Update on plans to strengthen fan engagement

Monday 26 July 2021 14:00

Manchester United is finalising plans for a new Fan Advisory Board and an expanded Fans' Forum, following constructive dialogue with fan representatives and the Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST).

The Terms of Reference and composition of both bodies have been agreed in consultation with the existing Fans’ Forum, and with MUST in its capacity as the accredited independent fan group representing Manchester United supporters.

Collette Roche, Manchester United Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are pleased with the progress made so far towards building a framework for more effective engagement between the club and its supporters.

“As Joel Glazer told the Fans’ Forum in June, we are committed to strengthening fan representation and the role of fans at the heart of the club; and the new Fan Advisory Board and expanded Fans’ Forum will help that process.”

Joel Glazer commits to improved fan engagement

 Article

Our executive co-chairman discusses matters on and off the pitch as he outlines his ambitions for the club.

The Fan Advisory Board will be made up of seven senior fan representatives and up to five club executives, creating a new channel for in-depth dialogue on fan-related issues and strategic matters. The Board will meet quarterly, with one of the Executive Co-Chairmen attending at least once a year. 

The Fans’ Forum will remain in place as a wider representative body meeting quarterly to address fan questions. Membership of the Forum will be increased from 11 to 16, to allow the body to become more truly representative of the club’s diverse fan base. Additions to the Forum will include representatives for the Manchester United Women Supporters’ Club, youth supporters under the age of 21, and international members.
The Fans’ Forum will then elect two of its members to the Fan Advisory Board to ensure a strong connection between the two bodies, and MUST will have seats on both bodies. 

Recruitment to the two bodies will begin in the coming weeks. More information on the criteria for the representative roles and how to apply will be published at that time.  

Progress has also been made in discussions with MUST about the creation of a mutually beneficial fan share scheme which would give fans access to a new class of shares each with the same high-vote rights as the B shares held by the Glazer family. Detailed work is continuing, supported by expert advisers, on the structure of the potential fan share scheme and more information will be shared in due course.

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