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FFC Survey: Champions League Final

We're running a quick survey in advance of tonights' Champions League Final. Will you be watching the game? It's just three questions long and will only take a minute to complete.

Click here to take part

Many thanks for your support

The FFC Team

FFC Results: Fanzine Awards Winners Announced

There's been a lot of nominating, voting and deliberating and now the results of this years' fanzine awards are out...

A Love Supreme has been named the best UK football fanzine for the second year running.

The Sunderland publication beat hundreds of entries to scoop the Best Overall Fanzine title in the New Football Pools Fanzine Awards run by the Football Fans Census.

And Black Cats fans' favourite read was also named winner of the Best Premier League (Online) award.

Over 10,000 supporters up and down the country voted in eight categories and the most popular titles in each were shortlisted for a judging panel from The New Football Pools and the Football Fans Census to decide on the eventual winners.

The standard of this years fanzines was outstanding and we wish many congratulations to all the winners;

Overall Award - Best Fanzine - A Love Supreme - Sunderland
Best Premier League (Print) - There’s Only One 'F' in Fulham - Fulham

Best Premier League (Online) - A Love Supreme - Sunderland
Best Football League (Print) - A Kick Up The R’s - QPR
Best Football League (Online) - Vital Lincoln – Lincoln City
Best Non League - Show Me The Way To Go Home– Maidstone United
Best Writer - Mickey Blue Eyes – Blue Kipper - Everton
Best Blog - Craven Cottage Newsround – Fulham
Best Editor - Bryan Reed - Show Me The Way To Go Home - Maidstone United

Jon Sheehy, Marketing Director for the New Football Pools said: 'What a great achievement for A Love Supreme to retain the Best Fanzine title in successive seasons. The fanzine was outstanding across a number of categories and the team behind it really deserve recognition for their work.

'We support these awards to celebrate the passion, creativity and dedication that goes into writing and producing the fanzines. Almost 35,000 nominations were received this year, showing just how important the fanzines are to football fans who are at the heart of our beautiful game and we’re delighted to be able to recognise the talent behind them.'

We'd like to thank The New Football Pools for their help in establishing the Fanzine Awards and to all the fans who took part.

Many thanks for your support

The FFC Team

Examples of press coverage:

Daily Mail

Football.co.uk

Shields Gazette

Craven Cottage Newsround

FFC Results: Fans Making Sacrifices

Recent FFC Research has contributed to findings published today by Finance Firm ING Direct.

Many fans are having to make financial sacrifices to pay for their next season ticket even though clubs are cutting or freezing prices, according to the research.

The FFC study of more than 2,000 season ticket holders of Premier League clubs run for ING showed that one in four had already saved up to renew their seat at leading grounds.

ING Direct said its research suggested that clubs had made the right decision on prices, with one in 10 fans replied that they would not renew their season tickets if they were more expensive.

Supporters of Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham were more likely to have given up their ticket, whereas Arsenal, Stoke and Sunderland fans were most likely to pay "whatever it takes" to follow their club.

Around two out of five fans said they had been forced to make serious financial sacrifices as they struggled to pay to renew their ticket.

ING Direct chief executive Johan de Wit said: "Many of our customers have dedicated savings plans in place to manage the cost of their season ticket.

"However, it's clear by the research that lots of supporters find it difficult to deal with such a large outlay at the beginning of the season, so it's good to see the majority of Premier League teams appreciate this and are not taking fans loyalty for granted."

(Reported from PA News)

News: Fans aim for 92 Clubs in 92 Hours for Cancer Research

Four fans have set off tonight on a fundraising dash around England and Wales.

Organiser Stephen Howe will be accompanied by Dean Evans, Anthony Crick and Paul Martin, travelling the length and breadth of the country visiting all 92 League Clubs in 92 hours.

They will be collecting donated items from the clubs on the way and will have a photo taken outside each ground to prove that they have been there.

All the items donated will then be auctioned off, all proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.

Thumbs up to the donors who provided a Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer for the trip and also to the PR agency supporting the lads (www.cowpr.com).

If you'd like to make a donation you can by clicking here.

Many thanks for your support

The FFC Team

News: Footy on the Cote D'Azur 2

French trailer - Looking for Eric



Ken and Cantona discussing at Cannes



Review from Cannes

FFC Survey: The London Football Report 2009

It's that time of year again, The London Football Report provides comprehensive data and analysis on the state of the game in the capital.

Run annually with the Evening Standard, it's now in its' fourth year. If you support a London Club, this is a chance to have your say on how your club is run and the big issues in football in London.

The survey is just 10-questions long and only takes a couple of minutes to complete.

Click here to take part

Previous results:

London Football Report 2008

London Football Report 2007

Many thanks for your support

The FFC Team

FFC Survey: English Clubs and England Fans

We're running a survey in partnership with the University of Teeside. for fans of English clubs and the English national team who live in England.

Please tell us a little bit about the relationship you have with your club and the national side. The survey it's 31 questions long and will only take 5 - 10 minutes to complete.

Click here to take part

Many thanks for your support

The FFC Team

FFC Rewards: When Saturday Comes Issue 268

The latest issue of When Saturday Comes, The Half Decent Football Magazine is available this week for just 795 points in the FFC Rewards Redemptions...

Featuring:

North East Facing relegation from the Premier League

East Anglia Turmoil at Ipswich and Norwich

Around the world South Africa prepares for 2010, Internet takeover in Germany, Greek FA investigated, ID cards in Argentina, Steaua owner arrested, Dutch merger fails

Plus

Managers bickering again

Football & the miners’ strike

Scottish players banned

Leicester’s finest moment

Hooligans on screen

Man Utd 1970s revival

News: Footy on the Cote D'Azur - Looking for Eric

The Cannes Film Festival kicked off yesterday.

Not normally a fixture to make most football calendars.

But then, it’s not often that a footy related film goes head to head with movies from the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Oscar winning Jane Campion in competition for the Palme D’Or.

“Looking for Eric” is Bath City fan-Bath City shareholder-and legendary film director - Ken Loach’s latest film.

It tells the story of Man United obsessed postman Eric Bishop - who, left to bring up his two stepsons, lurches from one personal crisis to another - and his imaginary friend, Eric Cantona (played by King Eric himself).

Like all Loach’s work, Looking for Eric is reportedly about everyday characters and their struggles to keep their lives together, albeit it with a lightness and humour to the film that has been absent in much of Loach's recent output.

It opens in the UK on June 12th and this is why we’re keen to see it....

Ken has already directed one of the best football scenes in cinema history, in Kes where games teacher Mr Sugden institutes a match between 'Manchester United' and 'Tottenham Hotspur', with himself as referee and star player.



Looking for Eric stars John Henshaw - a legend for his role as Ken in Last Orders.



Whether one is a fan of his or not, Cantona is a character who Ken (the director, not the landlord) has said enjoys taking the mickey out of his public persona and it will be interesting to see how this collaboration works.

News: Monaco (UEFA) Charity Awards 2009

Big congratulations to The National Association of Disabled Supporters NADS announcing today that UEFA has granted the 2009 Monaco Award to enable the formation of a new organisation, the Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFÉ) to progress disabled supporter provisions and experiences across Europe building on the work already undertaken by NADS in the UK.

UEFA awards its annual CHF1 million (€650,000) Monaco charity cheque to deserving projects. The award is presented at UEFA's Monaco events in August which herald the start of the new European club competition season, with income from fines handed out by UEFA's disciplinary authorities being invested in social responsibility activities.

CAFÉ will be outward facing to Europe and independent of NADS and will be up and running by early September.

Joyce Cook, Chair of NADS said ' I want to say a very big thank you to UEFA on behalf of disabled people across Europe. We are delighted by this decision which shows UEFA's real commitment to disabled fans and creating an equal experience for all fans and we'll bring you more news very soon. '

News: Football Images via Tag Galaxy, interesting..

Came across this, out there way of searching for football images of Flickr. Visit http://taggalaxy.de/ and tag football fans..

News: Fans play charity derby game at Sincil Bank tonight

It's FA Cup final day Sincil Bank style tonight as Lincoln City and Grimsby town fans will get to live the dream, run onto the Sincil Bank turf and become the heroes of their respective teams for 90 minutes.

The SoccerXpress trophy is up for grabs but this game is also being played for charity with gate proceeds going to the Lincoln and Grimsby Supporters Trusts and the Grimsby Children`s Wards.

For just two pounds for adults and a pound for everyone else (including free tickets for the helpers of the disabled) you too can become part of a unique fundraising day.

Kick-off is a 7.30 p.m. tonight 6th May. Best of luck to all involved.

News; WSJ on cultural differences between fans in the US and Europe

The Wall Street Journal looks at cultural differences that may play a part in explaining the differing desires of fans, to sit at sports events in the US and to stand at European football matches.


Further reading on the Safe Standing debate:

Interesting article by Tom Dunmore at pitchinvasion.net.

The Football Supporters' Federation report "The Case for Safe Standing" at major football stadia in England and Wales first published in June 2007, provides a comperehensive outline of the arguments that some fans' campaigning groups have been making on the issue.