Fan return could kickstart a new dawn for football
There’s never been a better opportunity to take the lead from the return of supporters and ensure that football is refreshed for the better
Adam Harwood
The old adage that football is ‘nothing without the fans’ is surely being proven with the return of domestic league action across the country.
Premier League, EFL and non-league grounds have been welcoming supporters from far and wide as stadiums take their first early steps into the ‘new normal’. With the threat of Covid-19 still abundant - nine Premier League players tested positive in the run-up to the season opener – the only thing that is clear at this time is there will be several bumps along the road ahead. But the sterile, miserable and frankly odd combination of listening to player shouts and fake fan noise is something we can hopefully consign to the dustbin of history.
With supporters coming back through the turnstiles and providing clubs with much needed income, there’s a refreshing sense of reset about football right now. Most fans will not have seen their favourite team in the flesh for 18 months or so, and the enthusiasm generated across European cities during Euro 2020 was an early demonstration of the fervour that should prevail throughout the season.
For fans of Premier League sides, the axing of the non-sensical accidental handball rule is further reason to celebrate. But perhaps best of all, the football that we know and love is back in the same format as before – with the canning of the European Super League monstrosity, at least for the time being.
With the Tracey Crouch fan-led review of football governance set to report during the season, there’s never been a better opportunity to take the lead from the return of supporters and ensure that football is refreshed for the better. This will enhance the fan experience, knowing that they and their club’s owners are broadly pulling in the same direction – of what is best for their side and their local community. It will also give confidence that those clubs will be here to stay for many years to come.
Fair Game is launching its manifesto on Thursday 9 September. We’ve already got 20 football clubs and more than a dozen MPs listening to our calls for fairness, sustainability, and integrity to be at the heart of our national game.
Let’s hope that Tracey Crouch, the government, and most importantly those who are controlling our clubs listen and implement lasting change as a result. It can only make football more attractive, and mean greater engagement between teams and their local communities – leading, ultimately, to more fans coming through the doors.
After the year we’ve all had, that’s got to be a good thing, right?