SWINDON Town Supporters Trust vice-chair Rob Angus believes the way football is regulated could be about to undergo significant change following a meeting with MP Tracey Crouch.

The UK government launched its fan-led review of football governance last week off the back of the recent attempts by 12 clubs to create a European Super League as well as the loss of EFL clubs, Macclesfield Town and Bury.

Trust STFC was one of four supporter groups to participate in a face-to-face meeting with the panel – with the aim of the discussion being to explain issues that certain clubs have had and in what ways those problems can be avoided in future.

Mr Angus said representatives of Trust STFC talked through the history of recent issues at Swindon Town and suggested ways in which owners of football clubs up and down the country could avoid following suit.

He said: “We explained the changes we think are needed for football to be run properly.

“We were pushing for independent governance, proper tests on owners and directors – not just at the start but on an ongoing basis.

“It shouldn’t just be financial, it should be around ethics, morals, and why they want to take the club on too.

“We were pushing for financial transparency and making all clubs prepare full financial information so that people can’t hide things in abbreviated accounts.”

As well as several other fan groups of EFL clubs, the Football Supporters Association (FSA) also met with Tracey Crouch and her panel to propose game-changing ideas such as a revised and strengthened owners and directors test and an independent regulator of English football.

Mr Angus said Trust STFC echoed many of the suggestions from their peers and believes the government will act in a significant manner once the full report is published later this year.

He said: “They are going to report their initial findings in July, and the full report will come out in the autumn. I think they will be recommending change in football governance, and I think they will be recommending an independent regulator too – that’s my gut feel.

“I think change will come off the back of this now, that’s almost been accepted already. It’s just a case of understanding how far those changes will go. The key for us is that we learn from the mess we’re in now and make sure that football regulation is such that it’s never allowed to happen again.”