Supporters Direct July column – The battle of the owners

WHEN we enter July and August we think holidays, BBQs and, for a lot of us, pre- season!

For any football fan it is a time to rekindle that fire and passion for our clubs, but for the two teams competing for the SD Cup and SD Shield this is far from just any pre-season friendly – but a game with pride at stake.

Not only is there silverware up for grabs but this is a chance to compete against other fan-owned teams in similar off-pitch situations.

This year saw Tonbridge Angels take on Fisher FC at the Longmead Stadium yesterday. Tonbridge took the decision to be supporter-owned last year where, for £25 a year, fans have become joint owners of their club.

Fisher FC edge closer to returning to Bermondsey which would be a fantastic achievement following the demise of Fisher Athletic, with the foundations built on a group of committed volunteers and a community-ownership structure.

This weekend sees the SD Cup with FC United of Manchester taking on Wrexham on Saturday (August 1) at the newly-completed Broadhurst Park.

Both clubs boast 4,000+ joint owners, are in a healthy financial position and have much to look forward to for the coming season.

Thank you also to all the Non-League supporters who joined us for the Supporters Summit last weekend where across the two days we welcomed over 400 delegates to discuss the big issues in the game.

It was as lively as ever, reminding us that football without fans is nothing. For more information on the SD Cup and Shield come and visit us at www.supporters-direct.org, if your club is in the benefits of the supporter ownership model please check out www.clubdevelopment.coop