Welcome to this month’s SD News Update.

Every month we bring you news from SD, the Trust Movement, from the governing bodies as well as other relevant news and information.

SD National Conference

SD National Conference, 16 October 2008

QEII Centre, Westminster, London

Why did you become involved in a trust? In our experience, we think it’s because you have a passion, not just for the club you support but for the feeling that things could be and should be better and that football needs to see some pretty big changes.

But we rarely get the chance to talk about these things. Talk, not as in listen to someone in a plenary, or ask some questions they may or may not evade, but really investigate the issues and come out of it knowing more individually and knowing more as a movement.

The Conference is the only time in the year when we get everyone together so we’ve made a few changes to help us talk better.

You’ll notice that we’ve made some small changes to the Conference this year – less listening to people talking in plenary sessions, and more hearing what you have to say to us and to each other. That’s also the main reason we’re not running training sessions at the Conference.

Training can be run anytime, and can be run at more local and convenient locations – so that’s what we’ll be doing from now on. Training is important, but so are our values and our principles, and we want to focus exclusively on the latter at this year’s event.

We also know that people always say that networking and chatting to others is a big part of the day, so we’ve tried to increase the time available to do that and also make it even easier.

Already confirmed to speak is Jeremy Hunt MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, and others to be confirmed.

Find out more on the SD website in the lead up.

Secretary of State wants fundamental change in football

Burnham calls for supporter-ownership and a rejection of global brands in football

Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and former SD Chair, this week made his most critical speech yet about the direction football is headed in a month where the Manchester City takeover dominated the headlines, and Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger condemned Premier League football for its over-reliance on billionaires.

In his speech at the Co-operative Party Annual Conference in London on Thursday of this week, said he was "not flinching" from his view that supporter ownership is the ideal model for football clubs, most true to their character as sporting homes of belonging, rather than "global brands" to be bought for profit.

The speech - a wide-ranging critique of the direction of football consistent with his views for many years, and not simply a knee-jerk reaction to recent events - is an important signal of the support for a more responsible and better regulated game as expressed by FA Chairman Lord Triesman, and which SD itself has espoused since its launch in 2000.

We of course responded to the speech, saying, "Like a great many football fans, Andy Burnham is concerned about the direction football is headed in. We support his call for a debate about the direction football is headed - lead by the Football Association, and the views of supporters are absolutely central to it. We also welcome his reiteration of the view that supporter ownership is a viable, valid - and we'd say necessary - step to reconnecting clubs, their fans and their communities."

And a welcome intervention by The FA, with the game’s governing body saying, "Lord Triesman met with Andy Burnham this week to discuss some of the biggest issues facing the game, and will meet him again soon to move these discussions forward. These issues include fit-and-proper ownership of clubs and the development of home-grown talent.

"Like the Culture Secretary, he firmly believes that clubs must preserve their links with their communities, and shares concerns if clubs are being bought for their short-term investment value rather than their long-term success. These issues, and the need to reconsider football's regulatory framework in this area, are very high on the Chairman's list of priorities."

This story will run and run, and the SD website will continue to be updated regularly.

SD Services

Is your trust a full member? If not, you’re missing out on all this…

• Access to a specialised Membership Management and communications system designed by trusts for trusts
• Access to a customised Insurance package, with other similar bulk purchase schemes planned
• Access to specially commissioned legal and policy advice, tailored to the needs of trusts and only available to members
• Community Development: Advice on developing community projects, access to information on community activities already run by trusts and support in securing grants to fund projects
• Trust Development: Access to best practice guidance, how-to guides on running the Trust
• Eligibility to nominate candidates and vote in Supporters Direct Elections, and attend, propose, speak and vote at
• Supporters Direct’s AGM and influence the direction of the Trust movement and Supporters Direct
• Programme of regionally-based and/or training seminars
• Quarterly magazine and monthly Supporters Direct news e-bulletin
• Eligibility for Supporters Direct grant funding (if not yet claimed)
• General support from Supporters Direct staff
• Opportunity to purchase additional SD literature at cost price

 (NVST is a member of Supporters Direct and takes advantage of many of the services on offer above)

SD Website

The SD website is updated regularly, and if you have anything you want us to publicise, or an interesting take on an issue related to football or the wider trust movement that other people might want to know about, you can contact us here: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Up to date documents and advice

If you are using an SD guidance document, please refer to the website to ensure you have the most up to date copy. If it doesn’t appear on the website then it is always worth checking in with a member of staff first.

BBC Non League Show

Don’t forget, SD feature once a month on the show. It’s available live across the country on the web, via satellite and digital where available, and in London on 94.9FM and DAB. Even better, you can use the listen again option or listen to the podcast.

Cardiff City launch a success

Over 200 members have signed up for membership of the CCFC Trust following a launch at the City’s Electricity Club.

The launch was attended by around the same number, with Cardiff City legends whose names have been used for the different levels of the Trust: Phil Dwyer, Jason Perry and Andy Legg, also all signing up to become member numbers 1, 2 and 3.

Acting Chair Paul Corkery said about the night, “We had a great night which was really well backed by fans, who like us believe that there is need for Cardiff City supporters to have a strong and independent voice," said acting Chairman Paul Corkery.

“We’re delighted that so many supporters also signed up to become members of the trust and I would encourage all City fans to follow suit. The more members that sign up the greater the voice we have on behalf of the fans. Now the launch is over, the hard work starts.”