The government and football authorities are to work together to explore ways in which fans can have more say in the running of their clubs.
The Supporter Ownership and Engagement Expert Group was launched on Tuesday and will have its first meeting in November.
It will include representatives from the coalition, the FA, the Premier League, the Football League and fan advisory group Supporters Direct.
The panel is tasked with helping to overcome the barriers to clubs becoming supporter-owned.
Sports Minister Helen Grant said: “Football fans are the lifeblood of the club they support.
“Owners, executives and managers may come and go but it is the fans that are the constant, loyally following their clubs through thick and thin.
“We want to see what more we can do to give fans a stronger voice in how their club is run, as well as looking at ways in which we can help remove some of the barriers to supporter ownership.”
Last week, Labour unveiled radical proposals to give fans seats on every club board, and the right to buy a significant slice of a club’s shares when its ownership changes. The government says it has been working on its expert group for several months, and believes it has more chance of achieving a consensus across the game than the opposition’s plans.
Leaving aside the politics of this, it will be very interesting to see how much progress the Expert Group makes.
On the team, 11 points out of a possible 15 sets us up nicely for Saturday’s trip to Ipswich.
It’s not too late to book your seat on the HTSA coach, leaving at 8am from the usual spot at the stadium.
The price is only £19.50 for members, but why not take advantage of the package deals on offer? To book your seat on the coach and for more information, call or text the travel line on 07905 580784.
