Bringing their European network alive, SD Europe has launched a new social media campaign aiming to highlight the work of supporters groups and member-run clubs across Europe.
Kicking off with Cork City FC fan Pat O’Sullivan, the #PassionHasPower campaign will introduce a new face from a supporters group or member-run club each week, sharing a brief quote to demonstrate the impact volunteers and staff alike are making.
Read more about the campaign and how you can get involved here.
One key output of the Improving Football Governance through Supporter Involvement and Community Ownership project was the Heart of the Game handbook.
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Representatives of founder members introduced themselves and explained that the purpose of the ISN is to encourage fan engagement and ownership at clubs, to share best practise between league clubs and also to offer help and support to any clubs or supporters groups that request it. Niamh O’Mahony, acting CEO of Supporters Direct Europe then introduced her organisation, explaining the history of the organisation, its work with UEFA and the EU and its widespread membership around European Football.
Gavan Duffy (GUFC) and Mike Derham (CCFC) then presented a section on sustainable finance at football clubs, noting that the importance of avoiding structural deficits and spotting the emergence of serious financial issues as early as possible through regular monitoring and planning.
Dinny Deady and Alan Coughlan, Supporter Liaison Officers at Cork City, then presented an overview of the SLO role at clubs, noting the importance of communication between board and fans as well as between club SLOs in improving the match night experience. Aidan McNelis (Finn Harps SLO) then spoke on how the role has been implemented at his club, noting the challenges the role presents and how Harps have expanded the role to also focus on including exiled fans in the match night through a partnership with Irish Start-up company Mobstats.
The Irish Supporters Network (ISN) has issued the following agenda for its 2017 League of Ireland workshop, which will take place at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday, March 26th. Anyone interested in attending the event can register at this link.
The Irish Supporters Network (ISN) is delighted to announce details of its 2017 League of Ireland workshop, which will take place at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday, March 26th.
Focusing on key areas of interest for League of Ireland football clubs, officials and supporters alike, one of ISN’s key objectives to is promote the benefits and importance of Ireland’s national football league.
The ‘ISN: Towards A Sustainable League’ workshop will kick off with a session on Achieving Sustainable Finance, led by ISN representatives involved in SD Europe’s Clubs and Supporters for Better Governance in Football project. The content will focus on the conflict between short and long-term goals as well as touching on early warning signs of financial concerns among other items.
In the afternoon, SLOs from a number of League of Ireland clubs will lead a discussion on what the role of Supporter Liaison Officer can mean for Irish football clubs. The position is a requirement under UEFA licencing and for all Premier Division clubs. However, having an independent person advocating for supporters and addressing concerns that arise on match night and elsewhere can be of significant benefit to all clubs, at any level of the game.
The final session of the day is entitled: What do Supporters Want? Ask them, which will focus on the importance of bringing fans into the fold, asking for feedback and taking action when and where is possible. A consistent focus on Fan Dialogue is essential for any supporters group, club, league or national association – as is seen across Europe.
As part of this session, LOI supporters are being asked to complete a Match Night Experience survey – the results of which will be unveiled on the day. It is hoped the survey will also highlight examples of good practice and new ideas from around the League that can be shared with all who attend.
Further speakers and presentations will be confirmed closer to the event. Anyone interested in attending should visit events registration page as registration is required. Refreshments will be provided, so there is a suggested donation of €10 per person.
Spokesperson for ISN, Aidan McNelis, said: “At the first ISN event in the Aviva Stadium (2014), participants saw how important it is for League of Ireland clubs and supporters to highlight the positives and the good work being done in our League. This workshop is a follow-on from that.
“In taking a closer look at areas of interest such as Sustainable Finance, the SLO role, and the essential work that can be done around Fan Dialogue and Engagement, participants will go home with a better understanding of what needs to be done in order to make progress within their own football clubs and supporters organisations.”
The Irish Supporters Network were a contributing organisation of the Clubs and Supporters for Better Governance in Football project.
It was a two-year collaborative partnership, coordinated by SD Europe, and co-financed by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union and UEFA.
The project sought to help promote EU principles on good governance in sport through a training, education and exchange programme involving member-run football clubs and national supporters organisations, from seven EU states, over a two-year period (2016-17)
The final report of the project is available to download here.
The programme addressed three core topics:
Partners and contributing organisations attended a total of three workshops, with Cork City FC involved in an additional series of one-to-one exchange visits. The project included a research and evaluation element as well as the development of an online training resource.
The partners and contributing organisations were as follows:
The project was supported by an advisory board, made up of: