Fans Fund Aims to Buy English Soccer Club

07 January 2008

Following the takeover of Ebbsfleet United, a second professional English Football Club could be owned by a fans website by the end of the season, it was claimed yesterday.

ThePeoplesClub.com - set up by two Oxford based businessmen in October - aims to persuade up to 40,000 fans to invest £39 each for an equal share of a football club to be chosen by the fans.

Carl Christensen, MD, said: "We are on schedule to raise £1 million before the end of this season. £1 million might buy you a box at Chelsea FC for a season, but it goes a long way in the lower leagues and we believe we can make a real difference to the club we acquire. Ownership belongs in the hands of true football supporters. The future of owning clubs is changing - and at last the fans will have the real power. Being part of a fans consortium is not fantasy football - it is reality football."

Earlier this month another fans website announced they had bought a 51 per cent share of Blue Square Premier side Ebbsfleet United for £700,000.

The People's Club are aiming to take over a club which must have the long term potential to reach the English Premiership, have little or no debt and enjoy a sizeable catchment area within an hour's drive of the ground. However, the club we acquire will be chosen entirely down to the votes cast by the fans.

Simon Lassam, Commercial Manager said: "The key aim for The People's Club is to make a real difference to a real football club. At a time when football is increasingly driven by commercialism, this is a chance for the fans to take control again and show the Russian billionaires and the big conglomerates that they cannot keep buying up football clubs and ignore the fans just to make a quick buck."

"The fees our members pay in order to be part of The People's Club will be ploughed straight into the club. Whether that means buying new players, investment in the ground or developing the youth team will depend on what the fans feel is most needed. We estimate that annual fund to be in excess of £1m - a figure that most football clubs can only dream about."

Simon continues, "For the fans, it is not only about the chance to have a real say in the running of the club and the picking of the team. A £39 membership buys you a lot. Benefits include a guaranteed match ticket, the ability for a family member to become an official mascot to lead the team out and incredibly one fan will get a stand named after him."

In its first 2 months of operation, the The People's Club has had people register from 9 different countries, yet expects a large percentage of members to be UK based. Member registrations are on target to have funds available to open negotiations with the club that members choose at the end of the current season.

You can visit The People's Club website at www.thepeoplesclub.com

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