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Right-to-buy move for Scottish football fans Right-to-buy move for Scottish football backed by MSPs
(about 1 hour later)
Proposals to allow fans the right to buy their football clubs are to be considered by a Holyrood committee. MSPs have backed plans to allow fans the right to buy their football clubs.
Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone has put forward amendments to the Community Empowerment Bill, which extends the right-to-buy public sector land. Members of the local government committee supported amendments to the Community Empowerment Bill to extend the right-to-buy to football fans.
Ms Johnstone wants the principles of rural land reform laws, which help communities buy land, to be extended to supporters of football clubs. Green MSP Alison Johnstone, who placed the amendments, told the committee that agreeing to the changes would turn the legislation into a landmark bill
Her proposals will be considered by the Local Government Committee. If passed by the full parliament, supporters' trusts would get "first refusal" when a club comes up for sale.
The Greens want the bill to be extended to include football supporters' trust's right to buy Scottish Professional Football League clubs.
Ms Johnstone said the current model of ownership has led to disaster for several clubs.
Her amendments have been supported by Labour MSP Ken Macintosh.
Right of refusal
A survey by the Greens received more than 250 replies from football supporters and members of fans' trusts, with the majority backing the proposals.
More than 95% supported giving fans the first right of refusal if their clubs are sold or go into administration, and 81% of those who expressed a view backed a right-to-buy at any time.
Ms Johnstone said: "You don't need to be a football fan to know that Scottish football lurches from crisis to crisis, and that the current model of ownership has led to disaster at clubs from Gretna to Hearts.Ms Johnstone said: "You don't need to be a football fan to know that Scottish football lurches from crisis to crisis, and that the current model of ownership has led to disaster at clubs from Gretna to Hearts.
"You also only need to look at Germany, where almost all clubs are fan-owned, to see how well this model can work. "You also only need to look at Germany, where almost all clubs are fan-owned, to see how well this model can work."
"But it's not just about fans stepping in to save their clubs once they've fallen into administration. She said the proposals were not just about fans stepping in to save their clubs once they had fallen into administration.
"There are many well-run Scottish clubs in private hands, but those owners come and go, and when they go, we want to see fans have the first right of refusal. The Scottish Green MSP said: "There are many well-run Scottish clubs in private hands, but those owners come and go, and when they go, we want to see fans have the first right of refusal.
"Where there's a committed and well-organised group of fans with strong support on the terraces for a takeover, we want them to have the power to do so.""Where there's a committed and well-organised group of fans with strong support on the terraces for a takeover, we want them to have the power to do so."
Her amendment brings the principles of rural land reform laws, which help communities buy land, to supporters of football clubs.
A survey by the Greens received more than 250 replies from football supporters and members of fans' trusts, with the majority backing the proposals.
More than 95% supported giving fans the first right of refusal if their clubs are sold or go into administration, and 81% of those who expressed a view backed a right-to-buy at any time.