Blog

David Conn, Guardian football writer, has launched his 'Inside Sport' blog on the Guardian. You can read his latest piece on football and money laundering.

This week at SD, we're working on various projects...

This week at SD, we're preparing for the SD Cup - Vicki Goodfellow is ensuring that the day will be a success for trusts, and we'll be letting you know more about activities and how your trust can be involved soon.

Antonia Hagemann continues to work on the European arm of our work, and we're working on a web-presence as we speak, and there'll also be more about the work the fans of Modena are currently carrying out soon.

Casework, as ever, is a fundamental part of the work that James, myself and Tom Hall carry out, and we're busy on a number of fronts, and across the divisions.

With that I'll sign off. Have a good week.

Kevin Rye

Supporters Direct

This week at SD

Laura Harrison, our new Rugby League Development Officer, has hit the ground running, and is working on a series of meetings and enquiries with supporters and groups at various clubs across the rugby league pyramid.

Vicki Goodfellow has been focusing on two major projects; our board member development event in Birmingham this Sunday (don’t forget to keep an eye on our events calendar to the top-right of the page for future events), and the SD Cup, which is on 25 July at the Cherry Red Records Fans Stadium – Kingsmeadow, between AFC Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester.

Other officers, including myself, are working hard on casework. Other projects include our Value of Football research, in conjunction with Substance; and the rolling out of the version of the InTouch membership management system that we will be using ourselves (don’t forget, if you want to know more about how to get your free year’s trial, and more about the low annual costs for this system designed by trusts for trusts, contact James Mathie).

Don’t forget, if you want to keep up to date with the latest news – including what we’re reading ourselves – visit the website regularly, or subscribe to our delicious bookmarks. You can even join our Facebook group, which is growing daily.

Have a good week

Kevin Rye, Supporters Direct

Here's SD Chief Exec Dave Boyle's latest column for the SD Magazine...

This week, I'm mostly focusing on the magazine. The major issue is the one that won't go away: the economy and how it's affecting the wider game.

It's another busy week here in England and Wales. Tom Hall and Laura Knewstub have been preparing for interviews for the new position of Rugby League Development Officer here in London, ably assisted by SD Vice-Chair Tony Taylor. Tony's the Chair of the Darlington Suppprters' Trust, so we really appreciate him taking the time to help out in the midst of the club's current difficulties

UEFA President Michel Platini spoke to the Friends of Football group of MEPs today, setting out his vision for football, for UEFA and for the relationship between UEFA and the EU. There is much to agree with in his speech, and we reproduce it here to help give it the wider audience it deserves.

All keen readers of the SD website will know that this has become regular posting from SD towers. We let you know what we're doing, so you can get an idea of what we do day-to-day, and also get an idea of what's coming up.

Welcome to our new Accounts Assistant, Raahkee Thakrar, who's spending her time this week working on our internal systems, and still, no doubt, familiarising herself with the place.

This week's already involved a fair bit of trekking for the London-based staff (myself, CEO Dave Boyle, and James Mathie, our Membership Officer). I came back this afternoon from a couple of meetings, one of which was a very successful open meeting last night of the excellent Wrexham Supporters' Trust, who've been providing constructive - and expert - advice on the Club's plans to develop the Racecourse Ground. The Club haven't always liked what's been said, but in our experience that's sometimes the role of the trust. Keep an eye on their website through the England and Wales links page, or pop over to the Wrexham Daily Post article here.

I've also got the launch of the Ipswich Til I Die' book, a project that has been worked on impressively by the supporters' trust, Ipswich Town First, co-funded by SD and the National Literacy Trust, and published by Legends. This is a project that's been driven at the SD end by Tom Hall, currently on paternity leave after becoming a Dad for the second time. Congrat's Tom!

James and (mostly) Manchester-based Jacqui are mixing casework and conferences for most of this week, maintaining our important presence at Voice 09, the annual gathering of the Social Enterprise Coalition. The Coalition is something we're a part of, and which is a good fit for us, and with Social Enterprises also something high on the political agenda of all mainstream parties, it has a big impact when such a sector speaks with one voice on issues.

On the road again this week are Laura and Vicki, doing more follow-up visits on venues for 2009's annual conference. Both of them work tremendously hard on our annual showpiece, as most of you will know. In fact, almost as soon as one is over, the next one's being worked on!

Elaine and James in our Glasgow office are preoccupied with the work for SD's Scottish Sub Committee, an important part of our structure given our separate funding stream in Scotland, and they're joined by Dave too, who also makes his debut on the Rugby League Show on BBC London tomorrow. Of course, it's broadcast in London on 94.9 FM, on digital and also online, so you can listen wherever you are via the BBC iPlayer/listen again facility. Click on the link for listening options.

And last, but certainly not least, Antonia's still working dilligently on funding issues for the wider European arm, and has also getting some queries from supporters' organisations - all keeping her very occupied, and with some of the developments in places like Holland, it looks like she's only going to get busier!

Kevin Rye, SD.

Michel Platini's visit to London yesterday has unsurprinsingly resulted in a flurry of stories and comment pieces by the journalistic fraternity.