Liverpool have announced they will introduce a Supporters Board ahead of next season, offering fans the chance to have their say on crucial matters within the club.
The majority of the owners of the six English sides who commited to join the ill-fated Super League have been desperately attempting to build bridges with their respective fan bases over the past few weeks.
Liverpool owner John Henry was forced to issue a public apology (of sorts) for the Reds' part in the saga, and the club have now announced they intend to form a Supporters Board this summer with the aim of giving fans a voice on matters within the club.
Liverpool took to their official website to announce the news, while adding the club's official supporters trust, Spirit of Shankly, will be responsible for running the board.
"Liverpool FC is set to launch a new Supporters Board in a new initiative which will deliver meaningful fan representation at main board and executive levels as part of the club's commitment to put supporters at the heart of its decision-making processes," the statement read.
"The development follows a series of recent meetings with the official Liverpool supporters trust, Spirit of Shankly, and will see the creation of a new engagement model that enables deeper consultation with supporters on fan-facing strategic decisions.
We are set to launch a new Supporters Board in a new initiative which will deliver meaningful fan representation at main board and executive levels.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 20, 2021
This is part of the Club’s commitment to put supporters at the heart of its decision-making processes.
"The Supporters Board will be launched ahead of the new season and will be made up of a group of supporters that represent the club’s diverse fanbase. The official Liverpool supporters trust will be responsible for running the Supporters Board and will be liaising with its affiliate groups and the wider supporter base in order to ensure such representation is achieved.
"The Supporters Board will hold regular meetings with the club and the chair will be invited to attend Liverpool's main board meetings when fan-facing strategic matters arise."
Liverpool's chief executive Billy Hogan revealed there's still a long way to go before the Supporters Board will be finalised, though he hopes the proposal proves the club's commitment to its fans.
“The focus over the last few weeks of dialogue has been to find a long-term solution that is in the best interests of Liverpool and its supporters - one that we firmly believe is not only meaningful but also wholly in keeping with the values and aspirations of the club," his statement read.
“There is still a lot to discuss with representatives of the Liverpool supporters trust in the weeks ahead but having these principles in place is a great step forward and we look forward to formalising the details of the structure over the summer. We will then share the details with all supporters ahead of the new season.”
Joe Blott, chair of Spirit of Shankly group, added: “Spirit of Shankly met with representatives of Liverpool's board on Tuesday 18 May to continue talks on the union’s four requests.
“After discussions of the past weeks, we believe this is a unique deal and recommend its acceptance. We see this as a chance to help shape the future of our club and put us at the forefront of changing football in general.
“We are arranging an online meeting for members, hopefully at the start of next week, where this will be discussed and then put to the vote.”
Source: 90min
