Supporters Direct Press Release: 13/10/2006
Sports Minister announces £1.8m grant to Supporters Direct
The Minister for Sport, the Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, today welcomed a new three year funding deal from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF) for Supporters Direct (SD) starting from 2007/08.
The new deal, worth just under £1.8 million pounds, is testament to the enormous growth and success of the organisation which boasts over 140 trusts in England, Scotland and Wales and 14 clubs in trust ownership or control.
Sports Minister Richard Caborn said: "It is the loyal supporters on the terraces who will always be the beating heart of sports clubs. I am delighted that this new funding deal will help extend the influence of football Trusts in local communities while increasing and developing their role across all sports.
"This is a tremendous vote of confidence to Supporters Direct and the vital work sport fans have achieved through SD over the past five years."
The increase in funding will enable SD to provide a significantly enhanced level of support to supporters' trusts, to help them build their capacity and help them deliver an improved level of governance and financial control within their clubs….
The increase will also enable many trusts to work in partnership to develop a fundamental change in approach to the running of some football clubs, by delivering a new community ownership structure enabling them to relocate and deliver core local services from stadiums.
SD's Chief Executive, Phil French, commented: "This is tremendous news for the trust movement and for the game as a whole. We are equally indebted to the Minister for Sport for helping to deliver this increase in funding and to Trustees of the FSIF for supporting our work.
"It is a great testament to the achievements of the trust movement that we have been able to deliver this increase, to ensure our member trusts can continue to provide clubs with an increased level of financial stability, effective governance and accountability with more of a community focus."
Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, added: "The FSIF has a proud history of making sure fans across the country can watch the game in a safety and comfort through funding the modernisation of stadia.
"I am delighted that we are now also helping to ensure that the valuable resource of football clubs' fanbases are engaged and contributing to the national game in a positive way."
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EDITOR'S NOTES:
• Supporters Direct have assisted in setting up over 140 supporters' trusts in England, Wales and Scotland.
• With a combined membership of over 115,000 people, supporters' trusts have now put over £11 million into football and own or control 14 football clubs
• The Football Stadia Improvement Fund is the partner organisation of the Football Foundation, the UK's largest sports charity.
• Over £310m has already been invested by the Football Foundation and the FSIF since their launch in July 2000.