Supporters Direct is a government-backed initiative which is based at Birkbeck College, the University of London. It is allied to a partnership between the Government, the Football Foundation and the Co-operative Bank.

Supporters' Direct will:

1. offer support, advice and information to groups of supporters who wish to play a responsible part in the life of the clubs they support; and

2. provide legal and financial models for action - those used/recommended by the unit will be based on democratic, mutual and not-for-profit principles.

Legitimate objectives are:

1. the formation and running of representative bodies for supporters;

2. the acquisition of shares in the football club to pool the voting power of individual supporters to further the aims and objectives of the supporters' trust; and

3. securing the democratic election of supporters' representatives to club boards.