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The FGRC receives many enquiries
from students looking for guidance and hints regarding their dissertations
and research papers. Below is a researcher's guide to the footballing
authorities, the main research centres and other sites of interest that
may provide you with the information you are looking for.
Football's Administrative Bodies:
The Football Association 
English football's regulatory body, established in 1863 to codify the
rules of a game, its modern day role covers a broad spectrum, from grass-roots
level to the national team. The FA are responsible for the development
and promotion of English football, both at home and abroad, consisting
of over 40 County Associations. The FA is ultimately responsible for
administering football, particularly disciplinary matters such as the
misconduct of clubs, officials and players.
Resources Available:
Contains current information on every FA trophy and England team from
youth to seniors, men and women
A series of mission statements detailing the FA's stance on issues
varying from coaching to education
A redeveloped new site with student resource links to come
The old site however
(http://www.footballassociation.org/), includes useful information
on many different topics including the history of the game, racism
within football and the terracing debate. There is also a football
directory with links to every Premier and Football League club and
County FA
The
Football Foundation
Government funded initiative launched to facilitate £53m investment
into grass roots football. As an organisation, its emphasis is on
the provision of adequate amenities at local level for men and women
of all ages and ability, fitting in with New Labour's wider concept
of social inclusion. Grants are available to help build new facilities
or refurbish existing ones.
Resources Available: ·
Fact-sheets detailing best practice for grant applications
Application forms for grant funding
Regional Officer contact addresses
Access to the Register
of English Football Facilities (REFF), a definitive database showing
the quantity and quality of facilities in different parts of England,
thus allowing regional performance to be measured
Supporters
Direct
Government funded initiative, offering practical, legal and financial
advice to supporters' groups who want to set up democratic, not-for-profit
and broadly representative Supporters' Trusts.
Resources Available: ·
Library containing Supporters' Trust related documents such as Frequently
Asked Questions, details on constitutions, archived SD newsletters,
publications and Football task Force reports
Academic Sites:
The
Football Governance Research Centre
Based in Birkbeck, University of London, the FGRC researches and reports
on governance and regulatory issues facing football. As well as organising
regular conferences and seminars, the FGRC also offers several post-graduate
degree courses (through Birkbeck) on the business of football.
Resources Available: ·
Extensive library of FGRC reports, covering such areas as television
revenue, media ownership and the analysis of football clubs as financial
and social institutions
Published papers
including annual reports on corporate governance in football (The
State of the Game) and a variety of papers on mutualism in football
and the Supporters' Trust movement in general
The
Centre for the Sociology of Sport
The Sir Norman Chester Centre for Football Research, now The Centre
for the Sociology of Sport, established in 1987 and based in Leicester
University's sociology department, primarily research football's social
and cultural impact.
Resources Available: ·
Fact sheets on numerous social issues such as women in football, racism
in football and fan power.
Access to research projects
such as their annual Premier and Football League Fan Surveys.
Archived articles
written by the head of the SNCCFR, John Williams, for the Leicester
Mercury.
List of publications available
to purchase (half price to students), covering areas such as 'Football
and Identity', 'Football and Disability' and hooliganism.
The
Football Industry Group
Previously the Football Research Unit, (FIG) is part of the University
of Liverpool and offers a postgraduate course in 'Football Industries'.
Their research centres on the social, economic, historical, business,
cultural and political aspects of football in the UK and abroad.
Resources Available: ·
Fact sheets on the Bosman ruling, the Hillsborough disaster, hooliganism
and football's development over the last decade
Financial Sites:
Deloitte
Sports Business Group
Team of business consultants specialising in the football industry.
Widely acknowledged as market leaders in this area, Deloitte and Touche
release annual publications that evaluate and compare the financial
performances of Premier and Football League clubs as well as containing
an abundance of financial and statistical information.
Resources Available: ·
Contains a short synopsis of each of their publications; full publications
are available to purchase at reduced rates for students
Soccer
Investor
The game's equivalent to the Financial Times, this is the web version
of a weekly publication (Soccer Investor Weekly) that offers in-depth
scrutiny of football's finances. Although focussing on English clubs,
extensive attention is also given to international issues.
Resources Available: ·
Updates and analysis of the latest football financial issues, including
share prices, transfers and sponsorship deals. This information is
available in a free daily news bulletin e-mail
Electronic news archive.
Clubs
in Crisis
Website run by the Brighton & Hove Albion Supporters' Club that allows
fans of 'clubs in crisis' to write in and draw attention to their
plight.
Resources Available: ·
Relatively up-to-date news on the latest clubs facing financial difficulties
Article titled 'How to Save Your Club', based on Brighton supporters'
experience
Supporter Sites:
Football Supporters Federation
Formed in August 2002, the FSF is the result of the amalgamation of
the National Federation of Football
Supporters' Clubs and the Football
Supporters' Association. The merger occurred so that supporters
needs could be represented by a united body, thus preventing the infighting
that had been prevalent between the two organisations. The FSF website
is still under construction but there is a wealth of information on
the history of supporters available on those of the NFFSC and the
FSA.
Anti-Racist Sites:
Kick It Out
Founded in 1993, KIO work through governing bodies, supporter organisations
and local authorities to eliminate racism within football. KIO is
funded through sponsorship by the Football Foundation, the Football
Association, the Premier League and the Professional Footballers'
Association.
Resources Available: ·
Football Intelligence Service
A unit within the National
Criminal Intelligence Service, the FIS works closely with regional
and foreign police forces to prevent hooliganism at both club and
national level, gathering statistics on incidents of football disorder
for their database.
Resources Available: ·
Access to database containing extensive statistics on arrests and
incidents, divided into league, club, competition and type of disorder.
A news service
highlighting relevant stories
 
The FGRC wishes to thank Jon Harvey for his contribution
in terms of research and ideas for this section of the site |
