Suffolk FA; previously a private business and now a Registered Charity (Reg:1198767). The governing body that facilitates football within Suffolk and an organisation that ensures all football clubs under affiliation within in Suffolk abide by the rules and regulations alongside meeting FA Charter / Accreditation standards.
FA Charter / Accreditation is a national framework in place to protect players, parents, football managers / coaches, spectators, sponsors and club officials and yet from my personal experience is far from the truth.
The Level of service that I have received from Suffolk FA (SFA) surrounding financial safeguarding issues has not only been disappointing and incredibly frustrating but professionally worrying. I question whether SFA have ever had any intention to try to assist me with my financial concerns and complaints about a grassroots football club (FC). Measures and actions taken by SFA in my opinion have been a strategic stance to protect the implicated individuals and therefore by default SFA’s own reputation rather than address the severity of the actual highlighted situation and appropriately punish those concerned. A stance that I believe is not only detrimental to football within Suffolk but also to the whole football participant pyramid. A dangerous financial safeguarding precedent which would not be so blatantly brushed under the carpet and ignored, if any other grassroots club were to display similar behaviours.
An opportunity arose to potentially right the wrongs and to be involved in improving the workings and running of SFA. To make sure financial safeguarding was in place to protect all involved in the game locally. To make sure suitable experienced persons were available to validate FC accounts uploaded for affiliation purposes. If no one is qualified or experienced, or procedures aren’t in place as confirmed by SFA, then the whole process of uploading accounts is purely lip service by SFA.
One step forward ten steps backwards – this upcoming season affiliation of FC’s to SFA doesn’t require any financials to even be uploaded. To me this encourages further “Open seasons” for corrupt, financial incompetent and secretive FC’s.
As a proactive, passionate and equitable member of the football community (like many others frustrated with current state of the local game), I jumped at the chance to apply for one of the SFA trustee roles advertised.I genuinely wanted to volunteer, dedicate my personal time by giving something back to local grassroots football whilst trying to help shape the game going forward within Suffolk.
Unsurprisingly I received an email stating that I was unsuccessful. An email sent from the SFA Chairman (Phil Lawler). The same individual who has direct links to the grassroots FC in my original complaint, highlighting secretive and dangerous financial practises along with glaring financial red flags.
I would be interested to see the vetting process for the trustee roles as not only do I bring a wealth of football knowledge both on and off the pitch but also an added benefit of 32 years of financial experience. I worked within the banking sector, trading financial products in a highly regulated environment. I also have immaculate and clean personal and professional financial records and history. I have an understanding of financial matters, accounts, financial crime red flags, the banking system and what is financially involved in running a grassroots FC.
I currently hold the position of Chair and manage at two age groups at the FC I am involved with. This club (as all clubs should), operates financially in an open and transparent manner. I can account for every penny spent by the club and can produce financial information / bank balances upon request. Financial information and bank balances are produced at monthly meetings to show financial health of the FC, unlike at my previous club where absolutely no official financial information was ever provided to verify erroneous accounts produced. Simply put, if people, businesses, clubs or FC’s you are linked to don’t operate financially in an open and transparent way and aren’t forthcoming with their finances, then there is a reason for it.
I believe my application for one of the trustee roles was rejected due to the following reasons:
Reason 1:
Because I have challenged Suffolk FA publicly by:
- Identifying their shocking lack of procedures.
- Highlighting numerous Conflict of Interest breaches
and questioning their integrity shown during this process.
The Governing bodies have closed my complaints without the appropriate and full investigation in my opinion it deserved. Whilst I’ve had to accept the findings or face disciplinary action, I do not agree with it.
- They have failed to clarify or prove that the evidenced financial irregularities at said FC had not taken place or that my suspicions were unfounded or wrong.
- No evidence or answers were provided to show whereabouts of fundraising cash held secretly by club or confirmation regarding the falsified official fees recorded on signed accounts.
Reason 2:
Because I would be a strong supporting voice for the vast majority of grassroot FC clubs not just the BIG BOYS and those represented by board members!
Reason 3:
Because my understanding is you can only challenge and call for the resignation and change of Board members if you are a trustee.
I would call for the resignation of the:
Finance Director (FD) – SFA FD, who is a highly qualified and regulated (AAT) Accountant, should never ever ignore suspicions of financial crime:
- SFA’s FD, responsible for SFA’s own financials and accounts apparently lacked the expertise / neutrality to investigate the financial suspicions or analyse the incompetently and error strewn accounts produced by an Affiliated FC. These were signed off and passed at FC AGM as true and accurate without any supporting financial records.
- The SFA FD officially ignored, failed to acknowledge, failed to follow any procedures or engage in the initial financial complaint when approached personally and directly by myself.
- The SFA FD, despite previous non-action and procedural failings, validated accounts (not the ones I complained about) along with SFA CEO Richard Neal, giving the club a clean bill of health, glowing feedback and unwavering support (which was published by FC), despite the non existent conflicts being quoted and the investigation being removed from SFA. More concerning was the fact that they had previous knowledge and evidence about highlighted red flags and falsified official fees.
Agreeing accounts that further highlighted financial irregularities in the accounts handed to him directly. Has SFA FD facilitated, ignored and covered up financial crime in grassroots football in Suffolk?
Chairman typically the head of the board of directors and is responsible for overseeing the overall direction and strategy of the company.
Chairman:
SFA Chairmans associated FC have not supplied accurate and evidenced financial information / accounts to those supposedly protected by FA Charter / Accreditation. They have also dangerously ignored and abused the recommended procedure for holding fundraising events / cash supplied to me by SFA CEO Richard Neal.
SFA Chairman was included in the same email provided to all officials at the FC and by inclusion of the email I would therefore suggest he was also aware of unacceptable dangerous financial practices taking place. The dangerous practices followed and allowed by the FC are in total contradiction of procedures sent to me by SFA CEO Richard Neal.
Do we have a SFA Chairman at the helm who knowingly allowed this dangerous and unacceptable financial practice to occur without appropriate actions? Or did the SFA chairman rightly report this to the SFA? and if so have the SFA purposefully brushed this under the carpet?
On direct questioning to the SFA whether this practise was reported by the SFA chairman, the SFA have been unwilling to confirm or deny this and no evidence of investigation have been made apparent. I believe they have hoped by ignoring my important question, I would forget this potentially damming and unprofessional behaviour of the SFA Chairman.
I was made aware that the SFA Chairman has a professional legal background, which would suggest awareness and knowledge of financial crime reporting and money laundering laws. Why would the SFA Chairman deliberately fail to report this dangerous and unacceptable financial practice which clearly goes against his own CFA’s advice as indicated by SFA CEO Richard Neal’s email.
This potential self-protecting behaviour would question his personal motive and his integrity as a Chairman of a County FA let alone a registered Charity.
I believe the Chairperson (of any organisation) should operate in the best interests of all members and not just themselves, friends, business partners and the club they are linked to.
Following my direct written contact with the SFA Chairman, addressed to him personally (as the vice Chairman of the associated FC and the director of the company where fundraising cash was potentially held) and in his official role (as SFA Chairman), he replied in his official role as SFA Chairman and responded that he was unwilling to help and the case was closed! I believe that his blatant refusal to investigate or help locate the missing fundraising cash held by this FC breaches the SFA conflict of interest policy. Whose interests is he acting upon and protecting?
Has the SFA Chairman Phil Lawler at any point handled or had control and responsibility of this unaccounted fundraising cash?
Reason 4:
SFA would see me as a potential conflicting, challenging and inharmonious member of its board of trustees and not the YES MAN that they require! Following my complaints and previous articles (Blog – My Grassroots Football (wordpress.com) Legal threats have been issued by two organisations (Brantham Athletic FC and Brantham Management Ltd). Both organisations are identified and listed under the SFA Chairmans Register of interests. It was stated that legal action would be taken if I didn’t remove my exposing, damming factual blogs and articles.
An unintelligent and misguided threat meant to intimidate when in reality any legal action would provide and expose the FCs accounts, bank records and would, I believe validate my accusations of financial irregularities. It would also highlight the individuals and organisations involved along with the (unethical) investigation or lack of one in a court of law.
In a world where we are encouraged to whistle blow, actively fight and stand up against corrupt, fraudulent and inappropriate behaviours, I have been met with no real help from SFA or want to resolve these worrying situations. Following discussions with the SFA I positively believed that the SFA were keen to try and find solutions to bolster financial safeguarding of ALL clubs under their affiliation. I co-operated with them and volunteered my time and ideas towards this due to my strong passion for justice and eradication of these dangerous financial behaviours and practises within grassroots football. I challenge whether SFA’s initial displayed intentions were honest or paying lip service to shut me up and shut my complaints down and to publicly show grassroots football in Suffolk that they apparently care.
How can SFA hold productive discussions with me to find solutions when behind the scenes I received threatening legal action indirectly by a board member (as identified above) and personal attacks on social media.
I have also been harassed on social media by another SFA affiliated FC Chairman. I have been accused of making untrue personal allegations against club officials linked to this FC. I had never personally named any official by name or the FC itself before (The FC have identified and admitted linkage themselves on this post) and yet I was subsequently threatened with bringing the game into disrepute by The FA, following a complaint by this FC.
Who are the FA protecting and why?
The FA clearly have no regard for my wellbeing or protection as a whistle blower.
Following my raised personal concerns of harassment to the FA, these were met with no official action against the perpetrators. I suspect that the intentions of the FCs complaints to the FA were to quieten / intimidate and bully / fine / ban / or even get me suspended from football.
You may all question, why I continue with my challenge of football governance at local and national level. My continued quest for answers and evidence as to why my complaints have only resulted in a formal warning against the FC instead of criminal action!
My unanswered questions remain:
What has happened to the unaccounted fund raising that my family, friends and I personally contributed to in good faith, at the events hosted at Brantham Leisure Centre? Are the governing bodies saying money/cash can legally disappear, without trace, evidence, receipts or auditable records in grassroots football?
Why evidenced falsified official fees and financial irregularities haven’t been investigated and dealt with at local and national level appropriately, resulting in individuals remaining unpunished and active within Suffolk grassroots football.
How is SFA FD Nigel Johnson able to validate FC accounts to close out the investigation after being aware of highlighted FC financial irregularities from previous years? Especially after ignoring my initial complaint and breaching the COI informed by the FA.
Why are SFA unable to provide evidence to disprove or validate my claims of financial crime by said FC. SFA FD could easily provide evidence to validate that they haven’t facilitated or covered up financial crime.
From my agonising and alarming experience of local (SFA) and national (The FA) football governing bodies, I am saddened to conclude that:
GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL IN SUFFOLK AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS AN ACCEPTED AND CONDONED PLATFORM BY FOOTBALLS GOVERNING BODIES FOR FINANCIAL CRIME AND CORRUPTION.
My Grassroots Football 