Project Update: FORAS story heard in Belgium

It has been a busy couple of weeks for the working group looking after the European Commission Improving Football Governance project on behalf of FORAS.

Project Manager Niamh O’Mahony travelled to Antwerp last weekend, having been invited to speak at the project’s Belgian workshop. Representatives of Eskabee 1935 FC and Federation of Antwerp Supporters (Club) were joined by officials from Belgian Pro-League club OH Leuven and two national fans’ organisations, SFP and NSF, amongst others.

Full report here.

Niamh outlined the story of FORAS and how the supporters’ trust came to own and run Cork City FC. She also spoke about the importance of supporters having a strong voice within the game of football and the growing role of fans across clubs in the League of Ireland.

The working group, headed up by Niamh and researcher Shane Tobin, are now editing the final draft of the League of Ireland handbook – to be launched in the coming months – with the help of Shane Twomey of Zenith Media, who is due to begin work on a design for the document shortly.

Project representatives also met with Michael Colreavy TD of Sinn Féin, a supporter of Sligo Rovers, as well as Tim Dooley TD and Senator Averil Power of Fianna Fáil at Dáil Éireann on Thursday, before Niamh once again spoke about the project and its objectives at the launch of The 1895 Trust (Shelbourne) at Tolka Park.

Further meetings are planned in an effort to secure cross-party support for objectives and outcomes of the project. For more information, email: [email protected].