The fans don’t need to ‘own’ a club. They just need sufficient representation on the boards of clubs, and that could be achieved through legislation similar to workers on boards in Germany ......
Well, that's #2 on what I linked isn't it?
#2 EMPOWER SUPPORTERS WITH IMMEDIATE 50+1 LAW
Given the threat to our clubs remains real, we need to provide immediate safeguards for supporters to be able to act to protect the best interests of their clubs.
We call on the Government to legislate to require all English clubs to secure a 51% majority of their registered season ticket holders on any major decision that fundamentally affects the club’s identity or future (for instance: a change of competition or league; a change of home ground; a change of name, club colours or badge).
^ This immediately stops Everton doing what they did with that crest, and it stops Super League nonsense.
I think longer term though, this has to be the aim;
#3 CREATE A LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK TO PROMOTE GREATER SUPPORTER OWNERSHIP OF CLUBS, MOVING TOWARDS THE GERMAN 50+1 MODEL
While point 3 provides immediate protection, the way to provide long-term protection for English clubs is by adopting the German 50+1 rule on supporter ownership of clubs.
Between 2000 and 2020, we saw huge growth in supporter ownership of clubs in the UK through the establishment of Supporters Direct, a body set up to promote democratically-controlled, not-for-profit supporters’ trusts. We now need to build on those foundations.
While we can’t move to a German model overnight, we call on the Government and the game’s authorities to adopt it as the long-term direction and create a legislative framework to support it.
Where clubs shares are being sold, either by shareholders or through new share issues, the legislation should require vendors to make shares available on a first refusal basis to recognised, democratically-controlled supporters’ trusts. This rule would apply until trusts own 51% of club shares. The effect would mean that any prospective owner would need the consent of the supporters.
The Government should consider other tax and financial incentives to help trusts build up the shareholding.
