Supporters Direct

Last updated

Supporters Direct
FormationJanuary 2000
Location
  • London
Region served
United Kingdom
Chief Executive
Ashley Brown
Website www.supporters-direct.org

Supporters Direct was an umbrella organisation set up originally by the British government (with cross-party support) to provide support and assistance for its member trusts to secure a greater level of accountability and deliver democratic representation within football clubs and within football's governing structures. Its first managing director was Brian Lomax, founder of the first supporters' trust at Northampton Town F.C. Supporters Direct also worked in other sports, most notably rugby league, as well as ice hockey. It was also funded by UEFA to work in football across Europe.

Contents

Amongst other things, Supporters Direct promoted the value of supporter and community engagement and helped supporters' trusts to secure influence and become a constructive voice in how their club is run. There are now over 200 supporters' trusts in the UK; clubs owned in partnership with supporters' trusts such as Swansea City A.F.C. and over 50 clubs owned by their supporters including Enfield Town FC, the first ever supporter owned football club in the United Kingdom, AFC Wimbledon, Exeter City F.C., Newport County and Wrexham F.C. [1] [2]

Existing as a Community Benefit Society, [1] Supporters Direct was owned by its members and funded by a combination of the Fans Fund of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, The RFL, UEFA. the Scottish Government, and member trust subscriptions. The consultancy Club Development allowed SD to expand its work in other sports at all levels of the game.

Unfortunately SD ran into some financial difficulties and was placed under pressure by the Fans Fund (which is run by the Premier League to merge back office operations with the Football Supporters Federation. Some felt that this was due to Supporters Direct often being critical of the way football is governed. However, on 28 July 2018 a full merger was approved by both organisations at their AGMs. On 22 November the merger was finalised at an EGM with the former FSF chair elected as chair of the newly merged organisation. [3]

Competitions

The Brian Lomax Supporters Direct Cup

The Brian Lomax Supporters Direct Cup is an annual invitational, pre-season friendly competition established by Supporters Direct. The cup is competed for between supporter-owned clubs and was first won by AFC Wimbledon, who beat Enfield Town, 3–2, on 12 August 2002 at Cheshunt. Other winners have been AFC Telford United, Brentford, Enfield Town and FC United of Manchester. AFC Wimbledon have featured six times in the match and FC United made their fifth appearance in 2011.

In 2013, the Supporters Direct Cup featured a fixture between Scottish sides for the first time, with Dunfermline Athletic going head to head against Heart of Midlothian at East End Park on 13 July. Both sides at the time were in administration however, Dunfermline Athletic have since exited administration and are owned by fans group, Pars United. Hearts won the match 2–1.

The cup itself was paid for by subscriptions from supporters' trusts and individual fans, and is inscribed with Jock Stein's maxim, "Football without fans is nothing." In the spirit of the fixture, gate receipts from the match are split between competing clubs.

Finals

DateWinnerScorersRunner-upScorersScoreVenueAttendance
12 August 2002 AFC Wimbledon Sheerin, Cooper, Sidwell Enfield Town Alleyne, St Hilaire3–2Cheshunt Stadium521
2003Not held
20 July 2004 Brentford Burton, Peters AFC Wimbledon –2–0 Griffin Park 2,562
23 July 2005 AFC Wimbledon Crace F.C. United of Manchester –1–0 Kingsmeadow 3,301
22 July 2006 F.C. United of Manchester Brown, Torpey AFC Wimbledon Barnes 2–1 Gigg Lane 2,136
4 August 2007 Enfield Town Edmunds Cambridge City Midgley 1–1Goldsdown Road244
19 July 2008 Brentford Connell, Elder AFC Wimbledon Main2–1 Kingsmeadow 1,361
25 July 2009 AFC Wimbledon Judge, Rapson F.C. United of Manchester –2–0 Kingsmeadow 1,772
24 July 2010 AFC Telford United Brown, Meechan F.C. United of Manchester –2–0 New Bucks Head 803
16 July 2011 Chester Ormrod, Brown F.C. United of Manchester Neville2–1 Deva Stadium 1,927
8 July 2012 Enfield Town Kirby, Hope (2) Wrexham Salathiel3–1 Queen Elizabeth II Stadium 306
27 July 2013 Enfield Town Wallace, Hope (2), Campbell (2), Osei, O'Brien, Green YB SK Beveren Vaerenberg (2)8–2 Queen Elizabeth II Stadium 330
2 August 2014 Merthyr Town McLaggon, Taylor, McDonald Wrexham Terrell, Bell3–2Penydarren Park
1 August 2015 F.C. United of Manchester/Wrexham Fallon (F.C. United), Smith (Wrexham)None–1–1 Broadhurst Park 2,022
28 July 2016 Ton Pentre Reed (2), Jacka, Shepherd, Morris Newport County –5–0Ynys Park
14 July 2017 Exeter City Taylor, Harley Bath City –2–0 Twerton Park 330
8 August 2018 Enfield Town Hockney (3), Blackman (pen.) Clapton Community —4–0 Queen Elizabeth II Stadium 250

Supporters Direct Shield

The inaugural winners of the Shield were Scarborough Athletic who beat Merthyr Town 2–0 on 24 July 2010 at AFC Telford United. [4]

Finals

DateWinnerScorersRunner-upScorersScoreVenueAttendance
24 July 2010 Scarborough Athletic Phillips, Gibson Merthyr Town 2–0 New Bucks Head 803
8 July 2012 Lewes Breach Fisher 1–0Queen Elizabeth Stadium306
13 July 2013 1874 Northwich Hendley, Stewart, Wilding AFC Rushden & Diamonds 3–0 Select Security Stadium 130
30 July 2014 AFC Rushden & Diamonds Gearing, Dunkley Hinckley O'Connell, Facey2–2 (4–2 pens)Dog & Duck Stadium301
25 July 2015 Tonbridge Angels Blewden, Miles, Elder, Whitnell, ParkinsonFisher5–0Longmead Stadium165
14 July 2018 Merthyr Town City of Liverpool 4–2Penydarren Park
23 July 2019 Chester Dudley(2,pen.),Grand, Elliott1874 NorthwichHare1–4 Offside Trust Stadium 361

See also

Related Research Articles

In British sports, a supporters' trust is a formal, democratic and not-for-profit organisation of fans who attempt to strengthen the influence of supporters over the running of the club they support. There are over 140 supporters' trusts across England, Wales and Scotland and the majority of these are affiliated to football clubs, however trusts also exist for Rugby league and Rugby Union clubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AFC Wimbledon</span> Association football club in London, England

AFC Wimbledon is an English professional association football club based in Merton, London. The team compete in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telford United F.C.</span> Football club

Telford United Football Club was an English football club based in Telford, Shropshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milton Keynes Dons F.C.</span> Football club in Milton Keynes, England

Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, usually abbreviated to MK Dons, is a professional association football club based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system. The club was founded in 2004, following Wimbledon F.C.'s controversial relocation to Milton Keynes from south London, when it adopted its present name, badge and home colours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enfield Town F.C.</span> Association football club in London, England

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The 2006–07 season was the 92nd season of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England. Also, it was the first season for newly created divisions One North and One South.

The 2004–05 season was the 90th in the history of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarborough Athletic F.C.</span> Association football club in Scarborough, England

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The Football Conference season of 1988–89 was the tenth season of the Football Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South London derby</span> Local football rivalries

The South London derby is the name given to a football derby contested by any two of Bromley, Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace, Millwall, and AFC Wimbledon, the five professional Football Association clubs that play in the Football League in South London, England. A sixth club, Sutton United, is also located in South London but currently do not compete in the Football League. It is sometimes more specifically called the South East London derby when played between Charlton and Millwall. The close geographical proximity of all the teams contributes significantly to the rivalries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes</span> Controversial relocation of sport club

Wimbledon Football Club relocated to Milton Keynes in September 2003, 16 months after receiving permission to do so from the Football Association on the basis of a two-to-one decision in favour by an FA-appointed independent commission. The move took the team from south London, where it had been based since its foundation in 1889, to Milton Keynes, a new town in Buckinghamshire, about 56 miles (90 km) to the northwest of the club's traditional home district Wimbledon. Hugely controversial, the move's authorisation prompted disaffected Wimbledon supporters to form AFC Wimbledon, a new club, on 30 May 2002. The relocated team played home matches in Milton Keynes under the Wimbledon name from September 2003 until June 2004, when following the end of the 2003–04 season it renamed itself Milton Keynes Dons F.C..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinckley A.F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Hinckley Association Football Club is a football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire, who play home games at Barwell's Kirkby Road. The club was formed in January 2014 when fans of the dissolved Hinckley United formed their own Community Trust football club, owned and democratically run by its supporters. The club competes in the United Counties League Premier Division South.

The rivalry between AFC Wimbledon and Milton Keynes Dons arose from the formation of both clubs due to the relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes. For many years the two clubs played at different levels of English football, with the first competitive fixture between them taking place on 2 December 2012 - a second round FA Cup meeting in which the two clubs were drawn against one another, resulting in Milton Keynes defeating Wimbledon 2-1.

The 2020–21 AFC Wimbledon season was the club's 19th season in their history and the fifth consecutive season in EFL League One. Along with League One, the club also participated in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy. It was their first season based in their spiritual home of Wimbledon at the newly built Plough Lane stadium. They played at Loftus Road until the stadium was completed on 3 November. On Friday 6 November it was announced there had been a covid outbreak amongst the first team squad leading to the matches against Barrow in the FA Cup and the league fixture against Wigan being postponed. Over the weekend all members of the first team squad, staff and the U18s squad received covid testing and on Sunday the 8th it was announced the club would have to undergo a 2-week circuit breaker with all players and staff having to self isolate for 2 weeks.

The 2020–21 Shrewsbury Town F.C. season was the Shrewsbury Town F.C. 135th edition in their history and the sixth consecutive season in EFL League One. The club also contested in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.

Relocation of association football teams in the United Kingdom is a practice which involves an association football team moving from one metropolitan area to another, although occasionally moves between municipalities in the same conurbation are also included. For relocations in other sports see Relocation of sports teams in the United Kingdom; for relocations in other parts of the world see Relocation of professional sports teams.

The 2021–22 season is Shrewsbury Town's 136th year in their history and seventh consecutive season in League One. Along with the league, the club will also compete in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the EFL Trophy. The season covers the period from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.

The 2021–22 season is AFC Wimbledon's 20th year in their history and sixth consecutive season back in League One. Along with the league, the club will also compete in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the 2021–22 EFL Trophy. The season covers the period from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 "About SD – Supporters Direct". supporters-direct.org. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "Facts & Figures – Supporters Direct". supporters-direct.org. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "Football Supporters and Supporters Direct Merge". 24 November 2018.
  4. ↑ "Supporters Direct Shield: Merthyr 0 Boro 2". scarboroughathletic.com. 25 July 2010. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
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