Spirit of Shankly calls for elected fan representation on Liverpool board

The Liverpool supporters’ union Spirit of Shankly has called for elected fan representation on the club’s board because it says it cannot trust Fenway Sports Group after the Super League fiasco.

SOS polled its members on whether to have a working relationship with FSG after Liverpool’s owner played a leading role in the attempted and short-lived coup. The vote was overwhelmingly in support of SOS being represented on the board (89%) and working with the club in leading a reform agenda, before or in conjunction with the national fan-led review.

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In a statement announcing the poll results, the union said it had raised concerns with club representatives over potential breakaway leagues for several years but “our views were ignored as they planned the opposite”.

SOS continued: “It means at present we cannot trust what the owners and board say when we meet with them. The relationship we thought we had was false. But we must use this experience as a catalyst for change. Real change. In voting to continue engagement with FSG, they must now make a decision. Their actions shamed the LFC, but they can accept the values and principles of our club and react positively. Together we can lead the change for the future of our game.

“We call for a reconstitution of the board that includes effective, elected and accountable fan representation, and not for members of the current LFC board to be that elected representative. This cannot be token representation, but one that has the ‘golden share’ on the decision-making process. We believe this is both practical and achievable. If FSG do not embrace this position, we will then consider how to respond.

“We must also take the opportunity to work alongside other supporter trusts and the FSA [Football Supporters’ Association], to ensure the government’s review into football governance includes giving fans a say in how their clubs are run. A true supporters’ voice at the heart of decision making.”