Welcome to Burnley FC Independent Supporters Association which is set to formally launch in early 2025. It’s aim is to become an organisation open to all Burnley supporters, individuals and groups, to support each other and to work with the football club.

If you wish to register an interest in joining, please email BurnleyFCISA@gmail.com and please give this X account a follow and request notifications to ensure you receive any future updates.

We are anticipating a number of questions about the association which might follow, so here are a number of FAQs to help in the meantime...

The idea in principle appeals to me, there is a clear gap for something like this that isn’t associated directly with the club. I remember reading about similar groups at other clubs in the not too distant memory.

Whatever your thoughts on ALK (and, no doubt, they’ve done plenty positive despite any longer term worries I have voiced on here) they are but custodians - at some point or other, another set of owners will likely be on the horizon. I think a supporters group that can independently build bridges with the club whilst also be emboldened enough to handle supporters concerns in a professional manner could possibly be vital in the long term future. On a ‘here and now’ line of thinking, dialogue around ticketing pricing etc with a larger representation of fans than would be possible from any current group might lead to better results.

Who is ‘we’? Whose idea is this? Will that / those people benefit financially? How will it differ from the other non-geographically specific organisation, the Clarets Trust?

Always important things to find out when new organisations spring up. Hopefully though it’ll be something positive.

CrosspoolClarets wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 21, 2024 10:05 pm

Who is ‘we’? Whose idea is this? Will that / those people benefit financially? How will it differ from the other non-geographically specific organisation, the Clarets Trust?

Always important things to find out when new organisations spring up. Hopefully though it’ll be something positive.

Hi CrosspoolClarets,

Thank you for your reply and questions. As we’ve outlined at the top of the FAQs, we are a different organisation to any other that is currently in place. We want to foster good relationships with all associated groups and work with the fans through our democratic and fully independent association. Absolutely no one will benefit financially. Memberships will be set to the lowest possible price (announced in due course). Please do feel free to email us. Thank you again!

Brilliant, I wish I'd have thought of this 9/10

This is something really positive and, I believe, necessary, something that has been lacking, particularly since the demise of the Supporters Groups. It could become such a wide reaching group.

I'm very much in favour and supportive and more than happy to get involved.

Thought I was going to get 5% tax free interest on my season ticket for a minute

Personally I think the FAB is a pointless box ticking exercise that isn’t very representative of the average match going fan so hopefully this will be. There needs to be a powerful voice to hold people to account.

However what is often a problem with these excersises is their credibility in terms of who is associated with it and what sort of people they are so I’ll wait for that detail first.

Sounds like the Secret Service. Let’s have some names

JR1882 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 11:07 am

Personally I think the FAB is a pointless box ticking exercise that isn’t very representative of the average match going fan so hopefully this will be. There needs to be a powerful voice to hold people to account.

However what is often a problem with these excersises is their credibility in terms of who is associated with it and what sort of people they are so I’ll wait for that detail first.

Thanks very much for your post. It makes some very good points.

There are just a small number of people involved right now and a couple of others already have used the help address to offer to get involved. I would think then it will be imperative that those involved are known.

The ultimate aim is for all members to be involved, for the association to do what its members want it to do which will give it so much scope for many to become actively involved at whatever level they choose.

BurnleyFC ISA wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 11:20 am

Thanks very much for your post. It makes some very good points.

There are just a small number of people involved right now and a couple of others already have used the help address to offer to get involved. I would think then it will be imperative that those involved are known.

The ultimate aim is for all members to be involved, for the association to do what its members want it to do which will give it so much scope for many to become actively involved at whatever level they choose.

Not sure why those involved cannot be named now.

JR1882 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 11:07 am

Personally I think the FAB is a pointless box ticking exercise that isn’t very representative of the average match going fan so hopefully this will be. There needs to be a powerful voice to hold people to account.

However what is often a problem with these excersises is their credibility in terms of who is associated with it and what sort of people they are so I’ll wait for that detail first.

JR1882 - despite my earlier post on this thread, I've been involved and have been able to offer my experience having been involved with supporters groups for many years. It's so important that this association is not about me or any individual but about its members. I'm currently there to try and help set it up.

Row x wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 11:28 am

Not sure why those involved cannot be named now.

Speaking for myself again, I'd say that will happen when we know who will be involved to take it forward.

Row x wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 11:28 am

Not sure why those involved cannot be named now.

Correct, I can't imagine there is a long list of people willing to donate or pay to be a member when you have no idea who the people involved in the setting up are.

claretonthecoast1882 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 11:32 am

Correct, I can't imagine there is a long list of people willing to donate or pay to be a member when you have no idea who the people involved in the setting up are.

It hasn’t been set up yet but once there is a group working to set it up then rightly everyone will know who they are.

BurnleyFC ISA wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 11:35 am

It hasn’t been set up yet but once there is a group working to set it up then rightly everyone will know who they are.

That is fair enough

In the interest of transparency should I get to be involved further, I have registered my interest via email. I received an (automated, I assume) email with more information - largely covering similar lines as the Q and A above but quite pointedly it says that they’re looking for help and it doesn’t fully launch until next year.

I’ll let you know if and when I hear more.

Nice to hopefully to put a face to a name, jedi_master. I have registered my interest too. My skill set isn’t vast but I do run the West Yorkshire Clarets supporters branch and I feel I can offer a lot from those in WYC, but ideally, they will want to be a part of this too.

John

How are you planning to get the input acknowledged by the club, they already have the FAB. Do you have a way for them to listen and feedback on any issues/topics this association may raise

I'd be interested, but not if it just turns into another moan fest about brews and price of pints.

GetIntoEm wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 1:16 pm

How are you planning to get the input acknowledged by the club, they already have the FAB. Do you have a way for them to listen and feedback on any issues/topics this association may raise

I'd be interested, but not if it just turns into another moan fest about brews and price of pints.

The association needs to be set up initially and open. With a strong membership you would assume the club would wish to engage. It’s not the intention for it to be a moan fest but a strong and positive association.

BurnleyFC ISA wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 21, 2024 10:36 pm

Hi CrosspoolClarets,

Thank you for your reply and questions. As we’ve outlined at the top of the FAQs, we are a different organisation to any other that is currently in place. We want to foster good relationships with all associated groups and work with the fans through our democratic and fully independent association. Absolutely no one will benefit financially. Memberships will be set to the lowest possible price (announced in due course). Please do feel free to email us. Thank you again!

I don't think you answered the question here. There is already Clarets Trust which on the face of it seems to be doing the same thing. They have a paid membership and are independent and already meet regularly with the club. I can only presume you're aware of the Clarets Trust so it would be great if you could be transparent on why you're different to them.

I've recently become a member of the Clarets Trust after a post on here about it. I got the impression at the time that the plan was to become something similar to this group's aim, although I've had no communication other than recieving a username and password for their website. Are the 2 groups going to work together and if so, it's there a need for 2 or would 1 united front be better?

cmobfc wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 2:30 pm

I've recently become a member of the Clarets Trust after a post on here about it. I got the impression at the time that the plan was to become something similar to this group's aim, although I've had no communication other than recieving a username and password for their website. Are the 2 groups going to work together and if so, it's there a need for 2 or would 1 united front be better?

As already stated, whatever people's thoughts of it are,the club already engage with fans via the FAB, and by the sounds of it also with the trust. I cannot see them engaging with a 3rd group, especially a new one.
Have whoever the secret people are behind this group made any enquiries with the club to see if any engagement with them will be possible, if not,perhaps it's something that might be worth doing sooner rather than later

CT. If you are already ‘there’ and working then surely you can give those who support UTC some information that will help us decide whether we should commit to this new ISA.
Personally I do not feel this cloak and dagger approach is working and is doing more harm than good Or maybe the soft launch has simply come too soon.

This is my opinion and not necessarily that of the group setting up this association.

Firstly, yes, we are aware of Clarets Trust and the biggest difference is that they are a company where this is a supporters association so will be set up in a totally different way. The Trust has been around for twenty years now and I would expect any new organisation to work with them as with any other supporter organisation. This association will be set up to allow individuals to join but also supporters clubs to become members too.

I can only relate to my time with the Supporters Groups which worked well with the Trust who were then chaired by Peter Pike. We were involved together in lots of meetings with the club over many years.

But I would hope this association would be much more far reaching than the Trust. In that old supporters groups we engaged with gambling charities, mental health charities, we had a very good relationship with the police which proved very beneficial, particularly on away trips. We got involved with the club on any number of projects (I won't mention the player boards although that was one). We were heavily involved with the national fans organisation (FSA) and built up great relationships with a lot of supporters groups/associations/trusts from other clubs.

This is me rambling though and as I've said previously, this association will be what people want it to be. I'm happy to be involved in the set up but I'm an old man now and would really like to see younger people getting involved and replacing me in the not too distant future.

Regards the club engaging - they have actually said they want to engage with supporters groups, and put that in print in the last accounts. There is no reason to suspect that won't be the case.

They want people to sign up so certain people can get their foot through the door and be nosey buggers. They’ll struggle with only 1 or 2 in their gang so need the numbers. Hence the thread.

Dyched wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 3:08 pm

They want people to sign up so certain people can get their foot through the door and be nosey buggers. They’ll struggle with only 1 or 2 in their gang so need the numbers. Hence the thread.

I honestly don't think anything could be further from the truth

Thanks Tony. I think many are wrongly assuming this will be a group set up to challenge the owners of the club. It appears based on your response to be much more than that and capable of covering issues which are important to supporters away from the day to day running of the club.

I think the group just needs to be really clear on what it sees it's remit as and make clear that trying to hold the club to account is only part of that.

ChorltonCharlie wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 3:30 pm

Thanks Tony. I think many are wrongly assuming this will be a group set up to challenge the owners of the club. It appears based on your response to be much more than that and capable of covering issues which are important to supporters away from the day to day running of the club.

I think the group just needs to be really clear on what it sees it's remit as and make clear that trying to hold the club to account is only part of that.

Read your second sentence again ChorltonCharlie - that is absolutely bang on the nail for me, that is just how I see it.

I remember the old Burnley Football Supporters Club back in the Eighties. Presuming this willl be along the same lines.

Think CT was one of the organisers, might be wrong.
Still got my old membership card somewhere.

ElectroClaret wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 3:45 pm

I remember the old Burnley Football Supporters Club back in the Eighties. Presuming this willl be along the same lines.

Think CT was one of the organisers, might be wrong.
Still got my old membership card somewhere.

They are very much a travel club now although still very much in existence and I'm travelling with them to Hull tomorrow. I was involved and used to help my mate Brian run the coaches back in the 1980s. That's something I wouldn't do now and I have nothing but admiration for the likes of Leisure and others who do to get our fans to away games.

"That's something I wouldn't do now and I have nothing but admiration for the likes of Leisure and others who do to get our fans to away games."

Totally agree with you there, Tony. There are hundreds, many hundreds of volunteers like Leisure up and down the country who make it possible for thousands of fans to travel to away games at a decent price.

Harking back to my first questions at the start of this thread I do remain wary of who individuals are - this needs to be folk with gravitas who have been there and done it, maybe in football groups but also other walks of life (e.g. a senior business person who is comfortable engaging with ALK should ALK ever want to do so). I’m always sceptical such individuals volunteer for these things, and the danger is the ones who have a “wait and see” approach don’t get involved but are the ones we would all benefit from if they did.

On the “representing supporters interests” part of the terms of reference somebody like Tony with all that experience is ideal, even if atony only wants to help a bit on and off. But there are also about a dozen other strands of involvement I can foresee and there will be other perfect individuals for those bits.

I think it is hugely promising that such an organisation could create a relationship with someone like the BFC copper who posts on X ahead of away games, or the national supporter’s groups, or the ISA of other clubs. There is probably a lot that can be done to boost joint working and improve the “fan experience”, separate from the remit of the FAB.

So I think I am in favour.

Ric_C wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 22, 2024 9:04 am

Thought I was going to get 5% tax free interest on my season ticket for a minute

Smashed my piggy bank for nothing, too!

Latest logo update:

Are you aiming this at overseas supporters as well as home based supporters Following our time in the PL we have many Supporters groups worldwide who might offer different views and fan perspectives than UK based fans

FCBurnley wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 23, 2024 2:56 pm

Are you aiming this at overseas supporters as well as home based supporters Following our time in the PL we have many Supporters groups worldwide who might offer different views and fan perspectives than UK based fans

The intention is to encourage all fans across the world and similarly all supporters groups.

All sounds promising, although I am not sure X is the best platform to be starting on for socials etc.

ClaretAL wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 23, 2024 3:35 pm

All sounds promising, although I am not sure X is the best platform to be starting on for socials etc.

Thank you

ClaretAL wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 23, 2024 3:35 pm

All sounds promising, although I am not sure X is the best platform to be starting on for socials etc.

Some of the more "active" Burnley fans on X are the very ones I fear might get involved in a project like this

Main question being
1. will the new group be as tearful and melodramatic as the FAB?
2. Will it be run by curmudgeonly “ real ale types “ who constantly moan at the cost of a pint ?
3. Will it tap into the certified lunacy of fans on X?

Similar set of questions I had that have yet to be answered

AlargeClaret wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2024 7:38 pm

Main question being
1. will the new group be as tearful and melodramatic as the FAB?
2. Will it be run by curmudgeonly “ real ale types “ who constantly moan at the cost of a pint ?
3. Will it tap into the certified lunacy of fans on X?

Personally I don’t even understand these questions. As far as I see it the new association will be constituted and will be run by, if run by is the correct term, by those elected by the membership.

If it’s not for you, and it looks as if that’s the case, fair enough but I think we should be applauding and thanking those who wish to be involved. Quite what real ale, price of a pint or Twitter have to do with it I’m not sure. It’s certainly not how I understand it.

The problem with a new supporters group like this, is the same people who self elected themselves in other groups will eventually run this one, but I hope it works out because the club is so far out of touch with the working class fans it needs sorting.

Row x wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:34 pm

Some of the more "active" Burnley fans on X are the very ones I fear might get involved in a project like this

Ain't that the truth.

Best of luck with it, I think it's needed... Also agree on FAB being utterly pointless.

Barlickclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2024 9:03 pm

The problem with a new supporters group like this, is the same people who self elected themselves in other groups will eventually run this one, but I hope it works out because the club is so far out of touch with the working class fans it needs sorting.

I’ll agree and disagree with you Barlick. I totally agree in hoping it works and why but not in terms of self elected. I’ve got involved because I think it’s important but I definitely won’t be self electing myself. I would hope there will be an early opportunity for people to put themselves forward and then it will be up to the membership to decide who runs it. Once up and running my involvement will only be what the membership wants me to be involved in.

I really hope this works with a big, strong membership.

Not aimed at anybody, just think there is people who have been following burnley 50 plus years and have loads of ideas and input, but are never given the chance. The same few seem to want the headlines.

Barlickclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2024 9:13 pm

Not aimed at anybody, just think there is people who have been following burnley 50 plus years and have loads of ideas and input, but are never given the chance. The same few seem to want the headlines.

They’ve been given the chance here though which some have taken up.

Barlickclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 24, 2024 9:13 pm

Not aimed at anybody, just think there is people who have been following burnley 50 plus years and have loads of ideas and input, but are never given the chance. The same few seem to want the headlines.

I fall into that category, plus I've had many years of experience dealing with football clubs, and I'd be willing to give up some of my time to a project such as this, but before I did I would need to know who is involved, and for some reason nobody involved seems to want to identify themselves, so it's a no from me