The Foxes Trust is bitterly disappointed to see the club be relegated again for the second time in three years, jeopardising our chances of being a sustainably successful Premier League club.
As part of our stated aims to hold Leicester City Football Club and its owners to account for the highest standards of business management, and operational and commercial decisions that directly affect Foxes Trust members and the wider supporter base, we contacted the club following relegation in the 2022/23 season. We submitted a list of questions that we were seeking assurances on about how the club was being run and what lessons had been learned from the season.
Despite initially offering to meet to discuss our concerns, this meeting was delayed and delayed and our questions went unanswered.
We have heard numerous examples in recent months of Leicester City supporters feeling a disconnect with the club and the lack of communication from senior directors is often referenced as a missed opportunity. The Fan Engagement Framework – mandated by the Premier League and implemented last summer – was intended to bolster and widen communication with supporters but is now, in many instances, being used as a reason for the club not to engage directly with supporter groups.
We feel this needs to change. Many of the issues in club-supporter relations right now can be linked back to a failure to engage with, listen to and communicate with, fans.
When there is such disconnect and discontent amongst the supporter base, we urge the club to address this: have senior directors responsible for both the on-pitch, and off-pitch, operations share direct with the fan base what the strategy and vision for the club now is and meet directly with all supporter groups to address their questions and hear their concerns.
The Trust will again be submitting questions to the club in the wake of our relegation. We encourage all Trust members, and the wider fan base, to share with us via email (enquiries@foxestrust.co.uk) questions or concerns that they would like sharing with the club.
This time, we will be expecting answers.