The Poolie Bunker

Fit and proper Owners and DIRECTORS.



https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ated-clubs

The bill covers checking up on existing owners!
How can we get one done on HUFC?

"If the IFR determines that an owner or director is not suitable for their role at a club, they will be removed. The IFR will have enforcement powers to protect clubs from harm the unsuitable owner or director might cause, and to ultimately remove them."

Sounds like a plan....

Not sure how they'll assess competence, and especially for a new owner - how do you prove competence or lack of it until you're doing the job?
If competence is based on winning stuff or not getting relegated there'll be lots of owners being removed regularly.
If they remove an owner and there's nobody willing to take a club on what then, Nationalise it, shut it down??
All nice ideas and good intentions but as toothless as OFWAT imo.

Competence will be judged purely on a financial basis, if they pay the bills on time, pay the players and aren’t being dragged into court by HMRC, then they are good. In that case, despite how much most fans want Raj to be replaced, then he’s not going to fail any of those tests unless he has another hissy fit and puts us into administration.

You’re right, if it’s based on performance on the pitch then it would be chaos, would it be every relegated club that has directors removed?

What if a club was punching above their weight to get in that league to start with and their aim was to survive by the skin of their teeth, but just missed out and went down?

How about if a club was odd-on for the title and finished mid-table? Is that more of a failure?

"The test comprises three key elements:

A fitness test (owners and directors) to assess an individual’s integrity, honesty, financial soundness and, in the case of directors, competence, to ensure they are a suitable custodian to run or own a football club. This draws on similar ‘fit and proper persons’ tests applied by other regulators including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), HMRC, and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

A source of wealth test (owners) to mitigate against the risk of illicit finance in football and ensure the financial sustainability of clubs and the pyramid.

To ensure the financial sustainability of clubs, prospective owners must have sufficient financial resources. They must also provide the IFR with their proposed plan to operate the club, an estimate for those costs, how those costs will be funded and the source of such funding."

Nothing there about 'winning stuff.' It's a financial test that aims to rule out clubs falling into the hands of crooks, fantasists without the wherewithal to deliver their plans, and money launderers (who would turn football clubs into giant versions of Turkish barbershops).

All stuff that should have been in place decades ago but wasn't. If it had been, Coxberg would never got their hands on Pools. Would a regulator have decided that Raj was a "suitable custodian to run or own a football club" (HUFC) after he had put another town's football club into administration? When the alternative was HUFC going bust anyway? Your guess is as good as mine.

But it doesn't define competence does it, the financial stuff is pretty much defined but what basis will competence be assessed is the question I'm asking.
Personally I don't think this will make an iota of difference going forward, there'll be dodgy owners who'll find a way around the rules and there'll still be clubs going to the wall.
Wonder which footballing intelligencia they'll appoint, no doubt it (probably won't identify as a he/she) will be an ethnic minority, LGBTQ...., and of course disabled, experience of all aspects of football club or at least an awareness of the sport desirable but not essential. They'll if course needs an organisation around them costing taxpayers tens if not hundreds of millions per year.

Think I might apply, reckon I must be in with a good shout, given that I identify as a black disabled lesbian
I could then channel any 'savings' I make down Clarence Road in a wheelbarrow, to help fund our promotion push- what's not to like?!

nobody actually knows how any new owner will perform if its there first club. my worry is the takeover of british football by foreign owners who do not understand the mindset of local fans who are all similar to each other. will they have the power to strip owners of there clubs. its going to be an expnsive legal process if they can and more grief for the government from those with no interest in football. i,d guess they outnumber those who have.

Can't see why there's a need for a government appointed regulator, surely the League and the FA should be keeping their house in order? I also don't see why membership of the FA or EFL or even NL couldn't be covered by some form of insurance against insolvency considering the huge sums of money going into the sport.

The competence has nothing to do with what happens on the pitch.
The owner has to pledge/Assure the football that finance is in place for the Full season, A club be handed over to trustees. I think
Not only that but Directors can be removed again, i think

May be fans complaints can be looked into, Time will tell.

You actually think the FA give a flying.

No I don't, but I think they should.

as long as the premier league survives an prospers they could not give a shit about leytonorient never mind pools. really doubt this or any other government does either.

So a waste of taxpayers money then?

Nope. The regulator will be able to:

"Require clubs to seek approval if they propose a sale or relocation of their home ground... any relocation must not significantly undermine the heritage of a club, with clubs being required to consult their supporters on any proposal prior to the Regulator giving approval.

Prevent English clubs from joining breakaway or unlicensed leagues.

Introduce a backstop power to intervene in the distribution of broadcast revenue where necessary."

The last one is the real reason the government has got involved. The Premier League will now be forced to sign up to a bigger share of broadcast revenue going to clubs in the EFL and further down the pyramid. They've had plenty of chances to be a bit less greedy voluntarily, but always refused.