New Chief Wants SD Evolution

New Supporters Direct Chief Executive Ashley Brown wants the organisation to evolve, acknowledging it has been 'too idealistic' in its approach as the game has moved on.

In an excellent article for The Guardian's Owen Gibson, Brown says SD still needs to focus on supporter ownership of clubs, but that target is no longer achievable at the higher levels of the game: "In the higher levels of the game, outright supporter ownership is probably unrealistic. Part-ownership is something that is relevant but it is has to come with a voice, it has to come with a reason."

The article highlights the issues at FC United of Manchester and Swansea. At Swansea, their minority Trust ownership has almost entirely been pushed into a corner by the new American owners. At FC United, as previously noted here, there has been a bitter conflict that has seen most of the incumbent officers leave over the summer, with Brown noting:

“You need strong leadership. You don’t need dictators, but you need strong leaders. People who have the ability to bring people together around a table. That’s the most difficult thing in football. All the FCUM fans want a successful club. But they need to get behind a leader and a small group of people and trust them to do that.”

To run a Trust, there needs to be trust.