football funding row
Pressure is beginning to mount on the government and the Premier League to intervene in a funding row that has threatened an organization behind the structuring of a number of co-operatively owned clubs. Supporters Direct (SD) lost £1.2 million of funding from the Premier League last week when CEO Dave Boyle comments were considered insulting last month on Twitter following AFC Wimbledon’s promotion to the Football league.
On Friday Boyle resigned because of his comments about two figures that were pivotal in Wimbledon FC securing approval to be relocated in 2002 some 60 miles from its traditional Milton Keynes fan base.
The Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), which is funded in its entirety by the Premier League, issued a statement saying that after consultation and due consideration the FSIF Board were unanimous that the Supporters Direct CEO’s behaviour was well below the acceptable standards for a person in that position.
Furthermore they said the response by the board of the Supporters Direct when told of the matter was not acceptable either, especially by an organization that is receiving funding from the FSIF. Fans’ groups, politicians, academics as well as leading figures in the co-operative movement have requested that the FSIF reconsider their decision.
All point to the excellent track record of SD that has led to over 180 supporters’ trusts across the UK being created with over 270,000 members represented since its initiation over 11 years ago. A Facebook group was created over the weekend and already has attracted over 2,000 members in only 24 hours. Dave Boyle erred and lost his job for it but that is where the punishment should stop.