Statement from the Cambridge United Supporters Association:

Cambridge United fans are invited and very welcome to join with the CUSA at Westminster on Thursday 2nd March when the Coalition of Football Supporters (CoFS) are organising a Fans Lobby of Parliament. We will be using the opportunity to discuss the Abbey Stadium redevelopment issues with M.Ps and share our concerns about the future of football. It will be an opportunity to interact and share ideas with other fans’ groups.

On this important day of action football fans from across the country will be gathering to show their colours and to demonstrate unity in an effort to help reshape how football is run, in the interests of fans and urging M.Ps to support Early Day Motion 243.

This Motion asks the Government to adopt the Football Task Force’s Majority Report. The Report calls for a ‘Football Audit Commission’ (FAC) to make football, and the actions of football clubs, publicly accountable. It wants an ‘Ombudsfan’ able to investigate individual complaints from fans and a ‘Code of Conduct for Clubs’, overseen by the FAC, covering such areas as ticketing, fans representations and limitations on clubs going to the Stock Market.

This Majority Report is backed by supporters organisations and independent members of the Task Force. However the Minority Report written by the football authorities offers only a token Independent Scrutiny Panel for football, with voluntary proposals for clubs.

The Motion also asks for the adoption of the Fans’ TV Charter which aims to protect the live game for fans from unwanted intrusion of television with its associated shady deals. This Charter is backed by both the FSA and CoFS with the CUSA having pledged their support.

We have sent invitations to our local M.Ps Anne Campbell, Andrew Lansley and James Paice and we hope that they will be able to meet us at some time during the day. Please feel free to contact and invite your own M.P. if you live in another region, whilst urging them to sign the Motion. The proceedings start at 11.30am on College Green outside Westminster with 12-2pm a Lobby of M.Ps followed 2-3pm by a Meeting in the Jubilee Room with M.Ps and other supporter organissations. The day is expected to attract large media attention.

We would like as many United fans as possible to join us but we need to know who is going and how many of us will be there. If you are interested in being there please contact me as soon as possible. I will willingly give you more details and discuss any travel arrangements if needed. I look forward to hearing from you and joining us at Westminster.

Brian Attmore Chairman Cambridge United Supporters Association

Background

Early Day Motion 243

Football Supporters and the Football Task Force

That this House welcomes the collaborative work of the various football supporter organisations; warmly welcomes the Fans Charter for the Televising of Football; congratulates them also on their constructive work in the deliberations of the Football Task Force; further welcomes the majority report of the Football Task Force on Commercial Issues concerning the game; supports its recommendations for greater supporter involvement, for a strong code of practice, for an appointment of a football audit commission to provide independent regulation and of an ‘Ombudsfan’ to act as the consumers’ champion; accepts that the football authorities have made some progress in addressing the serious problems of financial impropriety, but regrets that the proposals contained in their minority report fall short of what is required; and calls upon Her Majesty’s Government and the Football Association to implement the recommendations of the Task Force’s Majority Report without delay.