Main proposals of fan-led review of English football backed by government

The government will seek to implement all 10 of the key recommendations of the fan-led review into English football, setting up the possibility of a sea change in the governance of the national sport.

Five months after a landmark report led by Conservative MP Tracey Crouch called for the creation of an independent regulator for the game, alongside greater powers for supporters and an improved “owners and director’s test” for those seeking to control local clubs, sport minister Nigel Huddleston will tell parliament on Monday that the government endorses the ideas. A white paper bringing forward legislation will be published in the summer.

Among the recommendations that are now to be brought forward include the creation of “shadow boards” consisting of club supporters that would allow fans to have a greater input into decision making in their clubs. Supporters groups would also get a “golden share” in their club, providing a veto on a number of key decisions, including whether to sell the club’s stadium, as well as heritage issues, such as the team’s crest or colours. There will also be a pledge to introduce stronger mechanisms to guarantee equality and diversity in football boardrooms.

The key step, however, is a decision to fully endorse the idea of an independent regulator. The government has previously supported the idea in principle but there has been sustained lobbying from the Football Association and the Premier League, both of which want to keep governance effectively in house. While Crouch wrote in her review that she believed the FA could one day take on the role of regulator, she said the governing body of the game in England would have to undergo substantial reform itself first. The government appears to have