Tottenham have been named England’s best-run football club by a group championing better governance and sustainability within the game.
An analysis of the state of men’s football across England by Fair Game, which works with 34 EFL and non-league clubs, showed five Premier League teams to be among the top 10 best run in the country. Fair Game’s report analysed data from clubs across the top seven divisions in English football and gave them a score out of 100 based on financial sustainability, good governance, fan engagement and equality standards.
Spurs were ranked first in the Fair Game Index with a combined score of 68.2 out of 100, their position driven by a particularly high score in equality. Manchester United came second with a score of 65.4, their rank boosted by their scores in financial stability and good governance. Brentford, Fulham and Liverpool are the other Premier League teams to feature in the top 10.
“As a club that prides itself on good governance – with a key focus on sustainability, fan engagement and delivering for our local communities – we are delighted to have been recognised as England’s best-run club by the Fair Game Index,” said the Tottenham chair, Daniel Levy. “This ranking further demonstrates the huge strides that are being made off the pitch, with our world-class stadium and innovative partnerships enabling sustainable, recurring investment into our football operations to ensure we remain competitive on the pitch and challenge for major honours.
“We welcome Fair Game’s work in highlighting the important role we can all play in operating sustainably to ensure our clubs remain at the heart of our local communities and for fans to enjoy for many generations to come.”
Fair Game have strongly advocated for the introduction of an independent football regulator and aim to develop practical solutions to improve governance in football. “To deliver real and meaningful change we need to understand the problems,” said the Fair Game chief executive, Niall Couper. “We’ve designed the Fair Game Index to do exactly that and help reshape the game we love. It is the most comprehensive analysis yet of what it means to be a well-run club, and we’re calling on the authorities, the Football Regulator and football’s governing bodies to work with us.
“This year, several overall themes have emerged: financial sustainability goes hand in hand with good governance and fan engagement; football’s financial flow is undermining sustainability; and equality and ethical standards are on average treated as lip service. In short, football in England needs a truly independent regulator that can oversee good governance, reshape football’s financial flow, and ensure issues around equality and ethics get the support and respect they deserve.”
Fair Game’s report ranked Cambridge United as the best run club in the English Football League, third across England, with fellow League One side Exeter City also in the top 10. Norwich City and Swansea were the only Championship teams included in the list, while AFC Wimbledon were the only League Two side to make the cut.