Like many football fans across the nation, MP Johnny Mercer writes, I applaud the government’s announcement that a new football regulator will be put in place to safeguard football clubs, one of our country’s most treasured community assets.
My family’s weekly highlights are always trips to Home Park, and as a season ticket holder, I have serious concerns about the future of both our City team and the English Football League as a whole.
Three professional football teams call Devon home: Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City, and Torquay United. One of those clubs is once more in doubt about its future.
On February 22, Torquay United’s owner Clarke Osborne announced that he could no longer afford to support the team, putting the team into administration. Since assuming leadership in 2016, Mr. Osborne has survived two relegations, and the most recent 10-point penalty raises the possibility of a third. The club’s future is still up in the air.
Supporters of Plymouth Argyle will be all too familiar with this sensation. When Argyle was in terrible shape back in 2011, he was placed under administration and docked ten points. Attendance on average fell off dramatically to about 7,000, and the team barely managed to maintain its Football League standings with two consecutive 21st-place finishes in League Two.
Argyle was in a dangerous situation due to unpaid debts totaling £18 million and low cash on hand when James Brent intervened to save the team’s finances. This common experience also explains the janners’ overwhelming support for the opposing team.
The ongoing ownership issue at Torquay and the way opposing supporters have united to raise £23,000 serve as a poignant reminder of the importance of safeguarding football clubs at all levels of the league. Devon Day, Saturday, March 23, saw Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City supporters set aside their rivalries to cheer Torquay United’s 1-0 victory over Hampton & Richmond at home.
A bumper crowd of more than 3,000 fans from across the three clubs turned up at Plainmoor, a crucial fixture in their fight for survival in the National League South. Please think about making a donation here if you would like to support Torquay United in meeting their fixtures during this testing phase.
In light of all of this, the government’s proposal for an independent football regulator is both long overdue and very appreciated. This is further highlighted by the Premier League’s inability to reach a mutually agreeable funding agreement with the English Football League. Football requires an independent hand because it cannot rule itself.
The main duties of the new regulator will be to maintain clubs’ financial stability by ensuring that they have sufficient funds to run sustainably and collaborating with their boards and leagues to resolve issues. The regulator will have the full legal authority to impose severe penalties if necessary after the Football Governance Bill is approved by Parliament.
This will lessen the likelihood of clubs being pushed into Torquay’s extremely uncomfortable situation. I hope there will be cross-party support for the Bill, as I fully support it.
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