21/09/2010

Red Knight calls for football revolution

"There is a tide of change in British football and there is a chance that fan power will be unleashed, and that the fans will take charge of their clubs. If one club can lead the way others will follow."

Paul Marshall, co-leader of the Red Knights group, delivered a speech last night at the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool - where he called for a revolution in football ownership and urged the Coalition Government to act.

Marshall spoke at the influential Lib Dem think-tank Centre Forum event where other speakers included the Premier League's chief executive Richard Scudamore and the MP Don Foster, who has been a champion of the supporters' cause for many years. Dave Boyle of Supporters Direct also contributed from the floor.

Many people - both in the media and amongst the United supporter base - have understandably been asking questions about what motivates the Red Knights, and how they intend to work with supporters to deliver real change.

The Green & Gold campaign has been instrumental in getting politicians to start tackling these issues, and it's now up to all of us to ensure that we keep up the pressure and make them turn talk into action.

"Let change happen through people power. Bring on the revolution. If it does not happen naturally, we may need some legislation to encourage the revolution."

Read the rest of this entry for the full text of the speech ....