No, it is not the latest online feature the Football Manager series: this is real life. Fifty thousand football fans will soon be bidding for a lower league English team. The scheme has been dreamt up by Fulham fan Will Brooks. His site – www.myfootballclub.co.uk – encourages fans to donate £35 in exchange for a stake in first-team affairs at the new club. More than 47,000 people have already pledged their money, and Brooks is just waiting for that figure to hit 50,000 before beginning takeover talks with any club.
If you thought Hearts players had it bad under Vladimir Romanov, players at whichever outfit MyFootballClub turns out to be will have 50,000 owners each voting on team selection. In fact, fans can even vote on which club they would like to takeover. Leeds United are currently leading the way, with Nottingham Forest and Cambridge United also popular choices.
Brooks said: “If you have 50,000 people voting on a transfer, chances are the aggregate decision will be a good one. Every club has always done it one way. Why not have one club trying a different way, and we’ll see how it goes.”
He added: “We’ve already had owners of Conference and Division Two clubs contacting us to say they may be interested in selling. We can’t say who yet, but for some owners we represent the chance for an ‘elegant exit’.” By the time the signatures reach 50,000, he will have a £1.4 million purchase fund to play with.
Any Pies fans own a stake?