The Fan Engagement Pod

This episode is a chat with Deborah Dilworth, Head of Women’s Football at the Football Supporters Association. Our paths very nearly crossed, as she joined Supporters Direct not long after I left, though then working in the men’s game with supporters’ trusts. She took up a role post-merger of SD & the FSF, and now leads on The FSA’s work in the women’s game.She meets with The FA and other key stakeholders regularly, and supports and advises the new slew of supporters organisations in the rapidly growing women’s game.Pound for pound, this is one of the best episodes I’ve ever done of the Pod. Deborah doesn’t have a fixed mindset on the issues, and our chat is a proper exploration of some of the issues that are currently affecting a game that, let’s not forget, wasn’t even allowed to exist until the early 70s, after a ban lasting from the early 1920s was finally lifted.I hope you enjoy the episode. I’m planning on getting Debs back on for another chat in the future. If you want to get in touch, ask a question or suggest a topic or guest, drop me a line at hello@fanengagement.net  Episode LinksThe Football Supporters Association (Women’s football): https://thefsa.org.uk/our-work/womens-football  The Women’s National League: https://fulltime.thefa.com/index.html?league=872938 Keep an eye out on https://fanengagement.net and find our socials on https://linktr.ee/thinkfanengagement Register for free and you get access to the Fan Engagement Hub, with more detailed data and case studies from all the Fan Engagement Indexes.Please like, subscribe and share. It really does help our visibility.

This episode is a chat with Gerard Lawlor, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Football League.Gerard has been CEO since 2021. Professionally, he was in the hospitality industry as a chef for years, but crucially, always a fan and latterly director and chairman of Cliftonville FC. He has clear understanding of the needs of his member clubs both as institutions but also as businesses that need to satisfy fans both as customer and stakeholder, whilst building new loyalties amongst non-traditional fans, particularly women and girls.  I just sat back and listened for large parts of this interview. He had so much interesting stuff to say about a league that is clearly undergoing a renaissance, and clubs that are finding themselves more popular than they’ve been for a long time.You can hear how their success was supercharged by Covid, and how their strength really is that they’re close to their fans. I really enjoyed chatting with Gerard, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy listening to it too.  Episode LinksNorthern Ireland Football League: https://www.nifootballleague.com Glentoran FC: https://www.glentoran.comLarne FC https://larnefc.com Episode links available in the podcast description. Keep an eye out on https://fanengagement.net and find our socials on https://linktr.ee/thinkfanengagement Register for free and you get access to the Fan Engagement Hub, with more detailed data and case studies from all the Fan Engagement Indexes (new one out very soon).Please like, subscribe and share. It really does help our visibility.

This episode discusses policing, at risk fans. We look at how to change the approach of dealing with anti-social behaviour and problem fans from one of removal and banning, to education and helping them to become better citizens. GuestsOwen West, former Chief Superintendent at West Yorkshire Police and now Senior Lecturer in Policing at Edge Hill University: https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/en/persons/owen-west Amanda Jacks, Caseworker at The Football Supporters Association: https://thefsa.org.uk/our-work/casework Kristine Green, Director of Grimsby Town, as well as something of an expert in communications between police and fans, and the club’s Supporter Liaison Officer: https://gtfc.co.uk/kristine-awarded-the-bem Sidney Wise, Writer and Researcher, Think Fan Engagement: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidney-wise-231431201   Links‘Cleveland Police slammed over Hartlepool United v Stockport County match dogs tweet: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/cleveland-police-slammed-over-hartlepool-25668716Mark Roberts' cocaine remarks: https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/football-fans-staggered-by-police-chiefs-ignorance-towards-safe-standing-309247 Liam Scully, CEO at Lincoln City, condemning Roberts' remarks: https://www.weareimps.com/news/2022/november/CEO-resonds-to-police-chief-claims The Anfield Wrap Podcast - special (with Amanda Jacks from The FSA) https://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2022/07/podcast-dark-side-of-football-paying-price-for-passion-special)? Standard Liege intervention programme https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36516017Germany’s fanprojekt programme: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2022/09/12/is-germany-s-innovative-approach-to-football-hooliganism-paying-off_5996604_9.htmlEFL sanctions guidelines for clubs: https://thefsa.org.uk/news/efl-unveils-new-sanctions-policy/ Apologies for the poor sound quality in places. Keep an eye out on https://fanengagement.net and find our socials on https://linktr.ee/thinkfanengagement Please like, subscribe and share. It really does help our visibility.

Part oneAs we head towards a new season, I lay out the position we appear to be in when it comes to Fan Engagement as part of the government’s Fan Led Review. This is after all the context for every discussion about reform of Fan Engagement. I look at where The Premier League are and where The EFL are on this critical issue.Part twoThe main part of this episode is where I try to get my head around a major recommendation of the Fan Led Review’s proposed reforms - and a major plank of the Premier League’s new Fan Engagement Standard. I chat with Shaun Lockwood COO of Doncaster Rovers and Dave Matthews Jones, Fans Elected Director of Cambridge United. This is part of my attempt to create and contribute to the discussion I think we need. Both clubs are at different stages of implementing Shadow Board structures, and I chat with them about where they are, and why they think the structure matters to their clubs - and football more widely. I’ll be continuing this theme in the coming months, announcing some exciting news soon about how. Keep an eye out on https://fanengagement.net @thinkengagement or look for us on LinkedIn or Facebook. Email us via hello@fanengagement.net

It's a Fan Engagement Index 2020/2021 season special. As well as running down the table from 92 to 1, we chat with special guests including club CEOs, directors, supporters' trusts and fan groups, and experts in the field.Find out the full results at fanengagement.net/fan-engagement-indexPlease like, subscribe and share. It really does help our visibility.

This episode takes a stark look at what it's like in the middle of a crisis with Adam Keely from Oldham Athletic activist group, Push The Boundary. It was recorded in mid-December, before the owner, Abdallah Lemsagam, publicly declared his intention to sell, though given the litany of broken promises, I suspect fans are holding their breath.Adam talks us through what it's been like organising against the club he loves, why he fears managed decline, and what it's like trying to unite the fanbase when the team is devoid of identity, and bottom of the table.We also chat about what it's like to go 30 years without a trophy or any promotion, which is where comparisons with their former top-flight opponents, Everton, cease. Presenter Kev also touches on the failures of leadership, and why it's important for owners to keep their promises.One message Kev has for Adam's fellow Oldham fans is remain united.And find out more about our work at https://fanengagement.net. Register for free and you get access to the Fan Engagement Hub, with more detailed data and case studies from the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 Fan Engagement Indexes.Please like, subscribe and share. It really does help our visibility.

This week we’re chatting with Geoff Wilson, expert in engagement at a strategic level across sports businesses and organisations.He’s the owner of Geoff Wilson Consultancy, which focuses on Sports Organisations/NGO's, Businesses involved in Sport, Community and Government organisations across the world. This includes FIFA, UEFA, The Asian Football Confederation, and other sports including work in basketball with FIBA, netball, motoracing with the Ulster Grand Prix, and countless other sports and organisations. Take a look at his LinkedIn page: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/geoffwnjwilsonWe look about how clubs and sports organisations manage their reputations, how they communicate, why that is, and how critical it is that they get their governance and structure right to make that happen.Our next edition will be with Bas Schnater, where we talk about the practical side of Fan Engagement. We’ll no longer be publishing weekly episodes, but will still be publishing the occasional chat with a guest about their approach to Fan Engagement. You can access our nearly seventy editions so far via Apple podcasts, Acast or your favourite podcast app. And find out more about our work at https://fanengagement.net. Register for free and you get access to the Fan Engagement Hub, with more detailed data and case studies from the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 Fan Engagement Indexes.Please like, subscribe and share. It really does help our visibility.

This week we’re chatting about access to and diversity in football with Anwar Uddin, who heads up the Fans for Diversity project for the Football Supporters Federation.Anwar’s one of the few people with his perspective, having played and coached before he went into the side of the business he’s in now. He was part of the Dagenham and Redbridge side that won promotion to League One in 2010, their highest ever position. He also played for Barnet, and several other League clubs including Bristol Rovers. We chat about his unusual journey, and why he chose to work with fans.We look at the moral arguments for helping all fans access to football, and also why there’s a financial imperative if they want to keep the turnstiles clicking and tills ringing. It’s a really fascinating episode. From Tuesday 23rd we’re going to be publishing one episode a month, where me and Bas Schnater talk about the practical side of Fan Engagement. We’ll still be publishing the occasional chat with a guest about their approach to Fan Engagement, and you can access our nearly seventy editions via Apple podcasts, Acast or your favourite podcast app. And find out more about our work at https://fanengagement.net. Register for free and you get access to the Fan Engagement Hub, with more detailed data and case studies from the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 Fan Engagement Indexes.Please like, subscribe and share. It really does help our visibility.

This week we’re stepping back into the sport of Rugby League, in a chat with fan activist and Bradford Bulls fan, Andrew Foster. Andrew is a keen student and lover of the game, and has for some time been very concerned about the near permanent state of change and crisis that things appear to be in.Think Fan Engagement carried out an extensive survey in the summer of this year about the state of fan engagement in Rugby League, and it’s safe to say that the picture painted by fans wasn’t a rosy one. There’s certainly a lack of listening both from a lot of clubs, and also the governing body, The RFL in particular. Check out our website for more: https://fanengagement.net/rugbyleagueIn this episode we grapple with the issues, which are many, and talk about how fans might become part of the solution, particularly if they become more organised.You can find out more about our work at https://fanengagement.net. Register for free and you get access to the Fan Engagement Hub, with more detailed data and case studies from the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 Fan Engagement Indexes.Please like, subscribe and share. It really does help our visibility.