Former Supporters Direct chair appointed to UEFA committee
Fan-led football has been given a boost with the appointment of former Supporters Direct chairman Brian Lomax to UEFA’s inaugural Club Financial Control Panel.
Brian was the founder of England’s first ever supporters’ trust when he launched a successful campaign to save his own Northampton Town in 1992. He later became the first managing director of Supporters Direct and has recently given up his position of chair after four years.
The nine member panel has been introduced to; encourage clubs to compete with their revenues, decrease pressure on players’ salaries and transfer fees and limit inflationary effect, encourage clubs’ long term investments (infrastructure, youth) to the detriment of short term spending, as well as protecting the sustainability of European club football as a whole.
Supporters Direct chief executive Dave Boyle hailed the appointment as a great accolade for fan-led football. He said: "This committee is going to be one of the most important in European football.
"For someone to be appointed from a background in the supporters’ trust movement is a fantastic vote of confidence in the movement from UEFA and underlines their real commitment to serious engagement with supporters in general."
UEFA President Michel Platini has led the work to establish the panel. He said: "This marks the start of a new era in European football. Financial fair play is a top priority for UEFA in order to achieve more transparency and guarantee equality in our competitions.
"I am confident that the CFC Panel will enhance the credibility of the club licensing system and with the introduction of financial fair play, the work of the CFC Panel will be vital if we are to help preserve the stability and health of European club football in the medium to long term."
Although it remains to be seen what affect the CFC Panel will be able to have, it is the clearest signal yet from UEFA that it is going to tackle the worrying trend of ’boom and bust’ in the modern game which has become commonplace in the UK over the last decade.
Brian was the founder of England’s first ever supporters’ trust when he launched a successful campaign to save his own Northampton Town in 1992. He later became the first managing director of Supporters Direct and has recently given up his position of chair after four years.
The nine member panel has been introduced to; encourage clubs to compete with their revenues, decrease pressure on players’ salaries and transfer fees and limit inflationary effect, encourage clubs’ long term investments (infrastructure, youth) to the detriment of short term spending, as well as protecting the sustainability of European club football as a whole.
Supporters Direct chief executive Dave Boyle hailed the appointment as a great accolade for fan-led football. He said: "This committee is going to be one of the most important in European football.
"For someone to be appointed from a background in the supporters’ trust movement is a fantastic vote of confidence in the movement from UEFA and underlines their real commitment to serious engagement with supporters in general."
UEFA President Michel Platini has led the work to establish the panel. He said: "This marks the start of a new era in European football. Financial fair play is a top priority for UEFA in order to achieve more transparency and guarantee equality in our competitions.
"I am confident that the CFC Panel will enhance the credibility of the club licensing system and with the introduction of financial fair play, the work of the CFC Panel will be vital if we are to help preserve the stability and health of European club football in the medium to long term."
Although it remains to be seen what affect the CFC Panel will be able to have, it is the clearest signal yet from UEFA that it is going to tackle the worrying trend of ’boom and bust’ in the modern game which has become commonplace in the UK over the last decade.
First Posted ~ 10:08 Tue 17 Nov 2009
News ID ~ 2545
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021