LCFC are well placed to implement the Fan Led Review (FLR) White Paper as a minimum but are looking to go further as appropriate.
- Appropriate resources
The club must have adequate financial and non-financial resources and controls in place, to meet committed spending and foreseeable risks. - Fit and proper custodians
Persons at a club deemed to exercise significant decision-making influence must be fit and proper custodians. - Fan interests
The club must have appropriate provisions for considering the interests of fans on key decisions, and issues of club heritage, on an ongoing basis. - Approved competitions
The club must agree to only compete in leagues and competitions that are approved by the Regulator based on predetermined criteria.
- ensuring the fan group know they are represented on the FLR working group, maintaining reasonable ongoing communication with the group, sharing information, and inviting feedback on subjects as appropriate to the FLR.
- bringing the voice of the fan group into the FLR working group
- identifying any need to reprofile the group to better represent its community.
- redirecting non FLR enquiries to the appropriate area within the club, shadow board or Trust
- reviewing and discussing Tracey Crouch’s FLR Report to begin preparations for how the key fan bodies will organise and operate going forward
- ensuring true representation of our fan base
- reaching out to fans for input
- reviewing the government White Paper and preparing a response
- making a proposal to the Board on the way forward
- Informed by key documents and discussions the Trust and Supporters Board have both undertaken reviews of their constitution, representation, governance, processes, and skills using a RAG approach resulting in action plans. This has been good preparation for their roles in the post FLR world.
- There has also been progress in identifying opportunities for closer co-operation between fan groups with the Trust and Supporters Board welcoming members of each onto their Boards. Additionally, the Trust has reached out to the FSA for available guidance and tools and the Supporters Board have consulted with other clubs.
- Outreach with fan groups has resulted in revitalised connections, new connections and aided the formation of new groups such as the Disabled Supporters Association. Representation for the Women’s team as part of the Supporters Board has been initiated in line with the White Paper recommendation. There are still many opportunities to strengthen further the network through the implementation phase.
- Clubs shall be required "to have appropriate and proportionate provisions for considering the interests of fans on key decisions and issues of club heritage". In this respect, the Regulator shall work closely with the FA, which is itself updating its rules to protect club heritage assets, such as the club badge, name, and home colours.
- Rather than introducing the proposal to give fans a “Golden Share”, it is proposed that the Regulator will require clubs to collect proof that a majority of fans are in favour of a change, “giving fans an effective veto over changes to these intrinsic representations of their club’s history and heritage.”
- Stadium sales and relocations shall also require pre-approval of the Regulator, who shall consider “the historical connection to a specific location, views of supporters and the local community, and the impact on other clubs in a new location before giving approval”.
- The Fan-Led Review report is widely praised for its recommendations to bring about meaningful and lasting reform. The golden share and shadow board elements represent a step change in considering the interests of fans.
- This is an opportunity to bring our fan groups closer together through common objectives, formalised ways of working and the responsibility of delivering a single voice on key decisions and issues of club heritage.
- Improved fan representation is fundamental to increased fan involvement in a say in the direction of the club.
- The focus on connecting with our fans in recent years and the strong performance on the fan engagement index and in the EFL awards are proof that we continue to live our vision of being "a club to be proud of".
- While there is a high level of trust between the club and its fans it is prudent to consider how we can future proof fans involvement and interests in its club.
- Indicating change through renaming the Supporters Board to Fan Advisory Board.
- Evolving governance and processes in key areas such as constitution, remit, representation and approaches to member election, communication, and administration in order to deliver:
- evidence (e.g. a memorandum of understanding, meeting agendas, minutes) that a club has an established efficient structure in place for senior personnel to engage in frequent discussions of important strategic issues with a representative group of supporters.
- a representative group must include, at the very least, a club's supporters' trust and sufficient representation for the affiliated women's team, if one exists and considerable percentage of this representative group of supporters should be chosen, elected, or invited to attend these meetings, in compliance with fundamental democratic principles and in agreement with the broader fanbase's.
- the government has no intention of prohibiting any club from adopting a "Golden Share" model (i.e. a special share held by a club’s Community Benefit Society requiring fan consent for certain actions). Nevertheless, the government believes that the Regulator could ensure appropriate safeguards are implemented for club heritage throughout the football pyramid via alternative measures.
- Regarding the club badge, name, and home shirt colours, the government considers that the FA’s Club Heritage Regulations are less complex and provide fans with the same degree of protection as a "Golden Share". These protections are already in place, and once implemented, the regulator will guarantee their regulatory basis.
- The Regulator will introduce additional protections for club stadiums by obliging all clubs to seek prior approval for any sale or relocation, whereby the Regulator would evaluate the implications of any proposal.
- any proposed change to the name of the Stacey West Stand.
- proposals for the sale of the current ground and relocation to a new stadium elsewhere if proposal is outside city of Lincoln (definition to be agreed).
- significant heritage matters including a change or amendments of club name, colours, badge, Imp logo (exact details to be defined)
- any major sponsorship deal for the club (for the stadium, stands, shirts, etc) that fans might consider to be unethical or inappropriate in any other way:
- a significant change of club ownership or control.
- Steering the Fan-Led Review working group from recommendation through to implementation.
- Liaising with the Red Imps Community Trust to align strategy and plans as holders of the golden share.
- Membership of the Fan Advisory Board (FAB) with a focus on effectiveness.
- Encouraging a culture of fan engagement throughout the club
- Ensuring true representation of our fanbase in engagement
- Annual Fan Engagement Plan (FEP) presented to board*
- Preparation, presentation, and communication of an annual board Fan Engagement Report, outlining the engagement activities undertaken and key issues / concerns raised from fans in that season.
- Summary statement on fan engagement for annual report
- Support a communication approach that is transparent, informative, accurate and timely.
- to learn and to develop our approach to fan engagement.
- Fan survey results & insights
- Performance KPI’s
- FE Statement for Annual Report
- Details of key fan engagement activities to be completed during the season.
- Details of key roles and responsibilities of club officials in relation to fan engagement
- Details of the Fan Advisory Board such as membership, frequency
- of meetings and reporting
- Details of all club Heritage Assets requiring fan consultation prior to a material amendment
- The FLR working party process and recommendations.
- Fan Representation
- A fit for purpose Fan Advisory Board
- A fit for purpose Trust
- The Golden Share
- The role of the Head of Supporter Services
- The role of the director responsible for fan engagement
- A draft first fan engagement strategy and plan