An alternative pitch

Yes, I know. The descent of Dundee FC into their second period of administration (and possibly much worse) in seven years is the result of two successive seasons of foolish over-ambition on the part of people with more money than sense - but not quite enough money, when it really counts. Looking back to 2003 provides some sickening warnings. Yet any fan of Scottish football worth their salt can only feel sorrow at the plight of the fans, the players, the backroom staff - all who love the game and the club who are staring dissolution in the face. Hopefully it won't come to that.

The answer to the deep money-driven malaise in British football, played out at a stratospheric level in the sometimes ludicrous Liverpool soap-cum-docu-drama, has to be in supporters playing a far greater role in running clubs. Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens are among those who have talked, in different ways, about a statutory 'people's stakeholding' in every professional club. The Tories mocked before the election, of course. But reality bites, and fans need a way of biting back that is about wrenching the game back to those who love it, rather than just whining from the sidelines. 'Big Society', anyone? Among other things, as I've said over at the Sonstrust site, Trusts can make a real difference... in small matters, and (given the opportunity) in large.
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