While the transfer of Ollie Watkins has provided our club with a much welcomed layer of security in uncertain times, the news from Macclesfield Town is a stark reminder of the issues facing clubs in the lower divisions of English Football.
Since their relegation from League Two at the end of last season, the Cheshire side have endured acute financial difficulty for a number of months and following a High Court hearing they have been forced into liquidation after 146 years of existence.
This is a stark reminder of the fragility within the game, and so now more than ever Exeter City Football Club and The Supporters' Trust are committed to promoting causes that seek to support and protect football clubs for their fans and for their communities.
One such initiative is the Football Supporters’ Association’s Sustain The Game! campaign, which is seeking to persuade the football authorities to take measures to protect the existence of our clubs.
The principles of Sustain The Game! are as follows:
1. Protect our clubs – football clubs are community assets and an important expression of individual and local identity, they deserve legal protection and urgent support to secure their future;
2. Transparency – everyone has a right to know who owns their club, and how clubs and the authorities operate. Owners are custodians of clubs on behalf of all of us;
3. Financial controls – fans want rules with real teeth which are independently enforced, clubs and leagues can’t be left to regulate themselves;
4. Strengthen the pyramid – football as a whole is wealthy, but we need a smarter and fairer use of the money in the game to encourage sustainability;
5. Supporter engagement – fans are the lifeblood of the game, they need a voice in their clubs and on all issues that affect them and their communities.
To find out more about the Sustain the Game Campaign, including information on how you can directly support the initiative, please click here
Also, should you have any comments or feedback on the campaign that you would like to share directly with the Trust, please email enquiries@weownexetercityfc.co.uk
