Supporters Direct Press Release – 13 November 2009
Former Supporters Direct Chair Brian Lomax has been appointed to UEFA's new Club financial control panel.
Lomax recently stepped down after four years as chair of the organisation that advises fans on how to gain representation at board level at their clubs across the UK and Europe – with groups in 14 countries across the Continent including Spain, Italy, Germany and Finland.
SD Chief Executive Dave Boyle said of the appointment, "This committee is going to be one of the most important in European football, and for someone to be appointed from a background in the supporters' trust movement is a fantastic vote of confidence in the movement from UEFA, and underlines their real commitment to serious engagement with supporters in general."
According to the data collected by UEFA, 50% of the European clubs have losses and the huge spending on players produces constantly an inflationary effect with consequences on the whole club football movement. The implementation of FFP rules will aim to improve financial fairness and long term financial stability of club football – something that is a key a UEFA priority
With the new FFP rules UEFA wants to:
• Encourage clubs to compete with their revenues;
• Decrease pressure on player's salaries and transfer fees and limit inflationary effect;
• Encourage clubs' long term investments (infrastructure, youth) to the detriment of short term spending;
• Protect the sustainability of European club football as a whole
For more on the work of the panel, go to the UEFA website
Brian Lomax (right) at an East Midlands Trusts training day held at the Walkers Stadium
Foxes Trust note. For Leicester fans who attended the open meeting when the Foxes Trust was formed, Brian Lomax was a key speaker at the meeting and went on to provide valuable advice to the Foxes Trust Board, particularly in it’s first year of existance