Blackpool Fans meet the Shadow Regulator

Representatives of several Blackpool fan groups met with the Shadow Regulator Martyn Henderson on 6 August.

Martyn gave a presentation about his role in paving the way for the independent regulator to take office, and gave us some insights about what we can expect to happen in the immediate future. There is a great deal to do in consultation with Leagues, clubs and fans to create guidance and rules that will be key features of the new legislation. These will cover Owners & Directors Tests and fan engagement, amongst other topics.

Fans were able to ask questions about:

• the FIFA / UEFA approach to English regulation

• how the regulator will be financed

• the club licensing system - what it is, how it will be introduced

• the regulator's powers, and how they might be used

• how the regulator will work with fans

• the timetable of events for the immediate future

• what "success" will look like in the longer term

We were all grateful to Martyn for a highly informative discussion. He is talking to fans of as many clubs as possible in the remainder of this calendar year, and expressed a wish to keep the dialogue going in the future. BST will confer with other fan groups about how and when that can be done in a way that benefits everyone.