This year’s event heralds the introduction of a new format designed to ensure maximum input from all supporters attending the event. Pertinent issues such as diversity, safe standing, club ownership and governance, ticket pricing and policing and stewarding will be debated in new, more intimate “breakout sessions”.
They’re aimed at ensuring everyone has their say on what matters most to them. Morning sessions (11am-12.15pm) will entail analysis and debate of the relevant issues, whilst afternoon sessions (1.30pm-2.45pm) will be devoted to deciding what future action the FSF should take. Read more on the breakout groups we have planned below.
Choose your breakout group (one only) and register for Fans’ Parliament here.
Diversity
Panel: guest speakers from the PFA, National Association of Disabled Supporters, Lesbian & Gay Football Network and Kick It Out, moderated by Anne-Marie Mockridge.
Football is the world’s game, played and watched by people of all colours, creeds, sexes, orientations and physical abilities. Does the game’s current condition in England and Wales reflect this? Is homophobic chanting a problem? How about Islamophobia? How about foul language? Where do we draw the line? Anti-social behaviour text services? An advance or politically correct tyranny?
Safe Standing
Panel: Amanda Jacks (FSF and Stand Up Sit Down) with representatives from the National Association of Disabled Supporters and the Football Safety Officers’ Association, moderated by FSF director of campaigns and policy, Steve Powell.
You can do it at rugby union, rugby league, horse-racing and speedway. You can do it in the lower two divisions at football. All supporters should have the choice to sit or stand in comfort and safety, in the FSF’s opinion. We’ll be separating fact from fiction - is standing at football safe? Is there an issue with standing and disorder? Is the fans’ case getting through or should we just give it up as a bad job and all sit down? Where next in the campaign for a safe choice?
Club Ownership/Governance
Panel: David Conn of the Guardian along with reps from the Football League, Premier League and Supporters Direct, all moderated by FSF chair Malcolm Clarke.
Football is awash with TV money yet club insolvencies remain rife. What’s broken in our club ownership and governance and what needs fixing? How can club insolvencies be prevented? Do current point deduction rules shut the stable after the horse has bolted? Is foreign ownership an issue? How do we give the “fit & proper person” test some teeth?
Ticket Prices
Panel: Moderated by Jon Keen.
Is football in danger of pricing out the next generation of fans? What can be done about it? If ticket prices are a problem, why is attendance so high and continuing to climb in some cases? What about a ticket price cap for visiting fans in the Premier League, Football League and Conference? Won’t capping prices where games are selling out just create a boom for the touts? How can fans getting rid of spares be protected from accusations of touting?
Policing and Stewarding
Panel: Guests from civil-rights group Liberty, Julian Young (solicitor and Arsenal supporter), UK Football Policing Unit and Football Safety Officers’ Association, moderated by Kevin Miles.
Is policing better or worse than in the past? Are we seeing the growth of unfair extra-judicial punishment as clubs rather than courts ban fans? Is the police use of legislation like Section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 against football supporters fair enough or an abuse of their powers? Are club bans based on information sharing agreements with the police growing? Is there an argument for a right to be heard before such bans are enforced and/or a right of appeal? Should banning orders be more flexible than the current mandatory three years? Is there an argument for a Fans’ Bill of Rights on policing and steward issues?
Choose your breakout group (one only) and register for Fans’ Parliament here.
