| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |
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1 | Each club can achieve a potential total score of 240 points, with 80 points available per-section. Where scores are equal, the highest Dialogue score determines the club's final position in the table | ||||||
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3 | Clarifications/Changes for 2025/2026 are in red | ||||||
4 | Dialogue | ||||||
5 | Element of Fan Engagement | Criteria | Max Points | Guidance notes | Clarifications/Changes for 2025/2026 | ||
6 | Structured Dialogue with supporters' trust/independent supporters group | Where the representatives or directors of fans from an independent group. e.g. supporters' trust, meets with the senior manangement/owners of the club regularly. This should be separate from any relationship via an FAB or other body. It can also be underpinned by either a shareholders agreement, other similar legal agreement, or Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) | 30 | According to the definitions of the DCMS Expert Working Group on Supporter Ownership and Engagement (2017). Definition of 'independent group' is provided by Think Fan Engagement in glossary of terms. The expectation is that this relationship is separate & distinct from any representation on an FAB or other element of structured dialogue. | |||
7 | Structured Dialogue with wider group of representatives | Where representatives of fans of more than one group meet with the club on a regular basis. This can be a Fans Parliament (sometimes known as 'supporters' board') or the new Fan Advisory Boards. | 15 | According to the definitions of the DCMS Expert Working Group on Supporter Ownership and Engagement (2017). Definition of 'independent group' is provided by Think Fan Engagement in glossary of terms. Where a fans parliament still exists alongside an FAB/Shadow Board, only one is scored for structured dialogue. The other is scored under 'other dialogue' section. | |||
8 | Fans Forums | Where a wide group of fans as individuals (including season ticket holders, members or unaffliated fans) meet with the club on a regular basis; If the meetings are only once a season, score is 5 points; if the meetings are restricted to a specific category of fan (Season Ticket holders, or membership schemes), even if more than one held, or charged for, score is 5 points. | 10 | According to the definitions of the DCMS Expert Working Group on Supporter Ownership and Engagement (2017). Definition of 'independent group' is provided by Think Fan Engagement in glossary of terms. For clarification, we use EFL Rule 128 as the standard for the frequency of Supporter Engagement meetings: 'Clubs shall hold at least two meetings/fans forums per Season to which its supporters (or representatives) are to be invited in order to discuss significant issues relating to the Club.' and if club claims to put on two or more a season in charter/fan engagement plan, full points scored. If it's not specific about being for all fans, one is scored for. If reports exist for more, the maximum score can be given. | |||
9 | Other Engagement/Dialogue (includes social media 'Help'/SLO channels | Additional 15 points available for a club that provides a standalone 'Help' channel, or SLO (Supporter Liaison Officer) social media channel, or a channel where replies are made to user queries, and which is clearly regularly used (e.g. Facebook, Threads, Instagram, X, BlueSky). Up to an additional 25 points for a distinctive or alternative structures or forums for fans to engage with the club. Includes regular, ongoing programmes, or be attached to a specific or discreet project (e.g.: ground redevelopment or communications strategic work) | 25 | Help' Channels include those run by 'supporter services' departments/teams. SLO channels have to be run by the SLO.. Examples of other dialogue are clubs responding to queries via main club Twitter channel (or senior officials, e.g. CEO/Chair/owners doing so), | The 'Other Dialogue' section and the social media dialogue section from previous years has now been merged into one section, with up to 25 points available. A separate 15 points is available for social media dialogue, and up to 25 points available for 'other dialogue'. NB: this means that social media dialogue is no longer separately scored. A club can receive a full 25 points if it undertakes enough other activity to merit receiving it. | ||
10 | Additional 'fans parliaments', like 'fans forums' held by Everton or Manchester United can be included here, as can other focus groups, meetings or other regular forms of engagement carried out by the club that aren't scored elsewhere. This can include one-off/irregular programmes or events, such as open meetings to discuss a new stadium development, or fans forums/focus groups/meetings. | ||||||
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12 | Section total | 80 | |||||
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15 | Governance | ||||||
16 | Element of Fan Engagement | Criteria | Max Points | Guidance notes | |||
17 | Supporter representatives on the board of the club | An independent group of fans (e.g. supporters' trust) has the majority of the directors (25 points); 2. Where an independent group of fans (e.g. supporters' trust) has at least one full director (and up to an overall minority of directors) representing fans, or an independent director representing fans is elected, (15 points); 3. Where an independent group of fans (e.g. supporters' trust) has a representative on the board (not a full director), e.g. supporters' trust, score is (10 points) | 25 | Definition of 'independent group' is provided by Think Fan Engagement in glossary of terms. Scope of directors representing fans was widened in 2021/2022 to include those elected by fans of the club in a ballot, e.g. Northampton Town. | |||
18 | Customer Charter or Fan Engagement Plan | The customer charter (in the case of National League Premier Clubs who choose to have one) or Fan Engagement Plan (for Premier League and EFL clubs) has clear information about consultation and communication, and SLO and/or supporter services (or similar), score is (20 points); Where the charter or plan is missing some information about consultation and communication, SLO and/or supporter services (or similar) or is difficult to find, score is (10 points); Where the charter or plan is missing, or is easy to find but has no information about consultation and communication, and SLO and/or supporter services (or similar), score is (0 points). | 20 | Fan Engagement Plans are mandated by The Preimer League and EFL. There is at present no similar requirement in the National League Premier for either Fan Engagement Plans or Customer Charters. Criteria was expanded in 2023/2024 to include Fan Engagement Plans (FEPs), as customer charter requirement no longer exists in PL rules, and FEPs provide a near equivalent and should contain the right information. Named SLOs in Charter/FEP no longer necessary for full score. | |||
19 | SLO is clearly a stand alone role | SLO (Supporter Liaison Officer) is clearly a stand alone role, with no other different responsibilities attached (e.g. ticketing, marketing, but excluding supporter services roles), (15 points); 2. Unclear whether SLO is a stand alone role as above, score is 5 points (points); 3. Clear that SLO is not a stand alone role as has other, differenty and conflicting roles attached, (0 points). | 15 | All according to the best practice issued by UEFA, and overseen/written by Football Supporters Europe/SD Europe | |||
20 | MOU or or other legal agreement with supporters' trust or other independent group governing relationship | Club is owned by its supporters via an independent, democratic group, e.g. a supporters' trust or is itself a similar model (e.g. Company Limited by Guarantee with democratic elections) (20 points); an independent, democratic group, e.g. a supporters' trust has supporter-directors or a supporter representative with an MOU underpinning the relationship with their club (15 points); Where a such a group has an MOU or other legal agreement underpinning the relationship with their club (10 points); No MOU or legal agreement, or MOU or legal agreement relating to a different form of dialogue, e.g. between an FAB and the club (0 points) | 20 | This includes 'CLG' football clubs or similar models of democratic ownership. With regards to MOUs, these are promoted by the Football Supporters Association, and adopted predominantly by supporters' trusts. Though some other groups have begun to adopt them, they only apply to groups which have open membership for all, as per existing guidance and established practice. Only one agreement can be scored in this section. For the avoidance of doubt, 1. MOUs do not include those that establish FABs or other structures of dialogue, which are entirely separate arrangements and scored separately elsewhere; 2. 'Golden Shares' such as those at Portsmouth. Luton Town or Brentford are also included in this section. | |||
21 | Section total | 80 | |||||
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24 | Transparency | ||||||
25 | Element of Fan Engagement | Criteria | Max Points | Guidance notes | |||
26 | Structured dialogue meetings with supporters' trust/independent group reporting | Full report, minutes, video or audio of meeting (15); minimal report, e.g. short news item (10); Irregular reporting (posting fewer reports than meetings) (5); No reporting (0) | 15 | AGM reports for fan owned clubs are scored full marks. Reports have to be regular and published for full marks. Can be via OS or Trust/Group website. | |||
27 | Structured dialogue with wider group of representatives reporting | Full report, minutes, video or audio of meeting (15); minimal report, e.g. short news item (10); Irregular reporting (posting fewer reports than meetings) (5); No reporting (0) | 15 | (as above) | |||
28 | Fans Forum reporting | Full report, minutes, video or audio of meeting (15); minimal report, e.g. short news item (10); Irregular reporting (posting fewer reports than meetings) (5); No reporting (0) | 15 | (as above) | |||
29 | Club board meeting reports/minutes | Full report, minutes, video or audio of meeting (15); minimal report, e.g. short news item (10); Irregular reporting (posting fewer reports than meetings) (5); No reporting (0) | 15 | Club reports in full or part from its board meetings, or where a supporters' trust that owns its club, reports are issued in full or part via its own board meetings | |||
30 | Structured dialogue meetings with supporters' trust/independent group agenda | Agenda published in advance (5); No agenda published (0) | 5 | AGM agendas for fan owned clubs are scored full marks. Reports have to be regular and published for full marks. Can be via OS or Trust/Group website. Where minutes published irregularly, clubs receive 5 points | |||
31 | Structured dialogue with wider group of representatives agenda | Agenda published in advance (5); No agenda published (0) | 5 | (as above) | |||
32 | Fans Forum agenda | Agenda published in advance (5); No agenda published (0) | 5 | (as above) | |||
33 | Club board meeting agendas | Agenda published in advance (5); No agenda published (0) | 5 | Club issues agendas for its board meetings or announces them in advance; or where a supporters' trust that owns its club reports the agenda or notice of club board meetings | |||
34 | Section total | 80 | |||||
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36 | Overall total | 240 | |||||
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