Fan power plays a humongous part in football, less so in England but there are some clubs out there who know that their opinions and voice will result in change at their clubs.
Reading
Reading are the most obvious to look at. While not forcing out owner Dai Yongge yet, the persistent protesting from Reading fans has still been a success, due to it being noticed by all fans of the EFL, and major news outlets like Sky Sports. After already seeming a dodgy fit for any football club, since his last club Beijing Renhe went bust, his horrific track record has followed suit at the Royals. They have fallen from a mid table second to third tier outfit under his ownership, due to points deductions, failing to pay wages, failing to pay taxes, the list goes on – as one failing causes another.
While Reading fans protests have created action, the problems still lie back with Dai Yongge, as he has batted away several offers to sell the club, despite it being up for sale for over 500 days, and Reading in danger of more deductions, and even liquidation has been a serious threat. In game protests have been the key way of gaining attention to call for the sale of the club. Tennis balls and fans on the pitch have successfully abandoned Reading games, due to the protest from group ‘Sell before we Dai’, and they are correct, without these protests – Reading FC will not exist in the very near future.
Morecambe
Jason Whittingham is another man very unfit to ever run a football club. Its been 2 years since they were put up for sale, and they are now on the verge of non league football.
Under the ownership of the Bond Group, the Shrimps have fallen from being a profitable League 1 outfit, to a side now known for financial mismanagement. It has been reflected on the pitch as lack of spending has created a squad well below standard, points deductions have been imposed, and players leaving after not even being payed their wage. Key staff have been lost, such as the head of recruitment, chief executive, and even manager. It is sounding very similar to Readings situation, and it is, even more so when Morecambe also cannot ‘find a suitable custodian’ to buy the club. Anyone is more suitable than the shambles the Shrimps have become.
The Shrimps trust have staged protests in and out of the ground. These include marches, balloons, banners, turning their backs on games, and much more. The future for Morecambe hopefully includes gains even more awareness for the way their club is being allowed to die, and forcing more change and turns more heads. Next season, whatever division they find themselves in, Shrimps supporters (headed by the 1920Union) plan to not give Whittingham another penny. They will not be buying season tickets, or even turning up to any home games, and lets hope most fans follow suit, and get the unfit owners far away from such a historic club.
Sheffield Wednesday
The issues with Chansiri began in 2017. During a year in charge of the club, manager Jos Luhaky was only allowed to make one permanent signing, as well as it taking 2 months to replace Steve Bruce with Gary Monk.
The following summer, a 12 point deduction was imposed, due to breaking the EFL’s PSR regulations. The problems continued to be revealed, after players wages were not paid, the wages then got capped at £7000 a month for a side ‘aiming for premier league football’, in Chansiri’s words. It was then the off field management resulted in relegation for the Owls. Many high profile players left that summer on frees, weaking the squad for the League One season ahead. In 2023, the EFL placed Wednesday under a transfer embargo, hilariously Chansiri then asked Wednesdayites for £2m of their money to get the club out of Chansiri’s debts. In 2024, another embargo was placed, as for a second consecutive year, Chansiri failed to pay HMRC, and a late tax bill was paid.
The 1867 group have organised the clubs protest. From an outsider looking in, another major problem at Wednesday seems to be an insufficient amount of fans on board with getting Chansiri out, confusingly. However, the fans who have realised their power and clubs issues have made their voices heard. Yellow flyers have been seen in Hillsborough over and over again, in an attempt to urge Chansiri to sell up. Lets hope more Owls get on board with protests, and their fan power gets realised to get Chansiri away from Sheffield Wednesday.
