Open letter to Ian Maxwell from the Scottish Football Supporters Association

18th January 2024

 

Dear Ian,

I watched with great interest a recording of your recent appearance in front of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee in your role as Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association (SFA). The questions posed to you were wide-ranging, covering the scope of SFA activity – including VAR, safeguarding, independent regulation of our national sport and Viaplay contractual obligations relating to our men’s National Team, grassroots football, elections to the post of SFA President and much more, including transparency.  These subjects similarly feature high on our priority list here at the Scottish Football Supporters Association and the Scottish Football Alliance. During the session it was encouraging to hear of the good work being conducted by the SFA, and we welcome all good news stories and positivity linked to our national game.

However, several of your detailed responses during the session immediately caught my attention, and consequently I feel compelled to write this open letter in the interests of balance, respectfully challenging some of your comments and assertions, and to set the record straight on others.

I found your replies relating to the proposed Independent Regulator issue, and the detailed work of the Scottish Football Alliance, particularly interesting.

Firstly, when asked about the relevance and need for an Independent Regulator in Scotland, you used the financial gulf between the Scottish and English football set-ups effectively to dismiss the proposal as unnecessary. The examples you provided included the Super League breakaway saga (which did not apply to Scotland), historic individual clubs’ financial failings in England, Covid19 impacts on the overall health of the game, and the behaviour/actions of club owners who often act without the agreement and consent of their public.  You suggested that these issues were not relevant to Scotland, eliminating the requirement for an Independent Regulator. You also cited current governance arrangements at Hampden as “robust”.

However, I would challenge all these points. We should consider, for example, the Covid19 impacts and resulting decision-making that led to the detriment of Hearts and Partick Thistle, amongst others, the notorious “missing” Dundee vote episode, and the considerable financial strains across all tiers of the game.

I would also respectfully remind you of the serious financial implosions at Rangers, Dundee, Dunfermline, Gretna, among numerous others, where the behaviour of club owners directly impacted these institutions and threatened their very existence. There are also serious questions around the ownership situation and the ‘fit and proper persons’ issue at other clubs. This demonstrates clearly that current arrangements and structures are not working as they should.

Also, the fact that the financial entailments of Scottish football are much smaller than those of our larger neighbours down south in no way means that proper transparency, accountability and appropriate scrutiny and regulation should not apply here. I am frankly rather surprised to hear you suggest otherwise.

Additionally, you compared the work of the independent review in England with the work of the Scottish Football Alliance, praising the English version but effectively dismissing the Scottish Football Alliance one on the basis that supposedly, unlike its English counterpart, it did not engage fully with stakeholders (including the SFA and SPFL) and that it was solely the work of two individuals. You also challenged its independence. These accusations are not substantiated by the facts

I found the attempt to undermine a report put together over a long period of time, with wide involvement across the game, particularly disappointing and disrespectful. In fact, it is wholly incorrect. The report was compiled following a comprehensive engagement process with stakeholder consultation across Scottish football, and certainly not by “two individuals”.

It is important to stress that both the SFA and the SPFL were invited to participate in this process, but elected not to do so. You will recall I had previous conversations with you and Neil Doncaster on this very issue.

Additionally, any and all supporter organisations were also welcome to contribute. No individual or organisation was excluded, and the exercise was widely publicised (including in the media) with inclusivity considered key to its success. To illustrate this point, over 90 football clubs were represented in evidence, as well as representations from the Scottish Football Supporters’ Association (SFSA), the Scottish League Managers’ Association (SLMA) and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA Scotland). A number of online evidence sessions were also held with experts in finance and other relevant areas, as well as former CEOs, international players, coaches, managers, and football administrators. To casually dismiss expert contributions from eminent individuals (such as the late Craig Brown and Walter Smith) cannot pass without comment.  Members of parliament, senior figures in Scottish public life and individuals and organisations across the game at all levels were engaged with our review and report.

The review also conducted an online survey, seeking views on the key issues being considered. Over 2,500 responses (summarized in the appendix below) were received, and this followed earlier research conducted by independent, expert German sports academics with over 16,500 responses.

The detailed case for an Independent Regulator is set out in our report, Rebuilding Scottish Football, which was profiled in a constructive and thoughtful meeting at Holyrood when it was published last year, and which will form part of a members’ motion at the Scottish Parliament shortly. We would urge both the SFA and the SPFL to engage positively with its arguments and proposals. This is in your interest, our interest, and that of the game at all levels and wider society across Scotland.

Independent scrutiny, measures to ensure transparency and accessibility, and appropriate forms of regulation are being developed and extended in many areas of society at present, including sport. There is an opportunity here to move forward together for the sake of the game. In that light we hope you will reconsider your dismissal – which does little to build the kind of confidence our football authorities need to flourish – and work with us and others to look at how the game we all love can be reformed and reenergised.

 

Yours Sincerely

 

Stuart Murphy

Chief Executive Officer

Scottish Football Supporters’ Association

 

Appendix: What fans have asked for (from our survey)

FEELINGS FOR THE FOOTBALL AUTHORITIES

  • Anger
  • Poor leadership
  • Distrust
  • Self-interest and conflict of interest
  • Not accountable
  • Disregard for supporters
  • Self-serving / contempt
  • Lack of empathy for the customer
  • Secrecy
  • No vision

 

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM THE FOOTBALL AUTHORITIES?

Consultative / Customer-focused

  • Inclusive
  • Open / transparent
  • Accountable / independent
  • Working for the common good
  • Strategic
  • Innovative
  • Democratic
  • Commercially astute

 

WHAT DO FANS WANT TO SEE?

(Based on six years of research data)

  • Fan representation at the highest level
  • Larger leagues
  • More competition in the top league
  • Stop playing the same teams four times a season
  • Summer football
  • Alcohol allowed at games
  • An independent board to combat self-interest
  • End of excessive CEO salaries
  • A coherent SFA talent strategy for national teams
  • Better sponsors – over-reliance on betting and alcohol
  • Influence on TV scheduling

 

21 thoughts on “Open letter to Ian Maxwell from the Scottish Football Supporters Association”

  1. The letter contains a very large and very important misrepresentation of facts.

    Rangers and Gretna died, the behaviour of their owners didn’t threaten their very existence. Their behaviour put them out of existence.

    The letter therefore is wrong.

    For whose consumption is that meant? Are they trying to appease the guys that like to post bullets and bombs in the post?

    Appease the organisations that facilitated, aided and abetted the cheating of the whole of Scottish Football?

    Until those in the public eye that have access to compromised organ grinders monkeys like Maxwell tell the facts then they are doing nothing but whistling in the wind.

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  2. A very valid letter that will be predictably totally ignored by the SFA. How dare anyone disagree with the SFA! You can huff and puff as much as you want but the SFA do not care what others think. A reasonable person would reply “You have made a few good points……” The SFA are unreasonable and not open to reason.

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  3. Excellent letter. I’d thought Doncaster had done quite well on the Price of Football podcast last year, but Stuart Murphy seems a far more informed potential questioner (on this matter) than the hosts. (I appreciate this letter is to Maxwell, but the point stands, I think).

    I’m personally not so bothered about some of the wish list issues included in the appendix. Better sponsors wouldn’t necessarily be in Maxwell’s (or any replacement’s) gift to secure. Reliance on gambling and alcohol will be brass tacks: they’ll pay more.

    I’m also not so fussed about alcohol at the games. I was surprised to find at the Camp Nou last year that while they do sell beer at the kiosk, all drinks sold in the stadium are non-alcoholic (it was the Free Damm version of Estrella in the standard can – I only found out because I only drink non-alc beers and asked if they had any). An interesting sleight of hand. So the situation elsewhere is not necessarily what everyone assumes, as is often the case.

    But, that’s semantic and by the by. The case for independent oversight is brilliantly made here. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. It will be interesting to see if the Health, Social Care and Sports Committee invite Maxwell back and ask him about Stuart’s open letter.

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  5. The only thing I disagree on is drinking at games. The only way we’re going to get change is if the supporters force it through as the clubs don’t seem to have any appetite for it, they all jump and moan but won’t challenge the status quo. It’s long overdue and I’ve been banging this particular drum for years but feel like I’m banging my head against a brick wall.

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  6. What are they scared if, what are they hiding, why is openness and inclusion such a bad thing, conclusion is they are amateurs doing a professional job and are obviously looking after their self interests and not the best interests of the game.

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  7. What a very insightful letter to Mr Doncaster. I think Stuart should have his job and allow Scottish football to get it’s backside out of the cloak and dagger shadows of the SFA/SPFL and into the 21st Century. Too many dinosaurs sitting behind their comfy chairs with only an interest in how to protect their mammoth salaries and not that of the best interests of the game in general in Scotland.

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  8. No doubt Maxwell will look down, see the name Murphy at the bottom and toss it straight in the bin. Can’t have one of Mhairi Black’s “Plastic Paddies” upsetting the (Orange) order of things now, can we?
    PS – agree with the other lads about drinking at games. Quick one before and/or after in the pub is fine. I have no desire to go back to the bad old days of the 70s-80s and you want people feeling it’s safe enough to take their kids to games. Besides, what you get at games in England is like something out of an old SodaStream. Wembley is particularly bad – especially at those prices.

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    • Will he do the same whoever he looks at the name of his organisation’s President?

      Largely agree on the booze at the games issue. Not worth the hassle. Have changed my view on that over the years.

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  9. It comes as no surprise that these requests have been dismissed by the non transparent self serving SFA & SPFL, it’s what we as fans would expect. Well done to the SFSA keep calling them out,

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  10. I agree with all the ‘what do fans want to see’ apart from alcohol allowed. I like a drink before and after games but, of all the grounds I’ve been to, down south and abroad where alcohol is sold, the beer is always terrible and the mess generated is ridiculous. Pub before and after is fine.

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  11. Wonderful letter. Very well set out. Of course since you are obviously much more intelligent than the recipients it will be dismissed . You’re ripping their knitting so to speak. Very well done Mr Mac Giolla bhain.apologies if I have mis spelled your name.

    Reply

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