McLeish and the fans: Update

A bit more on today’s earlier post regarding the McLeish Report and the findings of the Supporters Direct survey.

James Proctor from Supporters Direct was kind enough to get in touch with a summary of the results. (They've got more on their website as well.)

The most striking thing for me is how closely a lot of the results (and there are some fairly overwhelming percentages involved) mirror a lot of the chats I have with other supporters, whether that be in the pub or through this blog and the Blogger's Manifesto idea.

I’d suggest, although this is purely anecdotal, that there is not only a consensus for change but that there’s also a lot of agreement about what that change should involve.

The fans care, they’re informed and their increasingly organised and vocal.

It’s up to the SFA, SPL and the rest to respond.

Here’s the introduction to the summary:

Two key themes come across strongly in the results; that football fans are disenchanted with the present league structure and that they feel disempowered by the current administrative set-up of Scottish football. In essence supporters know the game can be better but feel unable to influence the important decisions about how it is run.

By publishing these results Supporters Direct hopes to add the views of supporters to the current debate around Scottish football's future. Football fans are passionate and committed to the sport, are keen to see improvement in the way it is run and are willing to contribute both financially and as volunteers.

In a country the size of Scotland we must do what we can to allow talented people to be involved in the game, whichever constituency they happen to come from. This is why Supporters Direct believes that supporters should have a greater influence in the running of the sport. Adding the supporters’ voice to the existing pool of hard working people running the game can only be of benefit and help to reinvigorate the sport.

And the full Supporters Direct press release:

Football fans in Scotland have given their biggest thumbs down to the product they are currently seeing in a survey conducted by Supporters Direct, the collective voice of supporters' trusts in Scotland.

Over 1,300 fans of clubs at all levels of the senior game answered an on-line computer survey and the findings revealed that a hugely significant number of supporters are fed-up with the current league structure and they want to have a greater say in the running of the game.

The format of meeting opposing teams four times a season that is prevalent in all four senior leagues came in for the most criticism with a staggering 96% of fans advising that they would prefer not to play opponents that frequently.

Playing twice received 83% support and 13% even preferred an unequal three times a season. Just 4% of those responding to the survey went for the current option of playing four times against each other.

In addition the survey found that five out of every six fans would prefer a pyramid league structure with promotion and relegation below the Scottish Football League and over 90% would also like to see a streamlined administration with one body organising and running the professional game.

In addition 91% of respondents felt that fans were powerless to influence decisions and would like to see greater fan involvement in the running of the game.

Supporters Direct's Development Manager in Scotland, James Proctor said, “These results clearly show the depth to which fans feel disenchanted and disempowered by the current set-up of Scottish football. They think that there is a lot that needs to be improved but believe they are powerless to influence the required changes.”

“With the publication of the Henry McLeish report imminent, the message to football's hierarchy is that fans are passionate and committed to the game but want to see significant improvement in how it is organised and run. They have also stated powerfully that they want to be involved in those discussions.”

Proctor continued, “Supporters Direct would therefore welcome dialogue with the other bodies and hope that the publication of this survey, along with the debate around the McLeish report, can provide the momentum to bring about positive improvement in the game in Scotland.”

The survey, asked questions on who holds the power in football, what would improve the matchday experience and the fans views of regulation and club licensing. A summary report of the main findings is available at www.supporters-direct.org

Notes to Editors:
Supporters Direct in Scotland is the membership organisation for supporters' trusts. There are 31 trusts in Scotland covering all four divisions in the SPL and SFL and additionally one in Junior and two in non-league Senior divisions.

Supporters Direct in Scotland conducted an online survey, promoted through email and website links with Scottish supporters' trusts, to gain the views of a cross-section of football fans on a range of issues. During the three weeks that the survey was open it was completed by over 1,300 fans from clubs all across Scotland.

Key Findings

96% of fans disagree with the current system of playing opponents four times per season. 83% would prefer to play opponents twice per season.
The vast majority of fans (83%) want a pyramid league structure
91% would prefer one administrative body for professional football
91% agree that fans should have a greater influence in the running of the game

Headline achievements
34 Supporters’ Trusts
£3.5 Million investment in football clubs
15,000 members approx.
25 Trusts with shares in their football club
14 Directors on Football Club Boards
300 Volunteer Directors
2 Re-formed Clubs (Clydebank FC & Gretna 2008 FC)

Thanks to James for the information.

Fanning the flames of obsession

A funny little story on the BBC website the other day.

It seems 20 year old Frazer Boyle from Coltness had taken the dramatic step of changing his name to Motherwell Football Club, the better to prove his unwavering loyalty to the Steelmen’s cause.

For just 33 quid you can change your name to anything you like and, apparently, the UK Deed Poll Service think "it’s a good idea and we are always happy to help people change their names to a football club or celebrity."

"Good idea" is not what I had first thought when I read the story. "What a fecking plonker" would be more like it. Which is inevitably going to be what Mr Motherwell Football Club says himself when he wakes up one morning and realises the stupidity of what he’s done.

Strange ways of proving your support are nothing new of course. And Mr Motherwell Football Club deserves some credit for inflicting the damage on himself rather than waiting and calling his first born child something like Steven "Maxwell Nijholt Paterson McCart Boyd Griffin Angus O'Donnell Cooper Ferguson Arnott" Boyle. Maybe it’s just me but people that do kind of thing deserve their children to grow up and support another team as revenge.

Still names, tatoos and car registrations are all ways of asserting your place in the fandom firmament. Football makes us do silly things. For an illustration of that the next time you’re at a match take a look at the number of heavy set middle aged men who have crammed their gargantuan guts into overpriced sweatshop produced polyster as way of displaying their support. Take a close look at those wearing full tracksuits, they’re probably wearing shorts and socks underneath just in case there’s a player emergency and the manager decides what he really needs is a fat fifty year old to turn out for the side.

For me a scarf is enough. The money spent going to the game and the emotional attachment of a lifetime supporting the same side through thick and thin is evident to me and those that know me and I’m quite satisfied by that.

But there’s definitely an interesting type of supporter that we me might call "the competitve fan."

Never short of a boring anecdote about the lengths they will go to follow their club, the penury and deprivation that they’ve suffered to ensure they’ve not missed a reserve game since 1963. These self styled "super" fans look down on us mere mortals as simply pretenders, playing at being dedicated fans.

You’re best to either humour them or ignore them. You can’t really tell them to get a life because the team they support is their life and they would have it no other way. The most diehard among them would make the most ardent Trekkie look like a novice in the obssession stakes.

In Scotland for now, however, Mr Motherwell Football Club has put the rest to shame. He is now the "super" fan’s super fan. Numero uno.

That is until the copycats start. And I can’t wait to meet Mr Queen of the South.

Wearing your Hearts on your sleeve

So you're a Hearts fan in Eyemouth. Your neighbour has just bought himself a Rangers themed toaster. You need something to prove that you're more of a fan than him.

But what have you got? Well, a fishing boat apparently. And one called after Jack and Victor's favourite drinking hole no less.

Jambo Fishing Boat

Beyond Words

Supermarket giant Asda says it had no plans to change its famous green logo to please shoppers in a Rangers-mad town. 

Politicians claimed supermarket bosses were "pandering to prejudice" over suggestions they could change their traditional green and white livery at a new store in Larkhall, Lanarkshire.

Apparently Subway and Moss Pharmacy have already changed their company livery to appease locals. And green traffic lights get smashed.

With apologies to Tom Nairn, Scotland will never be free until the last numpty Ranger in Larkhall is strangled with the last King Billy scarf in the country.

Points of view

So, ages ago I wrote about Izac Cowie the Airdrie fan banned from all Scottish football grounds for three years. I also mentioned that Lothian and Borders' finest had arrested a number of people believed to have been involved in violence at a recent Edinburgh derby. I was applauding the authorities for taking action against people who think football goes in hand with being an idiot.

At the time someone, anonymously, commented:

"Do you believe everything you read in the newspapers? Izak Cowie never said anything about airdrie bieng in the premier league by the time his ban is up.He was escorted to the back of the sheriff court as not to talk to press who were just after a story.He isn't an old nutter either, he has a family who he looks after and provides for.He is a normal guy who might enjoy a little excitement at the week-end.He will serve his time and get back to the football."

Well, clearly I don't believe everything I read in the newspapers. But I do believe that Cowie spoke to the press.

I also believe that a man approaching 40 who chooses to go to football games and make Nazi salutes is an idiot even if he does manage to provide for his family. Either that or he really believes in some sort of neo-Nazi facism. Which I would suggest doesn't really make him a normal guy or, in fact, a role model for his own or anyone else's children.

As for the excitement that he gets from making Nazi salutes. If only we could invent time travel he could fly back to the Nuremburg Rallies and get his thrills with Adolf and the rest of the cuddly, fluffy mass murderers whose party and memory he is so keen to honour.

And that was that. Until earlier this week another anonymous returned to the fray with this:

"But they are nowhere near as much a problem as ignorant arseholes like you waffles on when you don't know what you are talking about all the edinburgh cases have been dropped so civil liberties have been abused without just cause. With this in mind you might want to climb down from your Old Bill bumming band wagaon. As for this quote 'Nor do I believe that every media outlet in Scotland would gang together to make up a quote and attribute it to a nonentity like Cowie.' really don't know how stupid you can be every paper prints the same story just word it different and a nonentity as you put it is much easier to gang up on and stretch the truth to get a story as they can not retaliate or reply as idiots like you will read your paper and self appoint yourself judge and jury."

Now this could be the same person. They certainly share the same cavalier attitude to proper nouns and punctuation. And they are both seeking to justify something that is abhorrent.

Having worked in the "media" I know how they operate and the quote from Cowie was not made up - however much he and his supporters may wish he'd said nothing, he was unable to keep his trap shut because he shares the same need for self justification as my correspondent.

Why anon waited so long I'm not sure but his timing was unfortunate. No charges were brought following the Edinburgh clashes. I don't know why. Clearly old anon thinks it was because they weren't guilty: I on the other hand wouldn't dream of anointing myself "judge and jury."

But members of the groups involved have shown themselves to be guilty of similar elsewhere. Two Hibs casuals have been found guilty of violence and - this is how much these "normal" guys love football - one of them is actually a Hearts fan but chooses to ally himself with the Hibs casuals. Maybe he gets better pies.

As ever when people seek to justify the unjustifiable anon invokes civil liberties. Well, and forgive me if I am "bumming" the police, sometimes the police do need to take decisive action.

I wonder if anon is a casual himself or if he has simply never seen them in action. Maybe that is the only explanation for his desire to defend an abhorrent group of people who, when faced with a simple decision between right and wrong, between acceptable and unacceptable, take the wrong road.

And when these "fans" are doing what they do best what happens to the "civil liberties" of the people caught up in their inane battles who just want to watch a game or simply have the temerity to live in Falkirk, Edinburgh or Dundee?

I may be ignorant and many would agree that I'm an arsehole but if being an ignorant arsehole means recognising how wholly unacceptable the behaviour that anon defends is then I'll take that every day of the week.

The Greed That Binds

"It's incredulous that, despite our attempts to explain this rationally to other clubs, some of them refuse to accept our approach."

So says ex-knitwear model and current Rangers chief executive Martin Bain about the reaction of the "tiny ten" about the Old Firm's decision to add a 5 percent handling charge on to the sale of away tickets for their fans.

First a small point of order: Mr Bain can be "incredulous" if he wants but, I would argue, "it" must be incredible not incredulous.

Secondly: There is a way of rationally explaining things. Claiming to not be working in tandem with each other, Celtic and Rangers sent out exactly the same letter (word for word) on the same day. Some coincidence that. That smacks of the two big beasts ganging up on the smaller kids. That's bullying not rational explanation.

Mr Bain also suggests that the proposal is in the best interests of his club. That might well be the crux of the matter. The best interests of Rangers. The best interests of Celtic. Not the best interests of the other 10 clubs.

The reaction from the "tiny ten" is because:

1. They either pay the extra 5 percent themselves or charge the Rangers and Celtic fans. They can't afford the hit themselves but if they charge the fans, who will immediately blame the home team for the price hike, they risk falling attendances. They can't afford that either. Catch 22.
2. As one club director said: "What next?" 5 percent now 15 percent next season. There comes a time when the other clubs feel they have to make a stand against the Old Firm. Now would appear to be that time.
3. By bouncing the other 10 into this the Old Firm create a interesting conspiracy theory. We're always told by Parkhead and Ibrox that the problems they have with crowd behaviour comes from their away fans. If, as seems likely, the other clubs cut Rangers and Celtic out of the ticket distribution they can say they have washed their hands of their away support. Therefore Celtic and Rangers as clubs are entirely blameless for any problems that occur. Again, the "tiny ten" are backed into a corner.

I hope the rest of the clubs hold out on this one. It seems always to surprise fans of the Old Firm that other supporters often lump their clubs together as one focal point for hate. It's episodes like this that explains why that happens.

Because while the fans get lost in rivalry and one upmanship the two clubs act in concert to force the whole of the SPL to bend to their will.

Maybe now the other 10 can say "enough is enough."

Movement Arra People

Sir Walt leads the loyal masses

Good to hear that a convoy of Rangers fans set off from Ibrox today en route for their destiny in Manchester.

Not too many to go now before they equal the 3456099 Celtic fans who swam to Seville for the final in 2003.