I am not the only football fan in Parliament who, like the rest of the country, will be gripped by football fever this month watching Euro 2004. However, like all good things in life, there is a down-side and there always seems to be more controversy off the field than on it. Like every other multi-million pound business, football has to be governed and, unlike many of our European neighbours, our history has given us a complicated and sometimes competing array of administrating bodies.
The All-Party Parliamentary Football Group is one of the largest groups
in Westminster with over 150 members from both the Commons and Lords. Group
members represent all sides of the political spectrum, and our membership
even includes the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. The group aims
to raise parliamentary awareness of football policy and topical issues affecting
the game at professional and grass roots levels and provides a forum for
debate between parliamentarians and members of the football industry. We
also provide parliamentary backing and, occasionally, advice to the Department
for Culture, Media and Sport on football issues.
Members of the group travelled to Brussels to meet with Commissioner, Mario
Monti to add weight to the efforts to persuade him to allow the continuation
of the collective agreement on the televising of Premier League games. We
were also involved in trying to assist during the problems with ITV Digital.
The group launched its first ever inquiry in 2003 and, in February this year, published it's 'English Football and its Finances' report.
The report received
a great deal of media coverage and despite containing several
controversial recommendations, was welcomed by the major institutions
in the
football industry. Indeed, the topical and relevant nature of
the inquiry led to BBC Parliament televising six public witness sessions
including one continuous broadcast from 6am -7pm on November
25th last
year. |
" Group members represent all sides of the political spectrum, and our membership even includes the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown." |
We are currently finalising a questionnaire that we plan to send to over 300 clubs in the football pyramid to gauge their opinions about the state of football and the findings in our report and will be the most comprehensive survey of football clubs in recent years.
The impetus for the inquiry has been the growing divide between the 'haves' and 'have nots' in football. Whilst the explosion of TV money in the past ten years has created a small wealthy elite, the financial prospects of many football clubs in the UK are extremely bleak. Previously successful clubs such as Leeds United, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday, for example, have faced extremely serious financial problems. The inquiry has also addressed other topical issues such as the role of agents and the corporate structure of clubs.
The report called for a re-distribution of football finances. Major recommendations included suggestions that the Premier League should alter the distribution of prize money within its own clubs, allocating a further 5% of its total broadcasting revenue directly to the Football League and Football Conference to counter the divide between the rich and poor and that the FA should immediately introduce a 'Fit and Proper person' test for anyone wishing to influence or become a director of a football club.
It is, of course, not the job of backbenchers or government to run football but politicians have a legitimate role in holding the game's governing bodies to account. After all, many of our constituents shout on the terraces every Saturday and it is our duty to shout for them in Parliament! Not only are we passionate about the game, but can exert our influence as elected representatives.
"We enjoy a productive relationship with the Football Association, Football League and other major football institutions" |
We enjoy a productive
relationship with the Football Association, Football League and other
major football institutions and applaud their commitment to improving
the game and increasing access to it.
|
Moreover, just a few weeks ago
Mark Palios and David Davies of the FA gave a detailed briefing about security
protocol for Euro 2004. England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson also gave a briefing
and fielded questions from members about the preparations of the England
team for the tournament.
And finally to Euro 2004, which
promises to be a wonderful tournament, showcasing the talents of Henry,
Nedved, Zidane, Figo and others. However, I am sure
most people would agree that our home-grown talent like Beckham, Scholes
and Gerrard can more than match these superstars. It was disappointing that
Scotland and Wales missed out on qualification so narrowly but this should
be tempered by the fact that England has a real chance of bringing back the
trophy. It is partisanship that fuels the enthusiasm for football but it
is a game that unites rather than divides. I was reminded of a conversation
I had with a local cab driver before the World Cup in France. He told me
he was looking forward to cheering on his team. "Scotland or England?" I
asked. "Jamaica!" was his response. If you presumed that the All
Party Football Group was wholly behind England, you would have forgotten
Dr Rudy Vis MP, who proudly told Sven that he was an Ajax supporter and would
be cheering on Holland in Portugal.
Football is a great international game and we all look forward to the day when the only international conflicts are on the sports fields of the world.
Member of Parliament for Feltham & Heston