As detailed in this paper, the reasons behind working class exclusion from football are highly complex and lamentable. Within the papers’ research it was problematic in gaging levels of exclusion due to the inability to access the specifics concerning attendance data. However, a chronological historiography of supporter identities with football recognised a key time period. When analysing the transition of football from sport to a commercial industry, it is clear that the majority of avenues lead back to the 1980s.
Football now finds itself in an ironic position. As highlighted by the introduction of this paper, traditionally football was a game for the people. The result meant that ‘the rootedness in local-working class communities meant that football’s politics, such as they are, tendered to loiter on the left wing’ (Crompton: 4). Fast forward to today and football is governed by a neo-liberal capitalist system which excludes the specific fandom which established it.
Although it is difficult to pinpoint a specific event or entity as responsible for initiating the crisis of a working class identity with football, the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 was football’s watershed moment. The disaster was manipulated by the government as the final straw which allowed politicians, police and football clubs to gentrify the sport. The transition would stretch the identification of the working class as supporters became customers. The Premier League and commercialism of football was unattainable without the implementation of the Taylor Report.
The new founded political embrace of a free market was mirrored in football with the arrival of middle class consumerism to the game. The Premier League furthered the demands of the 1980s ‘Big Five’ by completely polarizing England’s top and bottom clubs. For the first time in its history football was accessible everywhere to anyone; therefore it is unsurprising supporters increasingly moved beyond their immediate locality. By analysing relevant football scholarship it is clear middle class consumerism is tied more closely to the Premier League era than any other period. The association is justified; however, what should be noted is that by the late 1980s, two-thirds of top-flight crowds were middle class. A masculine and working class culture was faltering during the decade.
To conclude, it is important to try and predict football’s future. It is unlikely the game will return to its working class roots. Any measures put in place to achieve the restoration have been largely limited. In 1997, the new Labour government established a Football Task Force to look into the game’s problems. Their ‘Investing in the Community’ report in 1997 tackled commercialism, racism, social exclusion, ticket prices and club inequality. With the exception of racism which was outlawed shortly after the publication; the effect on the exclusion of football’s traditional working class support was limited. A particular area of interest is the report’s recommendations for the F.A Cup Final. The Task Force acknowledges that: ‘The FA Challenge Cup Final is traditionally a day for those who have contributed to football at every level’.[1] As a consequence, the report argues for an improvement in ticket redistribution and details the 1999 Final allocations: Competing teams 70%, County Associations, Leagues, etc 18%, FAPL and FL clubs 5%, FA, guests and sponsors, broadcasters, stadium 7%’[2]. Likewise to the majority of the report’s demands, the request would be denied and inverted. In last year’s final between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, corporates and sponsors received an allocation of £35,000[3], thus marking an increase of over 30% since the Task Force’s report. Furthermore, the final kicked off at 5.30pm making it impossible for Manchester United supporters to travel by rail following the match. Clubs and the game’s governing bodies continue to set aside supporters’ interests in search of greater revenue.
The Task Force effectively established the Football Supporters’ Federation and Supporters Direct. The latter organisation encouraged supporters to ‘buy shares, form trusts, democratic bodies and join the board’.[4] However, as detailed in the previous chapter, supporter involvement is limited with just three out of England’s ninety two clubs owned by the fans. The Football Supporters Federation has also launched a number of initiatives to include football’s historic working class support. Following the organisations ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ campaign to reduce away ticket prices in the Premier League, all clubs agreed to cap away fans tickets at £30. A success for the supporter on the surface, however the measure had a negative effect on the lower leagues as Championship tickets increased by 36% from the previous season.[5] The figure marked the biggest percentage increase across English sport. In a bid to improve atmospheres in the Premier League, the FSF launched a safe-standing campaign; however the proposal was rejected by the government in February of this year. Despite the initiatives aiming to return the game to its working class roots, football is going the other way.
The Premier League as it stands today displays the greatest level of supporter detachment in the sport’s history. Fans no longer see their club, players and owners in a compatible light. The league undoubtedly played an instrumental role in shifting the working classes away from the game but the switch was only possible due to the politics, events and decisions made during the 1980s.
Similarly, commercialism cannot solely be blamed the working class demise, as detailed in this study football has remained a monetary making sport since its formation. With the continued financial success there is little incentive for clubs to return to their traditional working class roots. Clubs generated £3.3 billion record revenues in 2014-15 and have now entered a period of sustained profitability according to Deloitte.[6] There is no evidence to suggest the commercialization of the sport will stop or reduce. As a result, the working classes will continue to be disenfranchised and disconnected from their local football clubs.
[1] FOOTBALL: COMMERCIAL ISSUES. 2017. A Submission by The Football Task Force To The Minister For Sport. London: National Archive, pg 51-60. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/footballtaskforcereport.pdf
[2] FOOTBALL: COMMERCIAL ISSUES. 2017, p 60.
[3] Mitten, Andy. 2017. “Thousands Of Man United Fans Face FA Cup Final Ticket Disappointment”. ESPNFC.Com.
[4] Conn, David. 2005. The Beautiful Game?. 1st ed. London: Yellow Jersey Press.
[5] “Price Of Football 2016: How Much Is The Championship?”. 2016. BBC. BBC SPORT.
[6] Record Revenues Sustain Impressive Profits Despite Premier League Clubs’ Investment In Players. 2016. Press Releases. UK. https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/press-releases/articles/record-revenues-sustain-impressive-profits.html.
Jack Langford 