Supporters Direct are an umbrella organisation set up originally by the United Kingdom government (with cross-party support) to provide support and assistance for its member trusts to secure a greater level of accountability and deliver democratic representation within football clubs and within football's governing structures. More recently, Supporters Direct has begun the same representation for other sports, most notably rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

.

Amongst other things, Supporters Direct provides advice to supporters' trust

Supporters' trust

In British sports, a supporters' trust is a formal, democratic and not-for-profit organisation of fans who attempt to strengthen the influence of supporters over the running of the club they support...

s on how to organise and acquire a collective shareholding in their football and rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 clubs on a not-for-profit basis for re-investment.

Existing as an Industrial and Provident Society, Supporters Direct is owned by its members and funded by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund - the partner organisation of the Football Foundation - and in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 by the Scottish government. Its work in rugby league is funded through an arrangement with The Co-operative Group

The Co-operative Group

The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...

, the Rugby Football League

Rugby Football League

The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...

 and Supporters Direct's own reserves.

Supporters Direct deliver advice and guidance on governance and financial accountability to its members and to play a valued and responsible role in the running of their clubs, improving communication and building a better relationship with the local community.

Mission Statement

Supporters Direct mission statement:

“"Our goal is promote sustainable spectator sports clubs based on supporters' involvement & community ownership".”

What does Supporters Direct do?

Supporters Direct has the following listed on its website :

• Supporters Direct campaigns for the wider recognition of the social, cultural and economic value of sports clubs
• Sports clubs and competitions are increasingly being put at risk by short-term vested interests, poor financial management and inadequate standards of governance; we are the UK's leading body working to ensure that clubs are run responsibly and are financially sustainable
• Supporters Direct aims to create the conditions in which supporters can secure influence and ownership of sports clubs
• Supporters Direct provides guidance and support to groups in more than 16 countries throughout
• Supporters Direct promotes the value of supporter ownership to sports fans, empowering them to set up supporters' trusts or become members of existing
• Supporters Direct is a community benefit society, owned by its members

Facts and Figures

The trust movement has grown considerably since the introduction of Supporters Direct as the following facts and figures present:

• Growth: Supporters' trust
  Supporters' trust
  In British sports, a supporters' trust is a formal, democratic and not-for-profit organisation of fans who attempt to strengthen the influence of supporters over the running of the club they support...
  
  s have now been established at over 150 clubs.
• Membership: Over 250,000 people are members of supporters' trusts.
• Finance: Supporters' trusts have now brought in well over £25 million of new finance into football.
• Ownership: 26 clubs are in ownership by supporters' trusts
• Partnership: 110 supporters' trusts now have shareholdings in their clubs.
• Boardroom: Over 45 supporters’ trust directors at clubs. Over 50% of these are directly elected by the membership of the trust.
• Reach: Supporters of nearly 70% of clubs in the top five divisions of football in England and the top four divisions in Scotland have established supporters' trusts.

Supporters Direct Cup & Shield

Supporters Direct also sponsor the The Supporters Direct Cup

Supporters Direct Cup

The Supporters Direct Cup is an annual, pre-season friendly football competition established by Supporters Direct, the organisation that seeks to increase supporter representation in football.-Format:...

 and the The Supporters Direct Shield

Supporters Direct Shield

The Supporters Direct Shield is an annual, pre-season friendly football competition established by Supporters Direct, the organisation that seeks to increase supporter representation in football...The Shield is competed for between supporter-owned clubs...

which are annual pre-season trophies competed for by supporter-owned clubs.