Supporters Direct

{{short description|Organization}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}

{{Infobox organization

|name = Supporters Direct

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|image = Supporters Direct.png

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|size = 96px

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|formation = January 2000

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|location = London

|region_served = United Kingdom

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|leader_title = Chief Executive

|leader_name = Ashley Brown

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|website = {{URL|www.supporters-direct.org}}

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Supporters Direct was an umbrella organisation set up originally by the British government (with cross-party support) to provide support and assistance for its member trusts to secure a greater level of accountability and deliver democratic representation within football clubs and within football's governing structures. Its first managing director was Brian Lomax, founder of the first supporters' trust at Northampton Town F.C. Supporters Direct also worked in other sports, most notably rugby league, as well as ice hockey. It was also funded by UEFA to work in football across Europe.

Amongst other things, Supporters Direct promoted the value of supporter and community engagement and helped supporters' trusts to secure influence and become a constructive voice in how their club is run. There are now over 200 supporters' trusts in the UK; clubs owned in partnership with supporters' trusts such as Swansea City A.F.C. and over 50 clubs owned by their supporters including Enfield Town FC, the first ever supporter owned football club in the United Kingdom, AFC Wimbledon, Exeter City F.C., Newport County and Wrexham F.C.{{cite web|url=http://www.supporters-direct.org/homepage/aboutsupportersdirect/|publisher=supporters-direct.org|title=About SD – Supporters Direct|accessdate=11 April 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.supporters-direct.org/homepage/aboutsupportersdirect/facts-figures/|publisher=supporters-direct.org|title=Facts & Figures – Supporters Direct|accessdate=11 April 2017}}

Existing as a Community Benefit Society, Supporters Direct was owned by its members and funded by a combination of the Fans Fund of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, The RFL, UEFA. the Scottish Government, and member trust subscriptions. The consultancy Club Development allowed SD to expand its work in other sports at all levels of the game.

Unfortunately SD ran into some financial difficulties and was placed under pressure by the Fans Fund (which is run by the Premier League to merge back office operations with the Football Supporters Federation. Some felt that this was due to Supporters Direct often being critical of the way football is governed. However, on 28 July 2018 a full merger was approved by both organisations at their AGMs. On 22 November the merger was finalised at an EGM with the former FSF chair elected as chair of the newly merged organisation.{{cite web | url=https://www.sportsthinktank.com/news/2018/11/football-supporters-and-supporters-direct-merge | title=Football Supporters and Supporters Direct Merge | date=24 November 2018 }}

Competitions

=The Brian Lomax Supporters Direct Cup=

The Brian Lomax Supporters Direct Cup is an annual invitational, pre-season friendly competition established by Supporters Direct. The cup is competed for between supporter-owned clubs and was first won by AFC Wimbledon, who beat Enfield Town, 3–2, on 12 August 2002 at Cheshunt. Other winners have been AFC Telford United, Brentford, Enfield Town and FC United of Manchester. AFC Wimbledon have featured six times in the match and FC United made their fifth appearance in 2011.

In 2013, the Supporters Direct Cup featured a fixture between Scottish sides for the first time, with Dunfermline Athletic going head to head against Heart of Midlothian at East End Park on 13 July. Both sides at the time were in administration however, Dunfermline Athletic have since exited administration and are owned by fans group, Pars United. Hearts won the match 2–1.

The cup itself was paid for by subscriptions from supporters' trusts and individual fans, and is inscribed with Jock Stein's maxim, "Football without fans is nothing." In the spirit of the fixture, gate receipts from the match are split between competing clubs.

==Finals==

class="wikitable"

!colspan=2|Date

!Winner

!Scorers

!Runner-up

!Scorers

!Score

!Venue

!Attendance

style="background-color: Blue" |

| 12 August 2002

AFC WimbledonSheerin, Cooper, SidwellEnfield TownAlleyne, St Hilaire3–2Cheshunt Stadium521
style="background-color: Grey" |

|2003

colspan=7|Not held
style="background-color: Red" |

| 20 July 2004

BrentfordBurton, PetersAFC Wimbledon2–0Griffin Park2,562
style="background-color: Blue" |

| 23 July 2005

AFC WimbledonCraceF.C. United of Manchester1–0Kingsmeadow3,301
style="background-color: Red" |

| 22 July 2006

F.C. United of ManchesterBrown, TorpeyAFC WimbledonBarnes2–1Gigg Lane2,136
style="background-color: White" |

| 4 August 2007

Enfield TownEdmundsCambridge CityMidgley1–1Goldsdown Road244
style="background-color: Red" |

| 19 July 2008

BrentfordConnell, ElderAFC WimbledonMain2–1Kingsmeadow1,361
style="background-color: Blue" |

| 25 July 2009

AFC WimbledonJudge, RapsonF.C. United of Manchester2–0Kingsmeadow1,772
style="background-color: White" |

| 24 July 2010

AFC Telford UnitedBrown, MeechanF.C. United of Manchester2–0New Bucks Head803
style="background-color: Blue" |

| 16 July 2011

ChesterOrmrod, BrownF.C. United of ManchesterNeville2–1Deva Stadium1,927
style="background-color: White" |

| 8 July 2012

Enfield TownKirby, Hope (2)WrexhamSalathiel3–1Queen Elizabeth II Stadium306
style="background-color: White" |

| 27 July 2013

Enfield TownWallace, Hope (2), Campbell (2), Osei, O'Brien, GreenYB SK BeverenVaerenberg (2)8–2Queen Elizabeth II Stadium330
style="background-color: White" |

| 2 August 2014

Merthyr TownMcLaggon, Taylor, McDonaldWrexhamTerrell, Bell3–2Penydarren Park
style="background-color: Red" |

| 1 August 2015

F.C. United of Manchester/WrexhamFallon (F.C. United), Smith (Wrexham)None1–1Broadhurst Park2,022
style="background-color: Red" |

| 28 July 2016

Ton PentreReed (2), Jacka, Shepherd, MorrisNewport County5–0Ynys Park
style="background-color: Red" |

| 14 July 2017

Exeter CityTaylor, HarleyBath City2–0Twerton Park330
style="background-color: White" |

| 8 August 2018

Enfield TownHockney (3), Blackman (pen.)Clapton Community4–0Queen Elizabeth II Stadium250

=Supporters Direct Shield=

The inaugural winners of the Shield were Scarborough Athletic who beat Merthyr Town 2–0 on 24 July 2010 at AFC Telford United.{{cite news|title = Supporters Direct Shield: Merthyr 0 Boro 2|url = http://www.scarboroughathletic.com/article.php?article=MzczOA==|publisher = scarboroughathletic.com|date = 25 July 2010|access-date = 26 July 2010|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716013531/http://www.scarboroughathletic.com/article.php?article=MzczOA==|archive-date = 16 July 2011|df = dmy-all}}

==Finals==

class="wikitable"

!colspan=2|Date

!Winner

!Scorers

!Runner-up

!Scorers

!Score

!Venue

!Attendance

style="background-color: red" |

| 24 July 2010

Scarborough AthleticPhillips, GibsonMerthyr Town2–0New Bucks Head803
style="background-color: red" |

| 8 July 2012

LewesBreachFisher1–0Queen Elizabeth Stadium306
style="background-color: green" |

| 13 July 2013

1874 NorthwichHendley, Stewart, WildingAFC Rushden & Diamonds3–0Select Security Stadium130
style="background-color: white" |

| 30 July 2014

AFC Rushden & DiamondsGearing, DunkleyHinckleyO'Connell, Facey2–2 (4–2 pens)Dog & Duck Stadium301
style="background-color: Blue" |

| 25 July 2015

Tonbridge AngelsBlewden, Miles, Elder, Whitnell, Parkinson[Fisher FC|Fisher5–0Longmead Stadium165
20 July 2016 ( Peacehaven and Telscombe,1-0, OG, Lewes, the Sports Park Peacehaven, Att 321

|style="background-color: White" |

| 14 July 2018

Merthyr TownCity of Liverpool4–2Penydarren Park
style="background-color: Blue" |

| 23 July 2019

ChesterDudley(2,pen.),Grand, Elliott[1874 Northwich F.C.|1874 NorthwichHare1–4Offside Trust Stadium361

See also

References

{{Reflist}}