Is new football regulator the way forward for the beautiful game?
I bow to no man or woman on my love of the beautiful game of football.
I have supported Inverness Caley Thistle since their very first game and have shared in their highs and lows, almost like an extension of everyday family life.
Winning the Scottish Cup, qualifying for the Europa league, beating Celtic in the famous ‘Super Caley go ballistic Celtic are atrocious’ game.
Just, please, do not mention relegation play-off disasters or administration.
I will be at the Caledonian Stadium today, cheering on the young lions as they play the crucial fixture against league champions Arbroath.
Off the field, Alan Savage and his team deserve praise and support for their efforts to save the club from liquidation and possible oblivion.
There is, however, a bigger picture question – could football in Scotland be run more efficiently, more effectively and be more accountable to local communities?
Labour thinks professional football could be run differently. In last year's manifesto, Labour committed to a Football Governance Bill, which is currently weaving its way through the House of Lords.
The Bill, which only applies in England and Wales, would set up a new football regulator with powers to monitor finances; vet prospective owners; and impose financial penalties on football clubs.
As the Sunday Times said: ‘Many Premier League clubs [in England and Wales] hate it on the basis that a statutory regulator charged with licensing all 116 teams in the top five tiers of English men’s football would subject one of Britain’s best cultural exports to tighter restrictions than anywhere else in the world.”
Critics of the proposed legislation point out that the regulator could hit football clubs with penalties of up to 10 per cent of their revenues or even suspend their licenses in the event of a breach of the legislation.
An impact assessment published by the UK government showed that at least a quarter of the 116 professional English (and Welsh) teams which would be under the remit of the legislation would fall into the least compliant category and would need to carry out “additional compliance activities”. This could mean extra costs for lower league teams, which may already be struggling.
Will it happen in Scotland? Earlier this week I spoke to Neil Bibby MSP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Sport. He told me that the Scottish Government were carrying out out round table consultation events with representatives from Scottish football clubs. However, there is no evidence from any political party represented at Holyrood that a football regulator is to be introduced here.
That does not mean that Scottish football is problem free. Many lower league teams are on life support financially and face dwindling crowds and declining revenues.
Many football fans across Scotland feel detached from their local club, with no sense of community involvement.
Perhaps the wisest course of action is to watch, listen and learn from the England and Wales experience and see if we can develop a distinct Scottish model which supports and develops clubs into financial sustainability, with strong supporter roots, embedded in the local community.
As for that crucial game today, I would swap a football regulator for three points for Caley Thistle – any day of the week!
