Arising from the comprehensive Trust members survey last year, one thing we agreed to do was to produce a specification for what good ownership of a football club might look like. This proposal was supported by a large majority of members. So, we have drafted something. We recognise that this is a ‘gold standard’ of what supporters might be looking for and we are realistic enough to accept that all of it may not be deliverable in practice. Nonetheless we think it’s good to set out our objectives and start from a strong position. The specification serves as a useful reference point to test the actions of a current owner or the proposed actions of any new owner against.
A Good Owner will be able to demonstrate:
Fan Engagement
- A demonstrable commitment to, and a plan to deliver on, an open and transparent approach to engaging with supporters, recognising there will be some limits to this due to the need for business confidentiality
- Openness to constructive challenge and feedback from supporters and supporters’ organisations
- Practical and workable plans for how the above will be put into place and maintained through ongoing dialogue with supporters and supporters’ organisations
Community
- A clear understanding of the importance of place and the community that the club is based in and represents, and the positive role that a football club can play in the community
- Be committed to learning about and embracing the community around the club -understanding its needs and heritage.
- A demonstrable commitment to enabling the community (community defined as the community around the stadium and the city) the supporters, and the club to work together constructively to deliver benefits for all parties. This is wider than any Community Programme run through the Community Foundation
- Practical and workable plans for how the above will be put into place and maintained through ongoing dialogue with community representatives, club supporters, supporter organisations
Diversity
- A commitment to growing the fanbase from across all communities so that the make-up of the club fanbase is reflective of the diversity of the community
- A commitment to growing diversity within the game, including growing the Women’s Game and to ensuring that the club’s diversity activity is effective and sustained
- Practical and workable plans for how the above will be put into place
Business Strategy
- A clear vision for the club, covering what success looks like, the club’s future progression, and its achievable ambitions
- Making supporters and the community central to the thinking and planning of the club supported by a plan to grow the fanbase and the club’s community connections
- A strategy and plan for how the club will be run on a financially sustainable basis whilst seeking to achieve its success targets
- A strategy for investing in club assets such as stadium, the academy and training ground, and to securing Hillsborough as the home of the club
- A plan to ensure that the club has the right capacity and skills, at non-executive and executive levels, to deliver the vision, strategy and plans into achievable outcomes
- A plan for strong corporate governance and transparency will be in place and demonstrable
- A club communication strategy that underpins and supports club strategy, community, fan engagement and diversity objectives
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