Alan Keen, and the game he loved

Yes, Alan Keen MP was one of the nicest guy in politics. Over the many years I knew him, I never heard him have a cross word to say about anyone, including those of whom only cross words will suffice.

Since hearing this morning that he had finally lost his long battle against cancer, every tribute I have read about him reflects these sentiments. And whilst it is certainly true that what resonates most about Alan is the sort of person he was, the way he lived his life, day in, day out, rather than any specific declarations he made, I believe it is worth taking a few moments to reflect upon his political contribution, particularly over the last few years in relation to football.

Alan was born in London, but was brought up in Teesside, amongst the steelworks, shipping and chemical stacks of ICI that until recently used to dominate the industrial skyline of this neglected part of the North East of England.

In such an environment, those who were politically aware naturally gravitated to support Labour. And those who even had the mildest interest in football, supported the local club: Middlesbrough (universally known as ‘The Boro’), the dominant team in this part of the country.

Alan, though, had much more than a passing interest in the game. As I can testify, he was a very decent footballer in his own right, and remarkably used to regularly turn out for the MPs five-a-side team well into his seventies.

In his later years, when his body may have been weaker, Alan retained a great footballing brain and with it a profound understanding of the game. It was honed from spending eighteen years as a scout for The Boro, notably under the great Jackie Charlton when the club was genuinely a force to be reckoned with at the highest level.

But his passion for football extended off the field of play too. He was deeply concerned about the direction the English game was taking after the formation of the Premier League in the early 1990s. To him, it was little more than a marketing venture. As chair of the All Party Parliamentary Football Group, one of the very largest all party groups in Parliament with over 150 members, he decided to do something about it. Struggling to get the DCMS select committee to look into the game seriously, Alan took into upon himself to organise his own select committee-style inquiry through the auspices of the All Party Football group.

In the early 2000s, this was a novel concept. He arranged for a cross party group of MPs to form a panel, and appointed me as the clerk and co-ordinator of the first inquiry into the finances of football. Under Alan’s leadership, we sketched out terms of reference, invited written submissions from interested parties, secured live TV coverage through BBC Parliament and took oral evidence from all the major stakeholders in the game (barring SKY TV who refused to participate) from fans’ groups all the way up to the footballing authorities.

The latter, of course, did not like it one little bit. Who was this elected MP who had the temerity to question us, an unelected cabal, on how to run the national game? But Alan revelled in it. He made sure the voice of ordinary supporters was heard and put fans’ criticisms direct to those who were supposedly running the game on their behalf.

After an exhaustive six months of inquiry sessions, Alan finally launched the report of the First Inquiry of the All Party Football Group into the Finances of Football live on national TV (funnily enough, SKY did turn up to this session). The report contained many substantive recommendations (including the ‘fit and proper persons’ rule, tax breaks for Supporters Trusts and further regulation of agents) but called, above all, for a radical re-distribution of football finances to ensure the long term security and prosperity of the English game. The authorities hated it, and briefed viciously against it, but Alan was in his element and ultimately knew he was on the right side of the argument.

Following the 2005 election, and Alan’s re-appointment as chair of the Football Group, he decided to repeat the exercise, but this time focussing on the governance of the game. He asked me once again to be clerk and co-ordinator of the Inquiry and set off in his own assiduous way.

Once more, we faced hostility from the authorities but Alan was determined that nothing was going to put him off speaking out for the game he loved. The second report built on the firm, but radical, foundations of our first report and recommended, amongst other things rules against financial doping (ie limiting what clubs could spend to what they earned) something UEFA is only now beginning to introduce into the European game.

These reports, collectively, are the authentic political voice of Alan Keen. I well recall him personally insisting that we toughen up recommendations from the first draft as he feared the game’s authorities would be let off the hook unless we came out with bold and forthright pronouncements.

He was right, and well ahead of his time. What is telling is that the footballing authorities are only now, kicking and screaming and under duress from government, beginning to get to grips with the issues that Alan laid before them some years ago. That is the real political testament of the man.

Alan was a fine human being, and I have lost a close friend today as well as a staunch fellow Boro supporter. But, amongst all the tributes, we must not also forget the positive and enduring impact he has had on the game he loved.