Football Governance Bill (Fourth sitting) Debate

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Department: Department for Business and Trade
Stephanie Peacock Portrait Stephanie Peacock
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No. The point I am making is that, as we heard in the evidence sessions, lots of clubs have lots of good structures and some best practice that we can learn from, but this particular part of the Bill lists the groups that the regulator should have a relationship with, and I am simply suggesting that we could strengthen that. I am interested to hear what the Minister has to say.

Matt Rodda Portrait Matt Rodda (Reading East) (Lab)
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My hon. Friend is making an excellent point about the importance of fans and players, and indeed, by implication, football club staff. As we heard this morning, fans, players and others have suffered from enormous challenges when there have been problems with ownership. It is difficult to describe the full level of stress and pressure that many fans of clubs have suffered over long periods, sometimes for more than one season. I believe that my hon. Friend is making a very worthy and important point, which I hope the Minister will consider.

Stephanie Peacock Portrait Stephanie Peacock
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I appreciate my hon. Friend’s intervention. I know the amount of work that he has done with his local football club and with fan groups.