Supporters Direct Scotland
| Abbreviation | SDS |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2002 |
| Type | Football supporters' organisation |
| Legal status | Community benefit society (since 2017) |
Region served | Scotland |
| Website | supporters-direct |
Supporters Direct Scotland (SDS) is a football supporters' organisation in Scotland. It works on supporter ownership, club governance and representation, and takes part in discussions involving supporters, football authorities and public bodies. The organisation developed from the Scottish arm of Supporters Direct, which began operating in 2002 after the Scottish Executive funded a Scotland-based caseworker.[1] The Scottish operation became an independent community benefit society in 2017.[2]
Its work has included involvement in supporter-ownership proposals at Scottish clubs, the Scottish Football Supporters Survey and the development of supporter liaison officers. SDS is represented on the Scottish Football Association (Scottish FA) Congress[3] and participates in the Scottish Government's Enhancing Scottish Football roundtable.[4]
History
[edit]Establishment in Scotland
[edit]Supporters Direct was established in 2000 to encourage football supporters to form democratic supporters' trusts and take a greater role in the ownership and governance of their clubs. Its work was extended to Scotland in 2002.[5] From 1 April that year, the Scottish Executive provided £75,000 a year for two years for a Supporters Direct caseworker based in Scotland. The funding came from Scotland's share of money provided by the major football pools companies.[1]
One of the groups involved during this period was formed by supporters of Clydebank. Representatives attended the Scottish launch of Supporters Direct in April 2002 and later established a supporters' trust.[6]
Work with clubs
[edit]In November 2012, SDS head Paul Goodwin facilitated discussions between Heart of Midlothian and groups considering a supporter-led takeover. SDS was not itself making a bid for the club; Goodwin said it was examining options for community ownership and providing information to potential bidders.[7]
SDS became involved at Kilmarnock the following year after being approached by the Killie Trust. In June 2013, Goodwin offered to act as an intermediary between chairman Michael Johnston and supporters and agreed to present the trust's proposal for Kilmarnock to become a community club.[8]
At Hibernian, SDS surveyed more than 4,000 supporters in 2014. A majority of respondents supported greater supporter ownership. The survey was followed by the formation of the BuyHibs campaign, led by former Hibernian player and manager Pat Stanton.[9]
National role
[edit]SDS was also involved in the development of a national survey of Scottish football supporters. The first Scottish National Football Survey, reported in April 2013, attracted nearly 7,000 responses. The Scottish FA said that it, the league bodies and SDS would use the findings when considering future objectives.[10] The survey later became an annual exercise run in partnership by SDS, the Scottish FA and the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).[11] In 2016 it received 14,457 responses.[12]
In 2014, SDS joined the Scottish Government's Working Group on Supporter Involvement in Football Clubs. Other members included the Scottish FA, SPFL, sportscotland and the Scottish Government. The group examined ways of increasing supporter involvement in the governance, financing and operation of professional clubs, and published its final report in January 2015.[13]
The Scottish FA established its Congress in 2015 as a forum for football authorities and other stakeholder organisations, with SDS later taking a seat on it.[3] SDS and the Scottish FA also began a development programme for supporter liaison officers in 2016.[14]
Independent organisation
[edit]Members of Supporters Direct agreed in July 2017 that the Scottish operation should become a separate community benefit society based in Scotland. Responsibility for the Scottish Supporters Network and supporter liaison officer work passed to the new body.[2] Supporters Direct Scotland Limited was registered as a society under number RS007681.[15][16]
The remaining UK-wide Supporters Direct organisation merged with the Football Supporters' Federation in November 2018. The merged organisation adopted the name Football Supporters' Association in 2019. Supporters Direct Scotland remained separate.[17][18]
Role and activities
[edit]The Scottish FA described SDS in 2018 as a lead supporters' group recognised by both the association and the SPFL, with formal channels for engagement with football's decision-makers. Results from the 2017 supporters survey were presented to the Scottish FA Professional Game Board and Congress.[19]
SDS continues to sit on the Scottish FA Congress, which meets quarterly and provides stakeholder feedback and guidance to the association's board.[3] It is also represented on the Scottish Government's Enhancing Scottish Football roundtable, established in 2024 to discuss the development and future of football in Scotland.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "Questions and answers: Question reference S1O-05098". Scottish Parliament. 2 May 2002. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- 1 2 "New structure for Supporters Direct Scotland". Co-operative News. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "What is Congress?". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Enhancing Scottish football: roundtable". Scottish Government. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ Horrie, Chris (28 April 2002). "Footie goes back to drawing board". The Observer. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Trust History". Clydebank Football Club. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Supporters Direct report 'positive dialogue' with Hearts". BBC Sport. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Kilmarnock: Fans group offers mediation with chairman". BBC Sport. 15 June 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Hibernian: Club welcome Pat Stanton-led buyout campaign". BBC Sport. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Scottish football survey reveals fans want bigger top league". BBC Sport. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Sectarianism suffered by half of Scottish football fans, fans' survey finds". BBC Sport. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "2016 Scottish Football Supporters Survey Results". Scottish Football Association. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ Supporter involvement in Scottish football clubs: consultation analysis (Report). Scottish Government. 30 June 2016. ISBN 9781786523051. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Scottish FA to work with Supporters Direct Scotland". Scottish Football Association. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "About SDS". Supporters Direct Scotland. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Supporters Direct Scotland Limited". Companies House. RS007681. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "FSF and SD: Merger confirmed". Football Supporters' Association. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Introducing: The Football Supporters' Association". Football Supporters' Association. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Supporters Direct Scotland survey launched". Scottish Football Association. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2026.