Moving Forward: At Last

On January 21st the club announced that they plan to introduce a new Liverpool FC Supporters Committee, a body comprising 17 supporters that will have the opportunity to engage the clubs' owners and hierarchy in dialogue regarding the concerns of the fans.

The initial aims:

1. To establish a forum for supporters to communicate directly with the Club in a structured manner
2. To help the Club better understand the issues that most affect and concern our fans
3. To give the Club an opportunity to explain the thinking behind key decisions
4. To enable fans to play a key role in helping the Club achieve success on and off the pitch
5. To provide a greater degree of transparency about key issues that affect supporters

The long term aims:

1. To enhance the relationship between Liverpool Football Club and our supporters
2. To help ensure fans feel their loyalty is valued by Liverpool Football Club
3. To help improve Liverpool Football Club for the benefit of all supporters

So far I have seen mixed reviews regarding this idea from a number of the supporter websites. Many people seem to view the Spirit of Shankly group as the best option for ongoing dialogue with the club; others question the selection process of the 17 supporters themselves.

It must be said that even though we are all grateful to John Henry and Tom Werner and the Fenway Sports Group for rescuing us from the two carpetbaggers, there is still some latent mistrust of our new owners from across the pond.

Ninety-something percent of the support wanted Roy Hodgson gone from the club and many people were concerned at the perceived lack of action from Fenway.

Clearly, they have been keeping their powder dry and the news of Hodgson's departure and the reinstatement of Kenny Dalglish was closely followed with this news. (Fans will be equally interested on whether their chequebook sees the light of day this January - we need new blood and everyone can see that)

We are all still a bit raw and wounded from our battle with our previous owners and I think can be somewhat forgiven for only giving news such as the arrival of this Supporter Committee a cautious welcome.

Who will make up the 17 members of the committee?

Will it be 17 hand-picked people who will merely nod obediently at every suggestion Fenway make?

Will it be made up of those people already known to FSG, those who have already met with John Henry et al post-takeover?

That is the fear that many people have but that said, I am sure that it is not in FSG's interest to put such a group in place.

The output from this committee will undergo the severest scrutiny, any hint that this body is merely the lapdog of FSG will surely damage Fenway's credibility irrevocably. Battle lines would again begin to be drawn.

I can't see FSG wanting that sort of situation, true dialogue with the support - the true heartbeat and lifeblood of this club - is not only needed for progress, it is essential.

In this post-Sky TV world, supporters are already dissatisfied and jaded with the way the sport has evolved.

Fenway have a huge opportunity here.

Liverpool fans are amongst the most motivated, fanatical and committed in the world. Harness that, develop a true partnership and LFC can reach even greater heights than ever before.

We can eclipse the Man United's, the Barcelona's, and the Real Madrid's.

IF we get it right.

I suspect Fenway feel this too.

So let's welcome this idea of a supporter committee, let's see how this partnership moves forward and let's see just how far we can take it.