supporter

The chairman of Transitional Darfur Regional Authority (TDRA) slammed the beleaguered Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and accused him of being the top supporter of the rebel groups who took arms since 2003 against the central [detalii...]

An opposition supporter was killed Tuesday in clashes with police that erupted after his partys leader formalised his bid to run against President Joseph Kabila in November polls in the Democratic Republic of [detalii...]

And you thought England fans wered own today. Introducing the most unhappy France supporter at the World [detalii...]

Brendan Venter charged by RFU for allegedly pushing a female Leicester supporter and riling spectators at Welford [detalii...]

supporter knocked out by shot while watching training session I think it was one of Djibril Cisses misses, says QuinnA Sunderland fan is suing his club after being knocked out by a stray Djibril Cisse shot while watching a training session.Sunderlands chairman, Niall Quinn, revealed the legal action had started while appearing on a BBC radio phone-in. Quinn was asked by a caller on BBC Newcastles Total Sport programme whether the club would allow fans to watch the team train, which had been allowed previously.Quinn replied: "We had a supporter who got a bad injury. I think it was one of Djibril Cisses misses where he had a shot from 20 yards."Im making fun of it now, but it knocked a supporter out. It was quite serious. That supporter is in the process of suing us right now."The shows presenter, Simon Pryde, expressed his surprise that legal action was being taken. "It was one of those things," said Quinn. Sunderland declined to comment when asked for more details.Cisse, now registered at Panathinaikos, played for Sunderland 38 times in the 2008-09 season, scoring 11 times, while on loan from Marseille.Sunderland guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Campaign for democratic involvement led by supporters Direct First example of top club encouraging fans to buy sharesThe Arsenal Fanshare scheme is a landmark in the campaign to encourage mutual, democratic supporter involvement in football clubs, which is led by the organisation supporters Direct.The opposition to the "leveraged buyouts" by the Glazer family at Manchester United, and by Tom Hicks and George Gillett at Liverpool, is being led by formally constituted supporters trusts, which have been established at 160 clubs at all levels in Britain.Arsenal Fanshare is the first example of a top club co-operating with its trust actively to encourage its fans to buy shares and have a voice in the clubs running. The prohibitive cost of buying club shares has meant just one professional club in England is fully supporter-owned, Exeter City in League One.Elsewhere in Europe, many football clubs remain majority supporter-owned, including Barcelona and Real Madrid, and all but two clubs in the German Bundesliga.ArsenalBusinessDavid Conn guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

The princes were speaking at an FA reception in Johannesburg along with David Beckham, who was confronted by the [detalii...]

Jury finds case not proven supporter convicted of breach of the peaceA supporter has been cleared of assaulting the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, during a match last season after a jury found the charge not proven.John Wilson, 26, was accused of a sectarian attack on the manager as his side played Hearts in a Scottish Premier League game at Tynecastle.A jury at Edinburgh sheriff court said the charge against Wilson, from the city, was not proven.Wilson, a Hearts fan, was convicted of a breach of the peace in relation to the incident on 11 May.Neil LennonHeartsCeltic guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

A Zambian junior minister, who shot and wounded an opposition supporter, was arrested and charged on Thursday night just hours after he was [detalii...]

Striker feared suspension after confrontation with supporter FA to take no further action after reviewing footageStoke have been given a boost ahead of Sundays FA Cup semi-final against Bolton at Wembley as striker Ricardo Fuller will be available to play.Fuller, 31, was concerned he could be ruled out of the showpiece match after a confrontation with a supporter on Saturday during the 3-2 defeat by Tottenham at White Hart Lane. However the Football Association have confirmed there is no case to answer.A spokesman for the governing body said: "We do not tend to react to still images, so we looked at the television footage of the incident. After reviewing the footage, it was decided no further action would be taken."Fuller has been used mainly as an impact substitute this season, making only nine league starts and scoring four goals.Stoke CityBolton WanderersFA CupThe FA guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Former South African netball captain Irene van Dyk, who emigrated to New Zealand more than a decade ago, on Friday became the first woman to present Springbok match [detalii...]

John Taylor said to have headed 25lb bin thrown by fans Family of dead Blackburn supporter disputed witnesses claimsStoke City have defended their safety record on Thursday after a coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure on a supporter who died after being struck by a rubbish bin.The club said they would do all they could to prevent a repeat of the "unprecedented" death of the Blackburn Rovers fan John Taylor, who was said by witnesses to have "headed" a 25lb bin thrown by a fellow supporter during a match at the Britannia Stadium in February last year.Mr Taylor, whose family disputed the witnesses claims, died in hospital after suffering severe head injuries on the concourse of the stadiums South Stand, where a group of around 100 Rovers fans had gathered at the start of the second half.In a statement released after the conclusion of an inquest into the 30-year-olds death, Stoke Citys chief executive, Tony Scholes, said the club were pleased that the matter had now been brought to a conclusion, not least for those close to Mr Taylor.Mr Scholes said: "The death of John Taylor was a terrible tragedy and our thoughts remain with his family. This was an unforeseen and unprecedented incident, the like of which has certainly never been seen in Stoke before."We have an excellent safety record, in line with all clubs in the Premier League, one which is closely regulated by the authorities and one constantly under review to ensure that we provide the safest possible environment for visitors."Despite all of that, it is extremely difficult to legislate for all circumstances. What we must all do, however, is use the knowledge of what happened in this instance to try and prevent an incident like this ever happening again."The inquest heard that Mr Taylor, a father of one from Darwen, Lancashire, had been a Blackburn supporter since he was a child and that no one faced criminal charges in respect of his death.Blackburn RoversStoke City guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

A Paris Saint-Germain football fan has died after spending weeks in a coma following an attack by rival PSG [detalii...]

Aston Villa owner says only way fans can be won over is by actions on and off pitch, but craves success like any [detalii...]

Rangers manager Walter Smith recalls the Ibrox Disaster match which he attended as a [detalii...]

Everton manager furious after claiming Brentford supporter chucked missile at away [detalii...]

Eastlands club sweating on possible action after lone supporter confronted three players on the [detalii...]

The 35-year-old supporter survived a 20-foot fall from the upper tier at The Den during Saturdays 3-3 draw with [detalii...]

London - A seventh Wimbledon title from Roger Federer would mean a payday of 150,000 dollars for British charity Oxfam through a bet from a late [detalii...]

Saracens is pleased an RFU disciplinary tribunal has cleared Brendan Venter of pushing a lady supporter of Leicester Tigers, but are to immediately appeal his 14-week touchline [detalii...]

Co-owner Sullivan claims drunken fan to blame for fracas A player was racially abused by the same drunken supporterThe West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has claimed that a drunken supporter racially abused a player, sparking the brawl that marred the clubs end-of-season dinner on Monday night. The event was spoiled by a disturbance between supporters and players which caused the police to be called to the Grosvenor Hotel in central London.Sullivan told Sky Sports News: "The whole incident has been blown out of all proportion. It was one individual that had too much to drink, sadly a problem in British society. A player was racially abused by the same drunken supporter which is totally unacceptable. Sadly one drunken supporter has let the club down."It is thought the player in question may be Demba Ba, who according to witnesses, was also at the centre of the row after he allegedly refused to sign an autograph. Trouble apparently flared once the clubs co-owner David Gold had delivered a speech in which he had pledged the teams stay in the Championship would be brief after relegation was confirmed at Wigan Athletic on Sunday.Witnesses claimed supporters then reacted badly after Ba supposedly turned down the autograph request, with other players, including Manuel da Costa, confronted in the ensuing melee.Plates and glasses were apparently broken in the brief fracas that followed, with a group of supporters running from the function suite out of the hotel, pursued by security staff.West Ham UnitedJamie Jackson guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Fifa ask officials at Ellis Park to investigate how a supporter shined a laser on the pitch during Argentina contest with [detalii...]

Carlos Zambrano offers his support to Cubs manager Mike [detalii...]

During the NRM National Executive Council (NEC) meeting early this year, Angela Kebba, a staunch supporter of the ruling NRM from Adjumani district, accused politicians from northern Uganda of [detalii...]

The Sports Team member will work 5 days, Weekend + 3 week days of choice. The weekend days are on a night schedule - from 17:00 to 01:00 (summer [detalii...]

When it comes to back row players and the surname Burger in South Africa, the obvious name that comes to mind is that of World Cup-winning Springbok, Schalk. However, mention that surname near a Saracens supporter and there is absolutely no doubt that the name Jacques will quickly roll off that fans [detalii...]

Cardiff manager has said his thoughts were only for the supporter who fell from the upper tier at the Den during his sides 3-3 at [detalii...]

Paris - A 38-year-old supporter of French side Paris Saint- Germain (PSG) has died three weeks after being severely beaten by members of a rival gang of supporters of the same team, Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said Thursday on RTL radio. The [detalii...]

Efforts to conclude constitutional outreach meetings in Harare and Chitungwiza again ended on a chaotic note after MDC supporter Jonsaya Manyere was stabbed in the head by ZANU PF thugs. His party said he is battling for his life at the Avenues Clinic after he was first assaulted before being [detalii...]

Australia captain is known to be a big supporter of Ryan Harris, who has been named in squad for second [detalii...]

Tom Hicks and George Gillett will signal their intention to walk away from Liverpool, having bowed to the twin pressures of financial reality and supporter antipathy that have dogged their three years in [detalii...]

Former coach Miles Maclagan a strong supporter of the team following amicable split with Andy [detalii...]

SSUED ON BEHALF OF THE SRU The decision to reintroduce supporter car parking on the back pitches at Murrayfield has been warmly welcomed by fans and Scottish Rugby today announced that parking spaces for this weekend have sold [detalii...]

A strong supporter of the opposition NRP who recently defected to the ruling APRC in Upper Saloum has said that he mobilised Senegalese residents at the border in that area to register and vote for the NRP during the last elections in the [detalii...]

Chelsea have begun paving the way for a potential move away from Stamford Bridge by proposing to buy back the freehold on the land where their home is built. The freehold was purchased by supporter-led group Chelsea Pitch Owners plc in 1997 to safeguard the club from the threat of property developers. The proposed purchase [detalii...]

Last week a supporter with an opposition political party in Burundi was shot dead, sparking off protests. Thereafter an international human rights organisation said political violence before local and national ballots which kick off on Friday this week with district elections, risk jeopardising the countrys efforts to build a multiparty democracy after several years of civil [detalii...]

Alhaji Lawal Garba who once represented Daura Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, is a founding member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in Katsina State and a staunch supporter of General Muhammadu Buhari. We spotted him penultimate Thursday in the crowd that gathered to witness the award ceremony held in honour of Buhari at the Sheraton Hotel, [detalii...]

Airline recruitment policy reportedly prompted protest Play halted while police detached man from goalpostA man was in police custody on Wednesday after Tuesday nights match between Everton and Manchester City was brought to a standstill when a supporter handcuffed himself to a goalpost. The pitch invasion forced the referee to halt play at Goodison Park for nearly five minutes.The incident occurred shortly before 8.40pm, five minutes before the end of the first half, with the match goalless. Both teams managers used the pause to speak to their players as several Merseyside police officers worked to remove the man from visiting goalkeeper Joe Harts left-hand post.The man, who wore a T-shirt, jeans and baseball cap, was eventually led away, and Everton went on to win 1-0.In a statement, Everton said: "Bolt-cutters were used to remove the offender, who was roundly booed as he was escorted from the ground."It transpired that the supporter is a known professional protester, allegedly protesting about an airlines recruitment policy. He was arrested by Merseyside police, who are now dealing with the matter."Merseyside police said a 46-year-old man from Southport was arrested for pitch invasion following the incident. A spokesman added: "He has been taken to a police station, where he remains, to be questioned."EvertonManchester City guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Noel Gallagher, an avid Manchester City supporter, is convinced captain Carlos Tevez will remain at Eastlands despite his recent transfer request. The former Oasis guitarist believes Tevez’s desire to leave the club is part of a tactic from the player and his agent to negotiate an improved contract with cash-rich City – and is not [detalii...]

DIE Hard for RB and the MMD Team national coordinator Bowman Lusambo has challenged Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Musa Mwenye to furnish the police with evidence linking MMD Lusaka Province chairperson William Banda to last weekends violence in [detalii...]

William Mukuwari - the MDC-T Budiriro district youth assembly treasurer - is battling for life at a private hospital in Harare after he was shot by an alleged ZANU-PF supporter in the politically volatile high-density suburb on Saturday. Still in Budiriro, 14 MDC-T youths were arrested over the weekend on allegations of perpetrating violence. They were made to pay fines of US20 each although eyewitnesses say they were arrested after they had gone to Budiriro Police Station to report that they had been assaulted by soldiers on Friday last [detalii...]

Fan chased Watfords Lloyd Doyley around the pitch supporter then assaulted by another Millwall fanMillwall intend to ban for life the fan who chased Watfords Lloyd Doyley around the pitch yesterday during the teams 6-1 thrashing. Another Lions supporter has been arrested for attacking the pitch invader.The first fan, a 22-year-old member of the armed services, ran on the New Den pitch and pursued right-back Doyley, who ran in the opposite direction before the supporter was bundled off the pitch by a steward and Millwall striker Neil Harris. The man then scuffled with security staff and other Millwall fans, including a 41-year-old who appeared to hit him and has been arrested on suspicion of assault.Millwall said the first fan has also been arrested, and is expected to be charged with entering the field of play.The incidents happened shortly before half-time, 11 minutes after Doyley had been booked for a late tackle. Millwall were losing 2-0 at the time and the final scoreline equalled Watfords record away win. It was Millwalls biggest defeat since 2002.In another incident that, along with the others, will be drawn to the FAs attention, a Millwall fan hurled a bottle at Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach.The Millwall safety officer, Ken Chapman, said: "The fan who came on to the pitch has been banned for five years instantly and it will quite likely be longer through the courts. The second fan, who was one of two people who hit the first fan, has been arrested on suspicion of assault."In happier mood was the Watford manager Malky Mackay, who hailed it as their best performance since he took charge at Vicarage Road.The Hornets raced into a three-goal, half-time lead through John Eustace, Jordon Mutch and the in-form Marvin Sordell. Adrian Mariappa added a fourth and although Liam Trotter pulled a goal back, Danny Graham and Martin Taylor ensured Watford had six different scorers to seal a remarkable win.The victory moved Watford up to fifth in the table and Mackay said: "Its my best as a boss. To come down here and come away with a result and have it earned - scoring goals and creating extra chances - all credit to the lads. Their goalkeeper pulled off some great saves."You have to match Millwalls work-rate and nullify their strengths. We went at them and applied ourselves from minute one. Its down to team spirit - we are a young squad and maybe that helps us. We have a sense of togetherness. We have no egos."Mackay said Dooley had not been affected by the incident with the fan. "Lloyds not shell-shocked and thankfully he was not attacked. He was very calm and did not affect him."Millwalls manager Kenny Jackett, formerly of Watford, said: "Watford were better in every department. We need to react positively. My starting line up was tried and trusted and my team know the pattern."MillwallWatfordChampionship guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Shadow sports minister derides Labour scheme Plan would force clubs to give equity to supporters groupsA government plan that could see clubs forced to hand over 25% of their shares to supporters groups has been attacked as "a pre-election gimmick" by the Conservatives.As exclusively revealed by the Guardian, Labour is considering giving fans first refusal on the purchase of shares in their clubs when they are put up for sale, and clubs could be required to hand over up to a quarter of the total stock to supporters groups.The move comes after growing unease about levels of debt in some of the top Premier League clubs, with a group of Manchester United supporters known as the Red Knights attempting to take over from the Glazer family. In detail: Browns blueprint for reforming football David Conn: A vote-winner by the government? Footballs debt, dysfunction and dissentThe shadow sports minister, Hugh Robertson, claimed there are easier ways of increasing supporter influence in clubs, such as by insisting on them all having at least one director to represent supporters.Robertson told the Press Association: "After 13 years of inactivity by the government on this issue, this has all the hallmarks of a pre-election gimmick. There are massive, massive implications for company law and insolvency law."Robertson claimed changing the rules on governance to increase supporter influence would be quicker and easier.No10 is expected to include the plans as part of Labours general election manifesto. Other strategies being considered include giving the football authorities a deadline to reform the FA and removing "vested interests" from the board. It would also give the leagues and the FA more power in ratifying takeovers of clubs.ConservativesLabourFootball politicsPremier League guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Portsmouth fan earns reward for trips to Pyongyang Clark has travelled worldwide to support North KoreaThe cameras will no doubt be focusing on photogenic Brazilian supporters tomorrow but it may just be worth keeping an eye out for one unusual North Korean fan. Bryan Clark, a 58-year-old from Portsmouth, could well be the communist countrys most loyal travelling supporter.Clark, a manager for a logistics company and a lifelong Portsmouth fan, has travelled around the world over the last few years following North Korea, sometimes the teams only fan at a game. He is in South Africa supporting England but will also be unfurling his North Korean flag (with "Portsmouth" written across it) at his other teams games, starting with Brazil.Clark said: "I think its partly because being a fan of North Korea is so difficult that I want to do it so much. The challenge is something I enjoy - even if it means travelling to a country with a reputation like North Koreas."He had to wait months to be granted permission to enter North Korea to watch a game there. It was easier getting access to the teams match in Saudi Arabia, though odd being probably the only North Korean supporter in the stadium filled with 60,000 fans. "It was a bit strange thats for sure," he said. "There are only very rarely any away supporters when the national team plays, so you dont get any kind of real atmosphere. But it was a big game for the Saudis, so they were out in force."It was the draw in Saudi which secured qualification for North Korea. Two years ago Clark organised a cricket tournament that took place in North Korea involving visiting teams from England, South Africa, Australia and Holland.His powers of persuasion mean that there will be at least two North Korean followers at tomorrows game as his wife, Pauline, is accompanying him. He believes the team are strong and organised and might just cause a surprise."Ive booked my tickets for all the World Cup games I was interested in, for England as well as North Korea. Im really looking forward to it. This will be the most exposure the team has ever had," said Clark.North KoreaWorld Cup 2010 Group GWorld Cup 2010 guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Arsenal manager very sad over England bid failure Wants more technical way of awarding hosting rightsArsene Wenger has said that Fifas decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia instead of England was a decision from the "middle ages".Wenger was an official supporter of the England 2018 bid and recorded a video message that was shown to Fifa committee members as part of yesterdays bid presentation in Zurich.The Arsenal manager joined other Premier League managers in commenting on Fifas decision when he said: "Im very sad because I supported that bid as much as I could. I am sad for the people who have a passion in England for football. I dont believe Fifa was conscious of how much it meant to people here. I watched as well how much the people worked for this bid and they put some unbelievable quality work in."Wenger believes that World Cups should be allocated on a more scientific basis, taking in the relative merits of the technical bids.He said: "It looked to me a little bit of a middle age way to decide. You would like to have much more technical criteria than human criteria. You could have 100 criteria for example with a different weight and you put that in a computer and the best comes out. It doesnt look right in modern life that people have to go over there and lobby and say please believe in us. I would like to see it be more technical."You have to work in the modern life to get all suspicion out. Is the suspicion right or wrong I dont know, but you dont want a vote of that importance to be the subject of suspicion."England collected two first-round votes from the 22 Fifa executive committee members."I personally cannot understand that," said Wenger. "I was a great supporter of that bid. You have to take it on board and get on with it. It has not been played here for a long, long time and this country created the sport. Thats why I say you should have 100 criteria, the technical, commercial, the fact that the country never had the competition before could be one of them and give them a different weight and decide."That criteria cannot be the only one that is taken into consideration before a decision of that magnitude is made. Russia is a good candidate and congratulations to them. But we all do not know why the England bid has failed so much."Asked about the effect of recent British media investigations into the behaviour of some Fifa members, Wenger said: "Did it help? Certainly not."World Cup 2018Arsene WengerArsenal guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Venter alleged to have pushed a female Leicester supporter Saracens says it is inconceivable director of rugby is guiltySaracens are to launch a "vigorous defence" of their director of rugby, Brendan Venter, after the South African was charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game by the Rugby Football Union last night.The 40-year-old is alleged to have pushed a female Leicester supporter and made provocative and inappropriate gestures and comments to spectators during his sides 32-23 Guinness Premiership win at Welford Road on Saturday - a success which made them become the first side to beat the Tigers at their east Midlands home since Wasps in September 2008.It is not the first time Venter has found himself in hot water with the authorities this season. In January he was handed a four-week ban, suspended until the end of this year, for comments he made about the referee David Rose after Saracens were defeated by Leicester at Vicarage Road.But, as they did on that occasion, Saracens have leapt to the defence of the former Springbok centre.Nigel Wray, Sarries chairman, said via a club statement: "I know Brendan well and it is simply inconceivable that a man of such outstanding qualities would act in this manner. We will take whatever action is necessary to protect Brendans excellent reputation."Sarries chief executive, Edward Griffiths, was critical of the fact Venter had to sit among the home supporters during Saturdays contest, and also accused the RFU of choosing to hear only one side of the argument before charging Venter."Brendan was put in an impossible situation at Leicester," Griffiths said. "Imagine Arsenal playing at Stamford Bridge, and Arsene Wenger being made to watch the game from a seat in the midst of passionate Chelsea season-ticket holders. It would not happen in football, yet that is exactly what happened on Saturday."Brendan did rise from his seat, but only because his view was restricted and he could not otherwise have followed play. Several Leicester supporters did complain and confront him, but it is a complete and total misrepresentation of the facts to suggest that Brendan pushed any Leicester supporter. This is simply not true."It is astonishing that the RFU has brought and publicised these charges after requesting statements only from Leicester supporters and stewards and so hearing only one side of the story. Brendan, a medical doctor, is rightly appalled that charges have been brought before anybody has even had the courtesy of speaking to him."Venter will be joined at a disciplinary hearing - to be chaired by RFU disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett, in Londons Strand on Tuesday 18 May - by the Saracens hooker Schalk Brits and the Leicester flanker Craig Newby.Brits, one of the nominees for the Rugby Players Association players player award, is alleged to have made a foul and abusive gesture to the crowd as he was being substituted. The Kiwi flanker Newby has been cited for a dangerous charge on the Saracens fly-half Glen Jackson.SaracensLeicester TigersGuinness PremiershipRugby union guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Forest owner was owed 75.6m by Championship club Doughty was committed to investing a further 23mNottingham Forest are having to come to terms with the owner Nigel Doughtys sudden death, which has left everyone connected with the club in shock.In the circumstances it feels insensitive to speculate on what the financial implications are for the club that Doughty devoted so much time to, yet questions are being asked because of the level of his support. Doughty bought Forest in 1999 for 11m and, according to the last set of accounts, was owed 75.6m by the club, comprising 64.2m of cash plus 11.4m of accumulated interest. His detractors - and there were many of them towards the end of his time as chairman - often overlooked the size of his investment.It is understood that Doughty made provision to ensure the clubs debts are met for the next two and a half years when he decided to step down as chairman in October amid growing supporter unrest and after admitting that he made a mistake when he appointed Steve McClaren as manager that summer. Doughtys backing meant that he would invest a further 23m between now and the end of the 2013-14 season. The wider issue of what happens regarding the 75.6m that Doughty is owed will only become clear when details of his beneficiaries are revealed.Doughty, 54, was found dead at his home in Lincolnshire on Saturday, 24 hours before Forest were due at Derby County. The match was postponed due to the weather. He was a staunch supporter of the Labour party as well as being a lifelong Forest fan. He leaves a wife and four children, including Michael, a promising footballer with Queens Park Rangers who is on loan at Crawley Town. Doughty is believed to have died from natural causes."He was a thoroughly decent man," said David Pleat, who worked for Doughty in a consultant role at Forest. "He had a passion for the club and he ran the club properly. He was a generous, kind and humble man. I have met so many people in football and Nigel, with all his wealth, had real humility. I never saw him angry, and if he lost a football match, he lost it with dignity. He loved Forest; it was his pride. And he was determined to get it back to the promised land."Nottingham ForestChampionship 2011-12ChampionshipStuart James guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

The ownership of football clubs matters, if we are to oppose a society where nothing has value and everything has a priceThe ownership of football clubs, writes Martin Kettle, does not matter. The ownership of Liverpool Football Club, in particular, ranks among those things "about which one does not care and which dont matter either". I dont care whether or not he cares, but it does matter.The current nature of ownership of many of our clubs is a particular manifestation of the larger recent dominance of the economy by neoliberalism and financialisation. It is one way those huge shifts in economy and society touch peoples lives. And it is through such specifics that people encounter, and learn to address, the more general political issues. If we are to build opposition to this society in which everything is for sale and everything has a price, then it has to start at ground level, from the myriad concrete ways in which people are affected. The ownership of our football clubs is one of them.A social movement has grown up around Liverpool FC. It began, of course, with opposition to Hicks and Gillett. Its activities are multifarious and imaginative: rallies, marches, email campaigns, lobbying, banners, songs, videos, fanzines and an attempt to take ownership of the club through establishing a credit union.One day in Manhattan, Hicks was spotted by a fan, a financial consultant. Guessing that Hicks was there seeking funds, the fan sent images to his partner, who put them on Twitter, where they were picked up by a cabby in Liverpool, who posted a form letter online. In an hour, emails were flowing in to the financial institutions on that Manhattan street. It was all written up in the Wall Street Journal. A small example.This is a movement that certainly has its internal disagreements, but it is remarkable for its social mix, its international nature, its careful tone (and debate over this), and its depth of knowledge. As SaveLFC says, in calling for people to lend their skills, "Ordinary people did all this". This is an organic creation drawing on and developing a popular and collective expertise. Stand on the Kop, read a blog, walk down a train on the way to a match, and youll find it being developed.Still, isnt it all over now? The clubs been sold. One set of Americans has gone, another installed. The debt has been cleared.First, for many of us this was not just about "Americans" or even "foreign" ownership. There are certainly localist hostilities, but the clubs fanbase is global, the campaign itself international. The supporter-based ShareLiverpoolFC, facing geographical restrictions on where it could offer shares, appealed to Norwegian fans, especially lawyers, for information about financial regulations there. An optimistic reading is that it is in movements such as these that some of the tensions of local/global are being addressed.Second, whats at issue for me and many others is the whole model of ownership. Spirit of Shankly - ShareLiverpoolFC have long called for democratic supporter ownership of the club and this remains their long-term goal. For now, they are pressing for "supporter-ownership through a direct equity shareholding in LFC, in partnership with new owners, giving the supporters real and meaningful representation". In this, fans are challenging "the laissez-faire stance of the football authorities" so well described by Andy Green on Comment is free. The arguments learned here could be carried into a wider movement against a form of economy in which nothing has value, everything has a price, and all that matters is short-term gain.LiverpoolBusinessFootball politicsDoreen Massey guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Joint chairman hits out at appalling performances supporters encouraged to back team against StokeDavid Sullivan, the joint-chairman of West Ham United, has posted an emotional open letter to the fans on the clubs website. The letter, written after Tuesday nights 3-1 home defeat to Wolves, and looking ahead to another home fixture against Stoke on Saturday, calls on the clubs fans to get behind the team, which has lost their last five games. The letter is reproduced in full below:I am writing this on Wednesday morning. I had no sleep last night, having watched the shambolic performance by the team against Wolves. I was as angry and upset as every supporter in the stadium at the disorganised way we played, allowing Wolves too much space so that they looked more like Manchester United. This was the culmination of five defeats in a row, including an appalling performance against Bolton. We have a few very talented players in our team, but it is a very unbalanced squad. Individually we have some very good players, but this is not being converted into a good team performance. Nobody at the club should delude themselves that we are a good team. The table at this stage of the season does not lie. However, with some of the outstanding players we have, we can and must do better as a team. I apologise to every supporter for the pathetic showing on Tuesday night but I fully expect a dramatic improvement as we have so much individual talent. I accept that the club is in deep relegation trouble. However, we are a long way from being relegated. With your help we can get out of this and regroup in the summer. This is a difficult time. It has been a week to regret but Saturdays result can change that. We need a win, we need you to support us, to forgive us the result against Wolves and to remember what this great club is about. The history and tradition of West Ham United, the heritage and the prestige demands we are a Premier League club. But we have no right to that. We have to earn it. The Academy of Football? Now we have to show that. The manager knows, I know, the players know. When I first started supporting West Ham, we had a tradition for playing the game "the right way". I will settle for any way right now, as long as it is the winning way! We all have our favourite players, our heroes. Older fans can remember players like Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters - the cornerstone of Englands 1966 World Cup win. I know rival teams mock us West Ham fans for saying that, but one was the captain, another scored a hat-trick, the other scored the fourth. That sounds like a claret and blue contribution to me. Younger supporters will probably look to strikers such as Frank McAvennie and Tony Cottee as well as Paolo Di Canio. They all brought something special to the club. Then there was Sir Trevor Brooking, Billy Bonds, Alan Taylor, Bryan "Pop" Robson, Phil Parkes, Alvin Martin and Ray Stewart. We didnt win much but there was always a quality and a style. Another hero to watch: a midfield playmaker, a little wizard on the wing, a goalscorer. Now we need this team to show their quality. Now we need this team to show us their talent, their desire, their passion, their dare. Now we need new heroes. Saturday may be tense, on Saturday you will feel anxious and, at times, unsettled. I ask that we try not to transmit that on to the field, that we get behind the team and provide them with a platform. The rest is up to them. Its hard being an owner. Im finding its harder being an owner who is a supporter. I hope for happier times soon. Thank you for sharing the same vision and dreams. Come on West Ham. David Sullivan Joint-ChairmanDavid SullivanWest Ham UnitedPremier League guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

The select committee is looking at, among other things, whether the government should intervene in football, particularly the high-profile coverage of Liverpool and Manchester UnitedIn committee room 15 at the palace of Westminster on Tuesday, the Conservative sports minister, Hugh Robertson, will take his turn answering questions from the select committee for culture media and sport inquiry into football. Robertson will follow William Gaillard, the adviser to the Uefa president Michel Platini, who is likely to receive a friendly hearing from the MPs, principally for the financial fair play rules which, against early strident opposition, Uefa has steered through.Robertson appears almost a year since his party entered government with the Liberal Democrats and included in their coalition agreement an undertaking to "encourage the reform of football governance rules to support the co-operative ownership of clubs by supporters".The select committees inquiry remit includes looking at whether supporters are "ill-served" by the way the game is run; how to "enhance supporter involvement in decision-making processes"; and whether there is a "case for strategic government intervention" into football, particularly referring to "the high-profile coverage of Liverpool and Manchester United" and "broader concerns".The committee, particularly the Labour MP Paul Farrelly, has consistently said its task is to make sense of the coalitions pledge about encouraging supporter involvement and ownership. Robertson saying this year that he supports the inquirys work, was outspoken in his condemnation of the way football is run."Football is the worst governed sport in this country, without a shadow of a doubt," he said. "The levels of corporate governance that apply to football lag far behind other sports and other sports are by no means beacons in this regard."Here are 20 questions the MPs on the committee may consider asking the sports minister:1) When you described football as "the worst governed sport in this country", which particular aspects of its running, and corporate governance, did you have in mind?2) Which other sports do footballs levels of corporate governance "lag far behind"?3) Which sports may be considered models for how football could be run?4) What does the government intend to do about footballs deficiencies?5) How does the government plan to implement the pledge made in the coalition agreement to "support the co-operative ownership of football clubs by supporters"?6) Given the difficulty supporters have raising sufficient money to buy significant stakes even in smaller clubs which can cost a few million pounds, let alone the likes of Arsenal whose takeover by Stan Kroenke valued the club at 731m, how does the government plan to enable such supporter ownership to happen?7) Does the government back "enhanced supporter involvement in decision-making processes", as the inquiry stated in its remit, and if so, how does it plan to help it happen at clubs, and the governing bodies, in a meaningful, constitutionally embedded way?8) As enhanced supporter involvement and ownership of clubs is the governments priority, what is the minister planning to do to ensure that supporters Direct, the organisation which helps fans form trusts and become involved, has secure funding to enable it to do its work?9) Does the minister believe "leveraged buyouts", such as those by the Glazer family of Manchester United, and Tom Hicks and George Gillett of Liverpool, which loaded the costs of their takeovers on to the clubs themselves, should be outlawed?10) If so, does the government have any plans to outlaw leveraged buyouts of companies in the wider economy, where they have been common practice for years?11) Does the minister believe the Football Association needs strengthening so it can be more effective as the governing body?12) If so, how does he plan to help to strengthen it?13) Does the minister believe a licensing system should be introduced for all professional clubs, with the involvement of supporters in decision-making an integral part, which would be overseen by the FA?14) Is the minister prepared to pass legislation to ensure that the reforms he desires to improve the running of football actually happen?15) Why is the government due to reduce its contribution to the Football Foundation, which funds facilities and projects at the grassroots, to 10m, less than the governments co-funders, the Premier League and FA, when the nations rundown football facilities are mostly publicly owned?16) What effect will the ministers governments cuts, particularly those to local authorities which own most football facilities - 6.5bn over the next two years - have on their quality and maintenance?17) Does the government have any plans to make sport and leisure compulsory services which local authorities must provide, hence not always vulnerable when cuts are made?18) Manchester city council told the Guardian, regarding the 279m savings it has to make this year and next, the fifth highest in the country, that while it is committed to sport and leisure, "it is inevitable there will be an impact on all services". Does the minister accept that a decline in sport and leisure services in our towns and cities is inevitable?19) Does the minister believe there is a fair redistribution of money from the Premier League to the Football League, and down through to the grassroots of the game?20) Would he like to know who owns Leeds United?Football politicsConservativesDavid Conn guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Pavlos Joseph, accused of trespass after entering England dressing room, appears at special court in Cape TownA football supporter accused of trespassing after he entered Englands dressing room at the World Cup must wait until next week at the earliest to hear his fate.Pavlos Joseph, 32, from Crystal Palace, London, appeared this morning at a special World Cup court in Cape Town, but his case was adjourned until Wednesday.His solicitor, Craig Webster, requested the adjournment because the defence team was still awaiting CCTV footage from the Green Point stadium on the night of Englands 0-0 draw against Algeria.At a previous hearing, Joseph was banned from attending any more World Cup matches, had his passport seized and was released on 500 rand (44) bail.Webster asked the magistrate Aziz Hamied to postpone the case until Wednesday, when he expects to be in possession of the footage.Hamied said: "We will adjourn the matter until June 30, next Wednesday, which will either be for the representation, which if successful will be the end of the matter. Alternatively, we will be at trial."Joseph, who was arrested at the time, said later he was looking for a toilet after the match when a security guard sent him in the direction of the players tunnel.After taking a wrong turn, he found himself in the changing room where he says he told David Beckham: "David, weve spent a lot of money getting here. This is a disgrace. What are you going to do about it?"The incident, which happened minutes after Princes William and Harry left the changing room, prompted the Football Association to make an official complaint to World Cup organiser, Fifa.A spokeswoman for the UK policing team in South Africa has said a football banning order would not be pursued because the incident was not linked to violent behaviour.Joseph, a life-long England and Manchester United supporter, told the Sunday Mirror that when Beckham asked him who he was, he responded: "Im Pavlos and I actually need the toilet."He said he then addressed the players, who were sitting on benches with towels around their waists."I told them: That was woeful and not good enough. The room was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. The players chins were on their chests - they looked pretty ashamed."Joseph, surrounded by photographers, declined to make a statement upon leaving court.World Cup 2010EnglandSouth Africa guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

AST urges fans to reject any offers to sell shares Arsenal too important to be owned by any one person Arsenal fans have sent a clear message to Stan Kroenke that they do not want him to take sole control of their club. The US billionaire has launched a 500m mandatory full-takeover bid of Arsenal after acquiring a further 32% of its shares from Danny Fiszman and Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith to go with his 29.99%. However there will be resistance from the Arsenal supporters Trust, whose members collectively hold about 3% of the clubs equity."Arsenal is too important to be owned by any one person," the Trust said in a statement prepared after its AGM on Monday. "The AST wants to work with Stan Kroenke to keep Arsenal supporters involved in the clubs ownership structure. The AST and the Arsenal Fanshare scheme will not be selling the shares it owns and urges all supporters to reject this offer. In just six months the Arsenal Fanshare scheme has gained 1,800 members who have invested 500,000 in Arsenal shares. This scheme has been widely praised across the football community and is supported by the government who are currently reviewing footballs governance structures."The Trust referenced the Guardians Tuesday report that Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, had stressed that Kroenke should maintain Arsenals structure of supporter ownership through the ground-breaking Fanshare scheme it devised. "The Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday called on Stan Kroenke to continue the Fanshare scheme," added the Trust."The Arsenal board supported Arsenal Fanshare and Stan Kroenke was a member of the board at the time. Stan Kroenke has also previously told the AST that he sees supporter shareholders making an important contribution to the club and that the AST provides independent perspective to the shareholders, board and management."The AST spoke to Ivan Gazidis on Monday 11 April and he reiterated the importance he places upon fans involvement in the club and stated his commitment to custodianship," it said."The AST is encouraged that Kroenkes offer states he does not intend to de-list Arsenal from the PLUS markets. In the next few days we will seek further confirmation of his plans in this area and would like to see more detail in the formal Kroenke Sports Enterprises offer document."AST is encouraged to hear Red & White [Holdings] plan to keep their shares. They have previously stated their long-term commitment to the club and this decision would be a good demonstration of that."Stan KroenkeArsenalBusinessMatt Scott guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

MUST says chief executive is being disingenuous These anti-people are not a minorityManchester United supporters criticised by the clubs chief executive, David Gill, have launched a furious defence of their opposition to the Glazer familys ownership at Old Trafford.Although Gill claimed the vast majority of United fans worldwide were supportive of the clubs controversial American owners, he accepted there were some who would never change their view. Among those are the Manchester United supporters Trust (MUST), who have campaigned against the Glazer family since it became obvious the father Malcolm was intent on buying the club with borrowed money.Such leveraged takeovers were among the issues criticised by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport select committee, when it released the findings of an exhaustive analysis of the English game last week that called for reform at the Football Association and stricter regulations on club ownership.MUST chairman Duncan Drasdo said that Gill was mistaken if he thought their argument was purely about personality."David Gill talks about the anti-people [anti-Glazer/anti-debt] being in a minority. What he fails to mention is the hundreds of millions of pounds the Glazers have taken out of the club in interest, fees, debt repayments, personal loans and expenses all on top of the actual debt itself," said Drasdo."That is what we are against. What sensible Manchester United supporter would not be against that?"These anti-people are not a minority. We would challenge him to find one single genuine Manchester United supporter [who isnt on the Glazers payroll, obviously] who is not against the hundreds of millions they continue to siphon out of our club."In that case surely every one of those millions of fans around the world is one of the anti-people."We are all delighted by the success Sir Alex [Ferguson] and the team have managed to achieve in spite of the Glazers ownership. But success on the pitch isnt the issue here and never has been. David Gill is being disingenuous if he pretends he believes it is."It is about the hundreds of millions of pounds they have taken out of our club. No matter how much they pay him personally even he couldnt keep a straight face and claim to be in favour of that."Gill described the Glazers as "long-term owners". He previously suggested United were comfortable with their financial position, even though present debt is around 490m and no explanation has ever been given as to how the Glazers managed to pay off 220m-worth of payment-in-kind notes, that attracted massive interest, last year."We are never going to win (over) those people," said Gill. "If we won four European Cups in a row, there will be certain people who wont like the owners and what they stand for. The anti-people were here before the Glazers."But we are running the club for the vast majority of millions of fans around the world who believe the club is moving in the right direction."Manchester United guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Film director hopes his favourite team will be cheered on in Polish, but some fans are unhappy with offer of cheap ticketsA football club is attempting to boost its crowds and reach out to a minority community by offering an 80% discount on matchday tickets to Polish people.If they produce their Polish ID card, football fans can watch Bath City FC take on Grimsby Town on Saturday for 2.50. The normal price is 13 to stand on the terraces and 14 for a seat.Film director and City fan Ken Loach welcomed the clubs call to the Polish community. He said: "It is a good idea, I hope they will chant in Polish. There is a fantastic opportunity on the playing side and we just want to boost the attendance."Officials at Bath say they are simply trying to draw in a minority group and have checked with the Equality and Human Rights Commission that they are within their rights to offer the discount.But some fans of the club, which plays in the Blue Square Bet Premier league, claim the policy amounts to racial discrimination and say the club should be rewarding its followers instead.One supporter wrote on fans forum www.ilovebathcity.com: "To offer such a huge discount to one small community is plain wrong."The people who have loyally supported City through the lean years, and the regulars who have come back, are the ones who should be rewarded, not one small community, the majority of whom will not return in the future."Another supporter wrote: "This is another kick in the teeth for Citys full-paying English supporters and I dont want to stand next to anybody whos bought a ticket cheaper than mine because they are Polish."The promotion is part of a campaign by Bath City to attract its first 3,000-plus crowd at a regular league match since 1978. As part of the push, students are being offered a discount to the game against Grimsby, but the club also decided to attempt to court the Polish community in Bath and Bristol.It has advertised its offer at churches that hold Polish masses and at two Polish butchers shops.Bath Citys communications and enterprise manager, Ned Vaught, said: "One of the ideas that had been floating around for a while was to try and involve Baths Polish community in the club."Polish fans are normally enthusiastic football supporters but, in general, have not adopted their local teams when moving to the UK. We were already planning a substantial discount for Baths student population so I proposed rolling in the outreach to the Polish community as well."The Equality and Human Rights Commission emailed me to say that this was all right to do, so everything seemed set."Blue Square PremierPolandEquality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)Race issuesKen LoachSteven Morris guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]

Lee Bowyer argued with fans after being substituted Midfielder had been shown yellow cardThe Birmingham City midfielder Lee Bowyer has made an "unreserved apology" for a confrontation with a West Bromwich Albion fan during Saturdays match at The Hawthorns.Bowyer was substituted by Birminghams manager, Alex McLeish, in the second half of West Broms 3-1 win, to avoid the risk of him being sent off. The former England player had been booked for a challenge on Gabriel Tamas.Bowyer exchanged words with fans sitting behind the visiting teams dug-out, before moving to another seat.A West Brom spokesman said: "A fan made a complaint to a steward over comments made by Lee Bowyer after he had been substituted. But then Lee Bowyer made an unreserved apology to the supporter and that was the end of the matter."Birmingham CityWest Brom guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More [detalii...]