas

Accrington Stanley Barnet Bristol Rovers Burton Albion Carlisle United Cheltenham Town Crawley Town Dagenham and Redbridge Fleetwood Town Hartlepool United Morecambe Rochdale Scunthorpe United Stevenage Torquay United Yeovil Town York City Wycombe Wanderers
Crystal Palace AFC Wimbledon
Disagree with Safe Standing?

There are fans who disagree with safe standing, surveys put their number at 10-20%. In our experience opponents arguments are often based on misconceptions - the most common being:
Its not right for their club (fine, but why stop others?) Hillsborough was caused by standing (it wasnt) We want to ban seats (we dont)
Read more at the FSFs Safe Standing Mythbusters section:
www.fsf.org.uk/safestanding
17
FSF Polls
FSF Polls
Highlights of the Years Voting at www.fsf.org.uk
Q: Does the Time Fit the Crime?
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was hit with a ten game ban for biting Chelseas Branislav Ivanovic. Was that about right, too much or too little?
Q: Red or Dead?
Cardiff City agreed to play in red in return for a cash windfall. Would you be happy to see your club sell its hard-earned identity or is it non-negotiable, no matter the money?
10 games is about right - 27% 10 games is too much - 12%

10 games isnt enough - 61%
Not a chance - 72.5% Show me the money - 27.5%

Q: Would you be OK with Articial Pitches in the Football League?
The BBC reported that the Football League could give synthetic surfaces the thumbs
Q: Should Wembley Stadiums Name be Free From Commercial Partners?

The BBC reported that the FA was in advanced talks with five companies over the naming rights to Wembley Stadium. Should the Wembley Stadium brand be sacrosanct? Or is the FA acting responsibly to pay off the debts incurred in building such a fantastic stadium?
up. The FSF has no set policy on the subject do you think its plastic fantastic or can you see a turf war on the horizon?
No - 61.1% Yes - 38.9%

Q: Should English Premier League Clubs be Allowed to Buy Football League Feeder Sides?
Andre Villas-Boas said that
Yes - 65% Dont care - 20% No -15%
Q: Do You Agree with Platinis Idea to Play Euro 2020 in up to 12 Countries?

The FSF believes UEFA must ensure maximum consultation with fans across the continent via Football Supporters Europe before anything is set in stone. But do you back Platinis plans?
Premier League clubs should be allowed to buy Football League clubs and turn them into Spanish-style feeder sides. The FSF think hes talking gubbins, obviously, so we thought wed run a totally balanced, fair, and objective poll on it. Would you like to see feeder sides on UK shores?
Couldnt care less - 12% Yes - 8%

No - 80%
No way - 86.2% Yes way - 13.8%
Images from top to bottom Flickr: Masashi-Mochida, wildphotons, ca1951rr, oriolsalvador, Kuster-Wildhaber, Silvia Viuales
18
Virgin Money Survey
Virgin Money Survey

FSF Teams Up with Sir Richard Branson
In March 2013 the FSF carried out a little research for Virgin Moneys Football Fans Index to determine what fans thought of season ticket prices. The results were published in May and make for interesting reading.
6 45 6 45 456 45 6
9 66 9 66 669 66 9
456 the price Premier League fans think is fair to pay for a season ticket
669 the average price for a Premier League season ticket (2012/13)
Bah!
(
One in three ratio of fans who say they may not renew their season tickets
766 the price Arsenal fans think is fair for a season ticket
259 the pri p price ric ri rice r ic ce W Wigan iga ig gan fans think is fair air air r for a se sea seaso season ea e a ticket
6 31 6 31 316 31 6
1,954 most os st expe expensive pens nsive nsiv siv s iv season ticket at Arsenal
300 the he e to top op pri price rice a at tW Wigan Athletic
316 price that fans in the Football League believed was fair for a season ticket
19
News Review 2012-13
News Review 2012-13

The FSFs Take on the Years Big Stories
Blatter Must Go
16th July 2012
Get a few hundred football supporters in a room and youd normally get a few million different opinions. But at the European Football Fans Congress there was at least one unifying topic. Every single fan in attendance voted to adopt a resolution calling for FIFA President Sepp Blatters immediate resignation. It followed revelations in the bribery scandal surrounding FIFA Honorary President Joo Havelange (who has since resigned). After hearing the evidence the Committees second Blatter admits he knew bribes took place but says he did nothing wrong as such dealings were not illegal under Swiss law at that time. You cant judge the past on the basis of todays standards. Otherwise it would end up with moral justice, squealed Blatter. report accepted many of our conclusions. Along with colleagues from other parts of the national game, Malcolm also spoke against the authorities proposals at the FA Council, which did not accept them. So its back to the drawing board. The Minster for Sport has now written to the FA saying that he expects progress by the start of next season on three key areas club licensing; the composition of the FA Board and supporter involvement. Watch this space.
SXC.hu
As Malcolm put it, Football is not like a normal industry, were talking about institutions that are part of the cultural heritage of their areas.
FSF Chair Gives Evidence to MPs

19th July 2012
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee met to review progress since its 2011 report on the football governance, with leaders from the FA, Football League, and fans groups in attendance. FSF Chair Malcolm Clarke and SD Chief Executive David Lampitt told the Committee that the proposals submitted in the name of the FA, Premier League and Football League fell well short of what is needed. They could potentially make the position even worse, by further weakening the role of the FA as the games governing body, and not addressing some of the key issues.
Cameron Issues Hillsborough Apology

12th September 2012
15th April 1989 is a day in English football history that will never be forgotten. The Hillsborough Independent Panels report into that days events was so damning it prompted an apology by David Cameron in Parliament: With the weight of the new evidence in this report, it is right for me today as Prime Minister to make a proper apology to the families of the 96 for all they have suffered over the past 23 years.
20
News Review 2012-13
The report exonerated fans who were victims of a smear campaign by elements of the media and police. Sadly, many of those lies are peddled to this day. Fans are entitled to their opinion on Hillsborough but also have an absolute responsibility to educate themselves on the days events. Visit www.hfdinfo.com.
by campaigning organisations like Kick It Out and Show Racism the Red Card.
Safe Standing Hits Parliament

11th December 2012
The FSFs Safe Standing Campaign visited
Club Charter League Tables 2012

26th September 2012
Parliament to showcase its plans to MPs, football industry figures, police and journalists through The Case for Safe Standing in Football. The event received national media coverage and, significantly, prompted real engagement from senior police officers on the subject of standing at football. Theres a lot to be said about this event and you can read more about it on Page 14.
Liverpool and Crystal Palace topped the Premier League and Championship tables as we ranked club charters. One in four clubs had no charter or a charter that was not linked to via the clubs official website. Its 13 years since the Football Task Force said all clubs should adopt charters which provide consumer information and protection with guidelines on club policy relating to ticketing issues, complaints procedures, community work, merchandise and more. Fans love their club but we dont always see eye-toeye and charters can play a vital role in complaints resolution. Wed encourage clubs to work with fans on this as we genuinely believe those who do so will feel the benefit, said FSF Deputy Chair Martin OHara.
Actionimages
The FSF supports Kick It Out Football Without Fans is Nothing

22nd October 2012 31st January 2013
A number of players expressed their frustration at footballs handling of high-profile incidents by refusing to wear Kick It Out t-shirts during the organisations Weeks of Action. Of course the FSF respects the right of individual footballers to make their own stand on these issues but Kick It Out isnt a regulatory body and isnt responsible for determining sanctions and punishments against players. Theres no place for racism in society and we continue to give our backing to the great work done It felt like a real turning point as supporters of rival clubs put differences aside for the greater good. It wasnt just about Premier League prices either as fans throughout the Football League (and beyond) often have to pay high prices. Read more in the Twentys Plenty section on Page 8. Fans from dozens of clubs met in London and Manchester to discuss the blight of high prices. Earlier that month the media had finally cottoned on to the issue when around 900 tickets went unsold for Manchester Citys visit to Arsenal.
21
News Review 2012-13
Half of FL Clubs Back Standing

14th February 2013
Fans and Players Unite v Bubble

27th March 2013
It was Valentines Day and the Football League were showing their love for standing. Shrewsbury Town became the 18th Football League club to officially back the FSFs Safe Standing Campaign, while another 18 already have standing areas. Thats a total of 36 clubs out of the 72 Football League clubs. It shows that its not just fans who want standing areas theres a huge appetite for them from clubs too. To see the full list of supportive clubs visit: www.fsf.org.uk/safestanding.
Fans and players at Hull City joined forces to show their opposition to a bubble match enforced by police ahead of Huddersfield Town v Hull City. The peaceful protest also had the backing of Huddersfield Town supporters and the FSF. Bubble matches are games where all away supporters must travel on designated transport, usually club coaches, from specific pick up points. Hundreds of fans from both sides joined the protest march while players showed their solidarity by wearing the FSFs Watching Football Is Not A Crime! t-shirts during the pre-match warm-up. Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott even got involved branding bubble matches the most draconian travel restrictions since miners strike pickets were targeted. Ticket numbers were also cut to 1,700 for a fixture that would normally have attracted far more travelling supporters.
Actionimages
Actionimages
Premier League Gives Thumbs up to Goal-line Technology

1st March 2013
A Minutes Silence for Margaret Thatcher?

8th April 2013
The Premier League confirmed that goal-line technology will be in place for the start of the 2013-14 season. FIFA had already said that goal-line technology will be used at this years Confederations Cup and the World Cup 2014 in Brazil. As far back as 2008 the FSF argued in favour of goalline technology and called upon IFAB to introduce systems at all appropriate levels of the game as such systems can only be a positive aid to referees. Ahead of the game, eh?
While its highly unusual for the FSF to comment on such matters we were simply bombarded with calls and emails from journalists who wanted to know whether football should hold a minutes silence to mark Baroness Thatchers death. It almost goes without saying that the Iron Lady was a divisive figure and we thought the football authorities made the right call not to impose a minutes silence across all fixtures. It was a decision for individual clubs to take.
22
News Review 2012-13
Football ID Cards via the Back Door?

8th May 2013
to reach the Football League but, once there, managed to climb the pyramid to the second tier in only 10 years. Promotion was secured at Wembley, via the play-offs, in front of a giant Little Old Yeovil banner brought along by fans. However, it nearly didnt make it in after Wembley threatened to charge supporters 1,500 for the privilege. Wembley said the banner required supervision and thus incurred extra costs. The FSF heard about this, spoke to the FA and, pleasingly, all was resolved and the banner made it into Wembley. Lets hope this sets a precedent, elf and safety neednt ruin atmospheres.
The Metropolitan Police didnt take kindly to Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace facing each other in the play-offs and even considered banning away fans. Thankfully that didnt happen although both clubs still invoked ticketing restrictions above-and-beyond the norm, presumably in response to the Mets stance. In the 1980s fans came together to oppose the then Governments attempt to introduce football ID cards it was an outrageous idea. This had the look of football ID cards via the back door. Well be keeping a beady eye on this one.
Actionimages
Champions of Football Travel

14th May 2013
The FSF helped the Campaign for Better Transport survey more than 1,000 fans to find out how well (or not) different grounds are served by public transport. Newcastle United topped the CfBTs league table with Reading finishing rock bottom. The Magpies 10 season-long matchday public transport deal won plaudits while results showed that 23% of fans spend more on travel than they do on match tickets. Train travel is by far the most popular mode that fans would like to use more (36%), followed by bus (23%) and tram/tube (17%). Cost is the main prohibiting factor. Among the CfBTs recommendations were a national Football Supporters Railcard with more flexible conditions for advance fares and German-style KombiTicket offering free localised public transport on matchdays. This coincides with the international weekend and means many fans are at a loose end, giving them the chance to check out a local lower league or non-league side. Many clubs will be holding special events and price incentives on the day, including fundraising for local and national causes. Visit: www. nonleagueday.co.uk. Non-League Day, the campaign to promote semiprofessional and grassroots football, announced it will return for a fourth consecutive season. This years event takes place on Saturday 7th September 2013.
Non-League Day
30th May 2013
FSF Fix Yeovil Town Banner Ban

16th May 2013
Yeovil Towns ascent to the Championship caps a remarkable journey. The Glovers took 108 years
23
FSF Football Writers Awards 2012

The Winners
The FSFs Football Writers Awards 2012 took place at Covent Gardens Grand Connaught Rooms on 7th July 2012. 200 fans were in attendance to see awards handed out across seven different categories recognising the best in amateur and professional writing. The awards were part of the FSF and Supporters Direct Fans Weekend. Nominations opened in April and almost 400 were received from more than 1000 fans. The Newspaper, Blogger, Website, and Fanzine awards were selected by an FSF panel. The winners of the Writer, Podcast, and Book awards were decided by a public vote in which 4,500 participated. Without further ado, the winners
FSF Book of the Year (public vote):

Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World (Graham Hunter)
FSF Blogger of the Year:

Andi Thomas (The FCF/SB Nation) For his creative and often
Taking the 2011 Champions League final as a starting point Hunter tells the tale of Barca through some of its most famous names - Guardiola, Cruyff, Xavi, Iniesta and Messi.
humourous take on the world of football. Consistently excellent.
FSF Podcast of the Year (public vote):

The Anfield Wrap (Liverpool) Independent, only one season old, and already more than 1m downloads. Boss.
FSF Writer of the Year (public vote):

Jonathan Wilson (The Guardian, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated, editor of The Blizzard, various online) Some writers excel at dissecting the games tactics, while others are capable of placing football in its rightful cultural context. Wilson is one of the few who can do both exceptionally well.
FSF Fans Newspaper of the Year:

The Times For the depth and quality of its writing staff, its varied and dedicated coverage.
FSF Fanzine of the Year:

United We Stand (Manchester United) For their consistently well-written content, innovative cover design and the ability to be self-critical of their club and its players when the writers feel its justified.
FSF Website of the Year:

Twohundredpercent For its long-standing commitment, dedication and coverage of issues that affect football across all leagues.
24

The Shortlists
The Football Supporters Federation would like to thank each and every person who nominated their favourite writers and publications. The sheer volume of nominations ensured that the standard of entrant was very high and being shortlisted was in itself a fine achievement the full shortlists are reproduced below.
FSF Fans Newspaper of the Year:
FSF Blogger of the Year:
Andi Thomas (The FCF/SB Nation) Arseblogger (Arseblog) Greg Theoharis (Dispatches From a Football Sofa) Ian Rands (A United View) Kieron OConnor (Swiss Ramble) Rangers Tax Case
FSF Book of the Year:
Daily Mail Lancashire Telegraph Non League Paper Sunday Mirror The Guardian The Times
FSF Podcast of the Year:
A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke (Ronald Reng) Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World (Graham Hunter) 50 Teams That Mattered (David Hartrick) Brian Clough: Nobody Ever Says Thank You (Jonathan Wilson) Red: My Autobiography (Gary Neville) Thinking Inside The Box: Reflections on Life as
a Premier League Footballer (Louis Saha and Georgia de Chamberet)
Bluemoon (Manchester City) Cafe Calcio Football Weekly The Anfield Wrap (Liverpool) The Football Ramble The Game
FSF Website of the Year:
In Bed With Maradona Miniboro.com (Middlesbrough) Sporting Intelligence The Anfield Wrap (Liverpool) Twohundredpercent Zonal Marking
FSF Writer of the Year:
FSF Fanzine of the Year:
A Love Supreme (Sunderland) The Gooner (Arsenal) The Seagull Love Review (Brighton and Hove Albion) The Square Ball (Leeds United) True Faith (Newcastle United) United We Stand (Manchester United)
David Conn (The Guardian) Iain Macintosh (Sports Illustrated, Singapores The New Paper, The Irish Examiner, various online) Jonathan Wilson (The Guardian, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated, editor of The Blizzard, various online) Nick Harris (Mail on Sunday, editor at Sportingintelligence.com) Paul Hayward (The Telegraph) The Secret Footballer (The Guardian)
The FSF Annual Report - 2013 25
Watching Football Is Not A Crime!

Fan in Trouble? Then Were Here to Help
Every year the FSF helps hundreds of supporters whove fallen foul of the law or stewards at their club. Many of these fans feel theyve been hard done by and thats where we come in. Roy Bentham, Travel Officer for SoS, said: We felt totally Watching Football Is Not A Crime! is our campaign to ensure that all fans are treated fairly and within the law. The campaign was launched back in 2008/09 as a reaction to police officers using Section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 as a way of stopping football supporters from attending matches. On too numerous occasions, football fans going Since its launch WFINAC! has grown to encompass more than just Section 27 issues. Its become something of a rallying cry for supporters who feel theyve been ignored, poorly treated or even persecuted. Often, weve been able to offer help, support or even just a friendly voice. A recent example would be Liverpool fans whose coaches were escorted by police all the way back to Merseyside after their teams visit to Sunderland in March 2011. The escort dictated the route fans took and prevented the coaches from leaving the motorway to stop at service stations. As many as 500 were affected including a group who had planned to visit a memorial to Bob Paisley in County Durham. We worked with fans group Spirit of Shankly to During the past few years weve successfully challenged many examples of unfair treatment, check out www.fsf.org.uk and our 2012 Annual Report for more on that. We continue to work with the football authorities and the police to secure the best possible environment for home and away fans. to away games have been treated like second class citizens. This also underlines our commitment to the FSFs Watching Football Is Not A Crime! campaign. justified in bringing this complaint and the decision thoroughly demonstrates that. The further reaching implications may be that fans of other clubs around the country may not be subjected to any similarly draconian actions due to this admission of culpability. gather evidence and a complaint was eventually upheld by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in October 2012.
Find Out More

WFINAC on the FSF: http://www.
fsf.org.uk/campaigns/Watchingfootball-is-not-a-crime.php
How To Complain
Step 1: Your complaint should be brought to the
attention of the club in writing. You can do this via email so it neednt cost you anything. Clubs should have a Customer Charter detailing their procedures and any timescales. Copy the FSF in on this.
Step 2: If your initial complaint is ignored or you
>
dont reach a satisfactory conclusion you need to contact the appropriate governing body (such as the Premier League, Football League, or the FA if it relates to an England game or the FA Cup).
>
26
Ban the bomb?

Despite being prohibited by both law and ground regulations, youll have noticed that the use of flares, smoke bombs and firecrackers is on the increase at matches. Many fans, young and old, like them and feel they contribute to the atmosphere, but just as many dont appreciate the possible danger they pose.
Muhammad
Flares can burn at 1,600C thats higher than the melting point of iron. Careless handling or idiotic actions can result in injury or even fatality. In Bolivia 14-year-old Kevin Beltrn Espada died after being hit in the face by a flare at a game in February 2013. In 1993 a Welsh fan died at Cardiff Arms Park after being hit by a firework. Setting off any of these devices inside a football stadium is against the law. Depending on the specific circumstances the punishments weve seen handed out range from on-the-spot fines to prison sentences. Is it really worth it? Several fans arrested for the possession or use of smoke bombs have approached us for legal advice. Whether fans are imprisoned or not, applications by the prosecution for Football Banning Orders will almost certainly be successful. The Metropolitan Police argue that in past years fans mixed and disorder was more prevalent. The force say they spoke with licensees who decided a split was the best option. We try and help publicise this information so fans arent caught out on the day. For updates - follow the Mets Football Unit on Twitter @MPSFootballUnit In addition to reactive work we do proactive work too. A good example of this is the information we share with fans on how pubs are to be split between clubs at Wembley . Tens of thousands of fans have benefited from this in the past year. A banning order means that you cant attend any football matches in the UK for three years or more and have to hand in your passport every time your club, England or Wales play outside of the UK. Youll also be banned from your town or city centre on match days.
Working with the Met
Download the Factsheet

Produced by Football Legislation Barrister, Alison Gurden:
bit.ly/10pEtPc
Step 3: If you dont receive a satisfactory outcome,

there is one further step. The Independent Football Ombudsman was established by the football authorities and adjudicates on unresolved complaints: Call 0800 588 4066 or email contact@theifo.co.uk.
>
If your case involves the police or legal matters contact the FSF Phone: 0330 44 000 44 Email info@fsf.org.uk
27

From the Case File 2012/13
Room for Improvement in Policing and Stewarding
25th July 2012
919 Leeds United fans completed a survey that we carried out in conjunction with our affiliates at Leeds United Supporters Trust. In seasons gone by wed received a disproportionate number of complaints about policing/stewarding at Elland Road from both home and away fans. However, this evidence was largely anecdotal so it was time to ask fans what they really thought:
32% of fans find the police approachable on a match day; Although for certain games, 54% think their presence is excessive; 47% of fans think the presence of police means trouble is more likely; Three out of four fans think club stewards do a
better job than agency staff. Chief Superintendant Paul Money, the divisional commander of the area which covers Elland Road, said: We welcome the feedback from the survey which in the main is very supportive of the policing style - an approach intended from the outset to be low key, fair and friendly.
Red & White Kop Forum
View from Anfield Road Stand
Fans Praise Positive Meeting with Council Ocials

27th July 2012
FSF Chair Malcolm Clarke joined Duncan Drasdo of Manchester United Supporters Trust in a meeting with officials from Liverpool City Council. The council has the power to drastically reduce the number of tickets available to travelling supporters at Anfield and Goodison Park.
>
Thanks to our Legal Partners

The FSF would like to put our thanks on record to both Lochlinn Parker (Solicitor at Deighton Pierce Glynn) and Melanie Cooke (Consultant Solicitor for Bailey Nicholson Grayson). They and their colleagues hard work was once again integral to giving fans a fair crack of the whip in court. Throughout the course of 2012/13 scores of fans benefited from their expert legal advice, certainly too many to list here. We look forward to working with them in 2013/14.
28
The Red Devils previous allocation at Anfield was cut by more than 1000 because of migration within the away end although there were reasons for this movement. You cant see the pitch from the back two rows if people stand in front of you (see left). Away fans will now receive a near full allocation thanks to the councils willingness to listen and treat supporters as part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. Thanks to this only 180-200 seats were lost, an acceptable amount to keep aisles, stairwells, and gangways clear.
And Theres More...

Through an entire season we deal with a huge range of queries and complaints. Some can make your blood boil while others are relatively insignificant, although it always pays to remember that theyre important enough to the fan involved. Sadly we dont have the space to cover every last case but heres a taste of what else we worked on during 2012/13:
Assisted a fan through a two month ban. He

was in the vicinity of a smoke bomb used after he failed to name the perpetrator. at an away game and his club banned him The banned fan said that he did not know who committed the crime. This case is at a delicate stage and its not yet appropriate to name the clubs involved.
Football Arrests Down by a Quarter

15th November 2012
The Home Offices arrest statistics for the 201112 season made for happy reading. The figures showed a drop in total arrests of 24% and, on average, less than one arrest is made at every match. Three out of every four games feature no arrests at all. The dramatic reduction underlines the fact that the overwhelming majority of fans reject football violence of any sort. We want to make sure this downward trend continues and reaffirm our commitment to a multi-agency approach involving fans groups, the football authorities and the police, said FSF Chair Malcolm Clarke. The total number of arrests at football represents 1 arrest for every 15,782 spectators. There were no arrests at 74% of all regulated matches. More than 100,000 English and Welsh club fans travelled to Champions League and Europa League matches outside of England and Wales. These 47 matches resulted in just 27 arrests of away fans.
Helped a young Huddersfield Town fan

wrongly ejected at Birmingham City, the club refused to listen to his pleas. adjudicated in his favour.
through complaints process after he was
The Independent Football Ombudsman
Spoken to a dozen Birmingham City fans

their teams game against Leicester City.
issued with a Section 27 order en route to
They were given the order in an away away pub that West Midlands Police had previously tweeted as being away fan friendly. Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors are looking at the circumstances and legality surrounding this. Shre Shrewsbury re ewsbury Town v Portsmouth. Around 50 Sh diffi di ffic ffi c ulti ul t es and ti dO APs were AP em et o ff t he t rain n culties OAPs met off the train and an d fo f r ib rc bly esc cor rte ed t to oan earb ea by nigh ghtc gh tclub. tc b b. forcibly escorted nearby nightclub. They Th ey wer e ed etained for t wo h ou urs b efor re be ein i g were detained two hours before being escorted by police to the grou und. Solicito to ors ground. Solicitors are looking into these events.
Po omp mpey ey f a s in an ncl cluding a teen en nager with h lear arni ar n ng Pompey fans including teenager learning
29
Supporter Liaison Ocers

SLO Progress (but not in a Bad Way)
role and develop further constructive and open dialogue with fans.
What is an SLO?
An SLO is an employee of the club who is responsible for building bridges between the
Actionimages
club and its fans. SLOs might communicate fans opinions to a clubs board or senior staff members and should also liaise with stewards, police and counterparts at opposition clubs. UEFA describes the SLO as an advocate of both sides, representing the interests of the club (or national association/league) AND those of the supporters. The capitalisation is UEFAs and highlights that an effective SLO must be more than a club employee who just defends his employers from fans criticism. An SLO who is loved by the club but hated by the fans is probably failing in his or her remit, and the same goes in reverse. If the SLO puts too much weight on only one horse the two sides will drift apart, says UEFA. An SLOs work is dependent on the credibility they enjoy with both parties, as Patrick Vestphael, SLO at Brndby IF, makes clear. Ive been hired by the fans and the club. The club just pays the fans contribution to my wages, explains Patrick. In fact, to do the job properly an SLO needs to work with more than just the club and fans groups. Police, stewards, fanzines and fansites, even the relevant leagues and national associations, must buy into the role. A good SLO will understand the unique dynamics that exist at his or her club. UEFA make clear that they see the role as that of communicator, rather than firefighter. The SLO should try and prevent trouble from happening in the first place. It
The supporters are the lifeblood of professional football - they are the identity of the clubs. Owners, coaches and players change but supporters always remain. Michel Platini, UEFA President.
Such statements from footballs great and good are often met with skepticism by fans who prefer meaningful results to meaningless platitudes. But credit where credits due - Platini and co have put their words into action and are making small steps in the right direction. A good example is UEFAs endorsement of Supporter Liaison Officers (SLOs) as part of their Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations. Article 35 dictated that clubs who wished to compete in UEFA competitions were required to appoint an SLO by the 2012/13 season. The concept was originally discussed at the European Football Fans Congress in Barcelona, July 2010. It was the third event of its kind organised by Football Supporters Europe, to whom the FSF is affiliated. Under the Premier Leagues own rules clubs must now appoint a dedicated and identified official to act as a clubs SLO. Football League clubs have also agreed to appoint an individual to perform a similar
30
Benets of SLOs, According to UEFA:
Direct lines of communication from fans to clubs/leagues/FAs Greater transparency on both sides leading to fewer misunderstandings Improved relations and greater insight into
supporter views should be a proactive, not reactive role, preventing fires from happening rather than dampening flames. That work can occur on matchdays and nonmatchdays alike but it shouldnt be limited to security. If theyre pinned down only to discussing violence or hooliganism issues it just doesnt work. It needs to be about general fan issues and communication as well as prevention of hooliganism, says Antonia Hagemann of Supporters Direct. Stuart Dykes, SLO Project Coordinator at SD Europe, says that good progress has been made but there is still a very long way to go. Stuarts working with national FAs to help educate clubs on the role of SLOs. He admits time is needed but emphasizes just how important it was to get SLOs anchored into UEFAs club licensing agreement. Historically the FSF has played the role of SLO in many domestic disputes. That could be anything from advice for fans, to public appeals, to gathering incident accounts, to acting as an intermediary between supporters and clubs, the police or other non-governmental bodies. But not every fan knows of the FSF and club-specific SLOs might be able to reach fans who would otherwise have gone without help.
Better organised supporters and improved fans dialogue between rival clubs Less violence/better conflict management Improved atmospheres Financial benefits through closer identification
of fans to clubs and increased revenue Its no good simply taking someone from the marketing department and calling them the new SLO. It has to be someone from the fan base, argues Brndby IFs Patrick Vestphael. But not every club can afford to hire a new employee and UEFA highlight functioning models such as Tom Carnogursk, SLO at Slovan Liberec, who is from the clubs PR department. In our experience SLOs on these shores have almost exclusively been appointed from within the club. Thats not to say there arent exceptions to the rule but most SLOs in England and Wales have shared job titles and a background in PR or the ticket office. While the FSF has some reservations about this approach we are very keen to see SLOs succeed and will do our utmost to support them and publicise their role to the wider football fanbase. If SLOs fulfill their proper functions fans will benefit and the FSF commits to:
Building a dedicated SLO section on the FSF

as to what is and isnt in an SLOs remit.
website - offering case studies, best practice models, dos and donts, Q&As and explanations
Providing a point of contact for all 92 SLOs (and any non-league clubs choose to appoint). Supporting individual SLOs by facilitating regional
meetings - this is new territory for UK clubs and SLOs can only benefit from such networks.
What Role can the FSF play?

The principles behind SLOs are sound and can form the basis for positive developments in the relationship between fan and club if theyre properly implemented. In some countries SLO models have been in place for decades and some fans argue that SLOs shouldnt be appointed from within.
Promoting the role of SLOs via the FSF website, Twitter account and Facebook page. Engaging SLOs in issues fans bring to the FSF.
Find Out More
Visit the SLO section of the FSF website at:
http://www.fsf.org.uk/slo
31
FSF Matters
FSF Matters
A Wrap-up of Other News From the FSF
give you the fear. The fear youll miss kick off. The
Diversity and Equality

At the end of 2012 the FA released its action plan designed to tackle discrimination in football both on and off-the-field. English footballs governing body will set up an Inclusion Advisory Board which will report directly to the FA Board. The FSF is fully committed to making football an inclusive sport and aims to ensure that fans are properly represented. If any fans have ever encountered difficulties as a result of their ethnicity, disability, nationality or sexuality they should not hesitate to contact the FSF. There have been a number of incidents in the past year on which the media have been keen to hear from the FSF. The most notable of those related to John Terrys suspension and an appearance on Newsnight by FSF Diversity Coordinator Raj Chandarana.
fear youll miss that all important connection home. The fear youll miss last orders (heaven forbid). Fear not though, the FSF have developed just the page for you. Our one-stop shop gives you access to the latest match day and transport news via a comprehensive list of must visit websites and handy Twitter feeds. Find out more via www.fsf.org.uk/transport.
Mark Agate RIP

Everyone involved with the FSF was saddened to hear that Vice-President Mark Agate passed away, aged 69, in Pembury Hospital on Saturday 7th July 2012 following a short illness. Mark was a huge Gillingham fan and had followed the club home and away for more than 60 years. He worked as National Administrator in the FSFs
The FSF has a very good relationship with Kick It Out, Show Racism The Red Card and will further develop work with Level Playing Field and FSF affiliates the Gay Football Supporters Network who continue to highlight examples of unacceptable abuse in stadiums. Indeed, the FSFs promotion of Kick It Outs Tackling Discrimination survey, drove 5,463 fans respondents. The results showed that fans across the country want tough and consistent action to be taken against perpetrators found guilty of discrimination.
early years, before that was the National Secretary of the former National Federation of Football Supporters Clubs and remained an active member of the FSFs Southern Division and various supporters organisations at club level. Mark was also involved in various supporters organisations at club level including Gills Supporters Club FC, GFC Blues Supporters Association, and most recently Gillingham Independent Supporters Club. Gillingham FC posted its own tribute online too.
The FSF Transport Hub

If youve spent any time following your club around the country youll have encountered that sense of dread when unexpected roadworks or train delays
FSF President Monica Hartland, said: Mark had an overwhelming enthusiasm, allied to a determination to do anything that would improve the lot of football supporters. Tenacity, endeavour, persistence and a cheerful social awareness Mark will be sorely missed.
32
FSF Financial Statement
FSF Financial Statement

For the Year Ended 31st January 2013
Domestic Activities
The domestic activities show an overall deficit for the year of 62,087 compared to a deficit of 40,499 in the prior year. Income has fallen 81,103 this year due to a reduction in the grants receivable of 75,000 which is wholly due to no grants having been received from the PFA and Premier League. Expenditure has fallen 59,453 from 310,044 in 2012 to 250,591 this year. The main decreases in expenditure were employee salaries and costs which have decreased by 8,079 (from 1st December 2012 salaries are being charged to FSF Services Limited), A19 Limited contract charges which have decreased 21,197 to 107,100 and publications and communications costs which have reduced 27,273 to 24,000.
International Activities
The international activities show a surplus for the year of 29,409 compared to a deficit of 22,919 in the prior year. Income has risen 131,792 to 216,372 as grants totalling 104,785 have been received during the year in relation to Euro 2012. Also, Fans Embassy and Free Lions grants have also increased by 24,597. Expenditure has increased by 79,464 to 186,963 due to the expenditure on the Euro 2012 guide book of 25,200 and the increased fans embassy expenses of 56,512 due to the Euro 2012 tournament. There were no International Officers fees in the current year (charge of 11,065 in the prior year) as these were transferred to the Domestic account from 1st July 2011.
Balance Sheet
Overall Picture
Overall, there is a deficit of 32,678 for the year compared to 63,418 in the prior year. The deficit impacts directly on the net current assets which have fallen by 32,149 from 143,375 in 2012 to 111,226 this year.
Accounts
Full FSF accounts for the year ended 31st January 2013 are available to all members at the FSF AGM. The AGM is open to all individual, affiliate, and associate members of the FSF. Alternatively email info@fsf.org.uk or call 0330 44 000 44.
33
Whos Who
Whos Who
Elected Ocials and FSF Sta
FSF Board
The FSFs Board is selected by the National Council:
Sta
Carroll Clark (Treasurer) Ian Todd (NC member) Ken Malley (NC member) Malcolm Clarke (Chair) Martin OHara (Deputy Chair) Peter Daykin (NC member) Raj Chandarana (NC member)
Non-voting Board members:
Kevin Miles (Chief Executive) David Rose (Deputy Chief Executive)
Amanda Jacks (Caseworker) amanda.jacks@fsf.org.uk David Rose (Deputy Chief Executive) david.rose@fsf.org.uk Garreth Cummins (New Media Manager) garreth.cummins@fsf.org.uk Kevin Miles (Chief Executive) kevin.miles@fsf.org.uk Michael Brunskill (Director of Communications) michael.brunskill@fsf.org.uk Nina Donkin (Administration & Finance Officer) nina.donkin@fsf.org.uk Steve Powell (Director of Policy)
steven.powell@fsf.org.uk
National Council
The National Council is made up of members and officers (Chair/Deputy Chair elected at the FSF AGM and Secretary/Treasurer elected by the National Council). Each of the FSFs local divisions also has one place on the NC along with FSF Cymru and a co-opted representative from Supporters Direct. The National Council for 2013/14 will be elected on Saturday 22nd June 2013 (St Georges Park, Burton). Last seasons representatives are listed below, 2013/14s National Council will not be identical. The FSF would like to thank all who served the organisation during 2012/13.
Alan Bloore (Yorkshire Division representative and Vice President) alan.bloore@fsf.org.uk Ash Connor (Elected member) ash.connor@fsf.org.uk Carroll Clark (Treasurer) carroll.clark@fsf.org.uk David Tomlinson (North West and North Wales representative) dave.tomlinson@fsf.org.uk Ian Todd (Elected member) ian.todd@fsf.org.uk Jon Keen (Elected member and Secretary) jon.keen@fsf.org.uk Ken Malley (Elected member) ken.malley@fsf.org.uk Malcolm Clarke (Chair) malcolm.clarke@fsf.org.uk Martin OHara (Deputy Chair) martin.ohara@fsf.org.uk Michelle Shaw (Elected member) michelle.shaw@fsf.org.uk Monica Hartland (President) monica.hartland@fsf.org.uk Neil Springate (Southern Division representative) neil.springate@fsf.org.uk Paul Corkrey (FSF Cymru rep) paul.corkrey@fsf.org.uk Peter Daykin (Elected member) peter.daykin@fsf.org.uk Raj Chandarana (Elected member) raj.chandarana@fsf.org.uk Rick Duniec (Elected member) rick.duniec@fsf.org.uk Robert Pepper (Co-opted representative of Supporters Direct) robert.pepper@fsf.org.uk Tim Hillyer (Elected member) tim.hillyer@fsf.org.uk Vince Alm (Elected member) vince.alm@fsf.org.uk
34
Telephone: 0330 44 000 44
Email: info@fsf.org.uk
Web: www.fsf.org.uk
The Cherry Red Records Stadium, Kingsmeadow, Jack Goodchild Way, 422A Kingston Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3PB

FSF Football Webber

Transféré par

Informations du document

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

FSF Football Webber

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

The FSF Annual Report 2013

About the FSF

How does the FSF work?

Editor Michael Brunskill

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

From the Chair

Join the FSF:

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Introducing the Chief Exec

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

@RicTurner and @phookit

Twentys Plenty Launch

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

Twentys Plenty Q&A

Q: Why does Twentys Plenty only focus on away fans?

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

Q. Is a 20 cap not unrealistic?

Q. Why not organise a boycott, surely clubs would listen then?

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

So What Can I do to Support the Twentys Plenty Campaign?

Actions for Fans

Sign the Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

Visual displays are another way for fans to

Protests outside the ground/handing out flyers.

Again, wed advise you contact tickets@fsf.org.uk

Designated walkouts or boycotts (such as

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Twentys Plenty for Away Tickets

Premier League Response

Ticket Prices Five Times Ination

in league football has gone from 19.01 to 21.24

1,955, while Montroses was the cheapest at 90.

Sunderland lift the 2012 Womens Premier League Cup

Sign the Twentys Plenty Petition:

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS Sign the Petition:

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

FSF International Work

FSF International Work

England Fans Embassy Away Days

FSF Cymru Fans Embassy Away Days

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

FSF International Work

Other International News

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Safe Standing Heads to Parliament

Find Out More

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Villa Chief Executive Paul Faulkner with Paul Lambert

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Cardi Citys incredible journey - by Dr Steve Frosdick

Do Female Fans Want The Choice To Stand? Yes!

The FSF Annual Report - 2013

Clubs Supporting Standing Trials in England & Wales

Clubs with Standing Areas

Crystal Palace AFC Wimbledon

Disagree with Safe Standing?