This year's Fans Parliament, run by the FSF, has just taken place at Highbury.

Lord Faulkner, who was Deputy Chair of the Football Task Force & now a member of the All Party Football group, spoke at the Fans Parliament this year.

Lord Faulkner is a fan of AFC Wimbledon and has little sympathy for the ailing Franchise FC who have not paid their players' wages for 2 months as the move to the MK hockey stadium collapses around them. He suggested that if the club were looking for a new mascot then “A dead duck” would be the most appropriate symbol! He added that AFC Wimbledon was "the true Wimbledon & is here to stay."

Lord Faulker called on the Independent Football Commission to recommend independent statutory regulation for football & praised the work of supporters trusts saying,“That is the future of football & it works”.

Leicester's Foxes Trust had 3 representatives at the Parliament and reported back that topics discussed included the following:

* Proposed changes in policing costs. There are proposals to charge clubs for the cost of policing outside grounds of football clubs. This would see a dramatic increase in policing costs to clubs.The parliament voted unanimously on a motion proposed by the FSF National Council that supports the football authorities in opposing the proposed changes. The motion also called for independent research of the charges made by police forces to football clubs & for the FSF to be represented on the Home Office Working Party looking in to policing costs at football grounds.

* Independent statutory regulation - The Parliament said it had no confidence in the authorities that run football, having constantly failed to protect the interests of all clubs, players & supporters.

* Safe standing areas. Governments have strongly resisted calls for designated safe standing areas within football grounds, despite their successful introduction in Europe. Fans of FC Shalke in Germany described how many stadia in Germany now have safe standing areas that are easily converted to seating areas for international matches. Phil Gatenby from the FSF said “There remains no logical explanation for the continued stance of the football authorities against the introduction of safe standing areas. This despite the fact that fans in this country have voted time & again in polls to see them introduced & continue to stand whilst in seated areas.”

* Ticket prices - Wolves supporters revealed season ticket prices at Molinuex for next season have risen by a shocking 70%. Malcolm Clarke, Chair of the FSF, said while the Government was keen to quote the Taylor report on safe standing it was often “forgotten” that the report also recommended ticket prices should be no higher than £6, equivalent to £8.80 nowadays. One Sunderland fan revealed that upon being entitled to a concessionary season ticket having turned 65 years of age, he would have to relocate to a designated area of the ground away from family & friends.

* TV rights - Tim Whelan outlined the FSF’s submission to EC Commissioner Mario Monti on the next Premier League TV contract. The FSF had supported the Premier League & All Party Football group in arguing for the Premier League to be able to continue to sell collective TV rights. He said the response from Mario Monti was not encouraging for the match going fan, saying “The Commission made no distinction between the match going fan & the armchair supporter” The Fans blueprint however calls for greater consultation with supporters over TV deals & the re-arranging of fixtures to suit TV schedules. Manchester United fans told how out of 41 league & cup games last season; only 10 had kicked off at the traditional time of 3pm on Saturday.

The FSF’s ‘Fans Blueprint for Football’ is a policy that calls for drastic changes in the way the game is governed & for a greater redistribution of wealth within the game. These include a fit & proper person test for all persons owning or directing a football club, a licensing system for all clubs - including a ban on unfunded revenue deficits & for the introduction of revenue sharing between all professional clubs. If you would like a copy of the 'Fans Blueprint for Football' produced by the FSF then email [email protected].

The Fans Parliament will be held in the Midlands next year and is open to all football fans. More details when we get them.

Tell us what you think about this in our FFS Fans Forum.