NI v Denmark(20/11/2023)

WORKING FOR THE FANS

Council meetings hear reports from the Irish FA Board and the Football Committee, which then offers an opportunity to ask questions and to scrutinise decisions whenever necessary. The various IFA committees dealing with discipline and cup competitions are comprised mainly of members of council, although I personally don’t sit on any of these as I think that the representatives of football clubs are the right people to do that. Council also elects the majority of IFA Board members, including the President and two Vice Presidents. It’s not a big commitment of time on my part and I do see the value in attending and participating in meetings as another opportunity to speak on fan issues whenever necessary. Meanwhile, it’s been a busy year for the Amalgamation. By the end of December my colleagues and I will have attended almost 80 meetings and events during 2023. This includes travelling around the country to speak at supporters’ club meetings, meetings with IFA staff and the police to discuss away fixtures arrangements and attendance at the Football Supporters Europe Congress among a host of other things. Whilst sometimes a thankless task, we do see the value in volunteering to try and make life a bit easier for fellow members of the GAWA and we hope that others see that, too. We look forward to the UEFA Nations League draw in February. Hopefully that campaign next autumn will bring some points and some new destinations to visit. Keep the faith! GARY McALLISTER AMALGAMATION OF OFFICIAL NORTHERN IRELAND SUPPORTERS’ CLUBS

The council is sometimes described as the ‘parliament’ within the governing body, with representation from across football in Northern Ireland. Members are nominated by the various divisional associations, such as the Mid Ulster and County Antrim football associations, with other delegates drawn from the senior (NIFL) clubs, the referees’ association and a variety of the other constituent parts of the local game. Fan representation was first incorporated into the council in 2014, following a vote at the IFA AGM. Before agreeing to take up our place, we met with Malcolm Clarke. While Malcolm’s name may not be familiar to many in Northern Ireland, he chairs the Football Supporters’ Association (the English fans’ organisation) and is the fan representative on the Council of the Football Association. Guided by his experience, we decided that accepting the position would provide us with another important platform to raise issues on behalf of fans. Our first representative was David Moorhead, who was the honorary secretary of the AONISC at that time and a member of Kilkeel NISC. David stepped down from both roles in 2016, and at that stage I was asked to take up the position on the council. It was a daunting enough experience at first, as most of the other members were unfamiliar to me. I’ve spoken on several issues at meetings, as David did before me, and the value is in being heard by other members of the ‘football family’. As well as serving as chairman of the AONISC, I also represent the organisation on the Irish FA Council.

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