Can football be good for local communities?

ISSUE 524, SEPTEMBER 2014

*SPECIAL FOCUS ON FOOTBALL AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES*

CAN FOOTBALL BE A FORCE FOR GOOD? As football clubs focus on money and global prestige, they are increasingly disconnected from the communities in which they are based. Austin Macauley asks whether the beautiful game can be a force for good.

FC UNITED: LOCAL FOOTBALL CLUB OR COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE? FC United of Manchester – a football club owned and run by the local community – has taken local social responsibility to a new level, as Austin Macauley finds out

IDEAS FOR CHANGE: HOW FOOTBALL CAN BOOST LOCAL RESILIENCE: Regeneration-by-football is usually a failure. Here are some other ideas for how clubs can help their communities.

Q & A WITH ED WHITFIELD: ‘CAPITALISM IS LOSING THE ARGUMENT’: Ed Whitfield, co-managing director of the Fund for Democratic Communities, speaks to New Start about re-learning democracy, building new economic models and the beginning of the end for capitalism

THE FOOTBALL CLUBS TAKING ON LOCAL ASSETS: As asset transfers between councils and local organisations grow, Locality and the Football Association have produced a guide to help any local football clubs interested in taking on local assets.