On Thursday the article below by Trust Board member Jan Mokrzycki appeared in the Coventry Telegraph and followed on from his appearance on 5 Live the previous Sunday on the topic of football governance and how it was letting English football down and Coventry City fans in particular.
Link to CT Article: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/sport-opinion/fans-zone-challenge-your-mp-6730189
The thrust of the article is a suggestion that you lobby your MP and express your concerns about the way football is being run. On 28th February, Damian Collins, MP for Folkestone and Hythe, will present an important Private Member's Bill on Football Governance for debate in the House of Commons. It's important because the debate could be a step towards reforming clubs' relationships with supporters, and changing the FA and the Football League to make them more accountable.
If you feel that the Football League needs reforming and believe that if they hadn't been so spineless when SISU took our club to Northampton, we might not now be in the mess we are in then write that letter or e-mail your MP.
It's very important that Mr Collins gets as much support as possible, so that his Bill moves to the next stage. February 28 will be its second reading and we need as many MPs as possible to attend and vote for the Bill.
More than a year ago the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee said that Government should legislate to reform the football governing bodies if they wouldn't do it themselves. Nothing has happened since. So we need to get our MPs to urge the Select Committee to put pressure on the Government to legislate.
It's best if you write a letter in your own words, but here are the important points you could include:
* The Football League has allowed the situation at Coventry City to escalate by not taking any action to keep the club in Coventry.
* The Culture Media and Sport Select Committee, chaired by John Whittingdale MP, made proposals for reform of football governance over a year ago, and said that if football would not reform itself, the Government should legislate to do so.
* Last week the Government Committee on Mutuals presented its own report on football governance and reached much the same conclusions. They said that engaging fans in the running and ownership of the clubs is vital for the future of the game.
* On 28th February Damian Collins MP presents the second reading of his private members bill designed to reform football governance and make it more transparent and accountable.
* Ask your MP to urge the DCMS Select Committee to put pressure on government to legislate, and to support Damian Collins' bill.
When you write, remember that MPs don't have a lot of time, so a short letter stands a better chance of being read than a long one; and please don't be abusive - it's likely
to have the opposite effect to the one we all want!
If you really have difficulty in putting together a letter, we've written one you could copy and amend.
Example Of Letter
Dear [insert your MP’s name]
I am a Coventry City supporter and I am concerned by the way our national game is being run. The tragic situation at Coventry City is well known and had the football authorities taken their responsibilities properly they would never have allowed the situation to escalate. They need reforming and the first step is to look at the whole of football governance.
Last year the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee, chaired by John Whittingdale MP, said that if football could not reform itself within 12 months then government should introduce legislation as soon as practically possible. 12 months have passed and there has been no significant change.
Last week the Government Committee on Mutuals presented its own report on football governance and reached much the same conclusions. They said that engaging fans in the running and ownership of the clubs is vital for the future of the game.
On 28th February Damian Collins – MP for Folkestone and Hythe – presents the second reading of his private members bill. This is designed to reform football governance and make it more transparent and accountable. As a member of your constituency I urge you to support this bill in its attempt to save football from the vain and the greedy and return it to the true supporters.
Please ask that the DCMS Select Committee puts pressure on the government for change and please support Damian Collins' bill.
Yours Sincerely