House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee Football Governance Seventh Report of Session 2010–12 Volume III Additional written evidence Ordered by the House of Commons to be published 8 February, 8 March, 27 April and 14 June 2011 Published on 29 July 2011 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited The Culture, Media and Sport Committee The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its associated public bodies. Current membership Mr John Whittingdale MP (Conservative, Maldon) (Chair) Dr Thérèse Coffey MP (Conservative, Suffolk Coastal) Damian Collins MP (Conservative, Folkestone and Hythe) Philip Davies MP (Conservative, Shipley) Paul Farrelly MP (Labour, Newcastle-under-Lyme) Alan Keen MP (Labour, Feltham and Heston) Louise Mensch MP (Conservative, Corby) Mr Adrian Sanders MP (Liberal Democrat, Torbay) Jim Sheridan MP (Labour, Paisley and Renfrewshire North) Mr Tom Watson MP (Labour, West Bromwich East) Powers The committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk. Publication The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the internet at www.parliament.uk/parliament.uk/cmscom. A list of Reports of the Committee in the present Parliament is at the back of this volume. The Reports of the Committee, the formal minutes relating to that report, oral evidence taken and some or all written evidence are available in a printed volume. Additional written evidence may be published on the internet only. Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Emily Commander (Clerk), Andrew Griffiths (Second Clerk), Elizabeth Bradshaw (Inquiry Manager), Jackie Recardo (Senior Committee Assistant), Keely Bishop/Alison Pratt (Committee Assistants), Steven Price, (Committee Support Assistant) and Jessica Bridges-Palmer (Media Officer). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 6188; the Committee’s email address is [email protected] List of additional written evidence (published in Volume III on the Committee’s website www.parliament.uk/cmscom) 1 Mrs Linsey Wraith Ev w1 2 Carlos Diaz-Sanchez Ev w1 3 Steve Lawrence Ev w2 4 Peter Hodge Ev w8 5 Jay Cochrane, The International Football Development Academy (iFDA) Ev w12 6 Saints Trust Consumer Cooperative Action Committee Ev w13 7 Runcorn Linnets Football Club Ev w14 8 Gary Pettit Ev w17 9 Rob Bradley and Roy Noble, Lincoln City Supporters Trust Ev w20 10 Commission on the Future of Women’s Sport Ev w21 11 Cardiff City Supporters Trust Ev w21 12 Andy Green Ev w23 13 Cambridge Fans United (CFU) Ev w26 14 James Wheeler Ev w29 15 Paul Norris Ev w32 16 Manchester United Supporter Trust (MUST) Ev w36 17 Football Foundation Ev w38 18 Liverpool Supporters’ Union – Spirit of Shankly Ev w39 19 Steve Beck, York City Supporters Trust Ev w42 20 Keith Blagbrough Ev w43 21 Clarets Trust Ev w47 22 Merthyr Town FC Ev w49 23 Arsenal Supporters’ Trust and Arsenal Fanshare Ev w52 24 Wimbledon Football Club Supporters Society Limited on behalf of AFC Wimbledon Ev w56 25 Professor Richard Giulianotti Ev w59 26 Bristol City Supporters Trust Ev w63 27 Bees United, the Brentford FC Supporters Trust Ev w66 28 Independent Manchester United Supporters’ Association (IMUSA) Ev w70 29 Newcastle United Supporters Trust Ev w72 30 Fulham Supporters’ Trust Ev w74 31 Board of Reading Football Supporters’ Society Limited T/A “STAR” (Supporters’ Trust at Reading) Ev w77 32 Blake Welton, Editor, First e11even Ev w79 33 Southend United Supporters’ Club Trust t/as The Shrimpers Trust Ev w85 34 David Hodges Ev w89 35 Bradford City Supporters’ Trust (BCST) Ev w91 36 Phil Gregory Ev w94 37 Wrexham Supporters Trust Ev w101 38 Blue and Gold Trust (King’s Lynn FC Supporters Trust) Ev w105 39 Foxes Trust (Leicester City Supporters Society Limited) Ev w107 40 AFC Telford United Ev w108 41 Daniel York and Ben Westmancott on behalf of the board of Fisher FC Ev w112 42 Adam Franks FCA CFA Ev w115 43 Schwery Consulting Ev w119 44 FC United of Manchester Ev w122 45 Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association (WISA) Ev w124 46 Olswang Ev w127 47 National Association of Disabled Supporters (NADS) Ev w132 48 Paul Baggaley, Chairman, Newark Town FC Ev w136 49 Chester Football Club Ev w137 50 Stephen Temple Ev w141 51 Centre for the Study of Law, Society and Popular Culture, University of Westminster Ev w144 52 Scarborough Athletic Football Club Ev w147 53 Yorkshire Division of the Football Supporters’ Federation Ev w149 54 Professional Players Federation Ev w153 55 Darlington Supporters Trust Ev w154 56 Jonathan Keen Ev w157 57 Dr John Beech, Head of Sport & Tourism, Applied Research Centre for Sustainable Regeneration, Coventry University Ev w161 58 Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Ev w165 59 John Bentley Ev w169 60 Rick Duniec Ev w170 61 Pompey Supporters’ Trust Ev w172 62 Football Licensing Authority Ev w176 63 Swansea City Supporters Trust Ev w178 64 Co-operatives UK Ev w180 65 Vince Cullen Ev w183 66 Cambridge City Supporters Trust Ev w186 67 Hendon Football Club Supporters Trust Ev w188 68 Mark Usher Ev w190 69 Hamburger SV Supporters' Club Ev w198 70 Christian Müller Ev w201 71 Substance Ev w204 72 The Isthmian Football League, known as the Ryman Football League Ev w208 73 Inclusion and Diversity Caucus Ev w214 74 Bates Wells and Braithwaite London LLP Ev w216 75 Chris Vasper, ex Chair, TEAM Mansfield Supporters Trust Ev w217 cobber Pack: U PL: CWE1 [SO] Processed: [27-07-2011 11:50] Job: 011147 Unit: PG01 Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Evidence Ev w1 Written evidence Written evidence submitted by Mrs Linsey Wraith I doubt very much whether my input will be of any relevance, however I feel so strongly about this subject, I feel compelled to submit my opinion. As the mother of four sons, our household centres around the subject of English football, albeit in the main Newcastle Utd. In this week when I have been asked to explain the actions of both Fifa, and the owner’s actions of Newcastle Utd, ie an apparent owner’s whim, in terms of fair play and morality, I am left speechless. When even the Government seems hell bent against sport in schools, what explanation am I to give my sons? The whole English game, without Fifa, has lost its way—it is no longer a “national” game but a preserve of the rich, and wholly unsuitable owners. Who will stand up any longer for real sport, and real and proper owners? Opinions of real fans, and real voters, are irrelevant against the profit pound it appears yet again. December 2010 Written evidence submitted by Carlos Diaz-Sanchez To whom it may concern, I currently volunteer in the community by running a local junior Under 14’s football team. I am very passionate about grassroots football and the development of our footballers, who will become the next generation of home-grown players. Having played junior football for a number of years, and entering in to coaching soon after, I have a great level of experience in this field and believe that I have a number of suggestions that would be beneficial to the way we conduct the development of footballers in this country. Firstly, I believe that the government should set up committees of volunteers, like myself, to address the failing standards of development for our young footballers. I am currently in my second year of A level studies and it is this youthful approach that parents and clubs are desperate for when searching for coaches. The FA is working hard in this area, but unfortunately all too often it is a case of centralised directives that are difficult to put in to practice and often characterised by bureaucracy. This government was elected, partly, on the basis of devolution of power to communities; it is people who actually work in grassroots football, who brave the cold on winter mornings and who collect subs money, that recognise the fundamental changes that need to be made and I believe the government and the FA should make better use of this advice. Furthermore, the provision of facilities is crucial to raising the standards of our development. My father is Spanish, and on my regular visits to Spain, I visit their facilities in both awe and envy; the quality of the training pitches that the aspiring footballer use are phenomenal. A great emphasis has been placed on providing conditions to encourage the technical development of the young footballers, rather than focusing on the winning mentality. The facilities they provide is linked to the style of coaching; as previously mentioned, technical ability is the primary focus of their development, and the governing body has ensured that the conditions are perfect for the young players to thrive. Despite a great charitable effort in terms of financial grants, the UK still has a long way to go before the facilities they provide are in line with those on the continent. My key concern is the standard of school football. When my father’s generation were growing up, school football was the most important element of their football development. It is an unfortunate, but truthful, fact that school football has been marginalised in recent years, partly as a result of central directives to ensure that everybody is given opportunities to play, regardless of their ability.