Football Governance Bill [Lords]

Paul Kohler Excerpts

2nd reading
Monday 28th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paul Kohler (Wimbledon) (LD)]

Unlike many Members of this House, I can remember a time when football was in the shadows. Overwhelmed by hooliganism, it was looked down on, as the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Chris Evans) noted. Like all across the House and the country, I am delighted at how football has changed. As a lifelong Crystal Palace fan, much to my Wimbledon constituents’ shame, I have followed my team across the country—not to mention gloriously up the road at Wembley this weekend, in the company of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for Streatham and Croydon North (Steve Reed), another fellow Eagle—and have seen how a spectator sport once renowned for mindless violence and prejudice has transformed into one that champions inclusivity.

The game I love is no longer marginalised; it is now celebrated and supported by people from all backgrounds. It holds a central place in our national identity, while the growth and success of the women’s game has been particularly inspiring and is critical to the sport’s overall development. I look forward to Crystal Palace Women regaining their place in the super league next season.

As I said in my maiden speech, I welcome the Bill. It is vital to introduce a regulator that can ensure the professional game is sustainable and puts those most important to its success—namely, the fans—at its core, despite the contempt of the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth (Rupert Lowe) and the bizarre volte-face from the official Opposition.

As we have heard, the premier league has unrivalled global reach, but in celebrating its international reach and national popularity, we must not forget football’s origins. Football clubs are not assets to be bought and sold like superyachts, but the lifeblood of communities. My Wimbledon constituents understand better than most what happens when clubs are treated as mere assets, with the purchase of what became nothing more than a commercial franchise when the original Wimbledon FC moved to Milton Keynes—adopting the still controversial name of MK Dons—remaining a deeply traumatic event for many of my constituents. Despite opposition from the FA and the Football League, Wimbledon FC was stolen from the fans and ripped from our community. Thankfully, AFC Wimbledon rose from the ashes of the MK Dons debacle and now serves as an inspiration to many. As a majority fan-owned club, they are rightly admired. Their success also demonstrates that clubs can thrive when fans are in control.

In Wimbledon, we are fortunate to have two professional clubs that are deeply involved in the community. Fulham FC, whose training ground is in my constituency, undertakes significant community work partnering with local schools, community groups and disability charities, while AFC Wimbledon embodies this community spirit even more fervently. When the covid-19 pandemic began, three AFC Wimbledon fans established the Dons local action group to help to combat the impacts of poverty in our community. Last year, it distributed almost £1 million-worth of food to the poorest in Wimbledon.

The sustainability of our football clubs is crucial, but we must be cautious about stifling ambition. A rigid regulatory framework could prevent clubs, especially those from smaller leagues, from making their way up the pyramid as swiftly as we have seen in the past; Fulham FC, for example, experienced a meteoric rise from the fourth tier to the premier league in just six years. Along with other clubs, Fulham have raised concerns that excessive financial constraints could stifle the ambition of smaller clubs that aspire to emulate their success. We must strike the right balance, ensuring that reckless behaviour is curtailed while allowing clubs the freedom to chase success in a responsible, sustainable way.

I finish by saying that I support this Bill and that I am so surprised by the Tory volte-face—it makes no sense.