Trust Statement – 8th July 2025
The Shrimpers Trust welcomes today’s news that the Football Governance Bill has passed through the House of Commons and will go on to receive Royal Assent and become law. The need for an independent regulator for the English men’s football pyramid is universally acknowledged and not before time.

Southend United was fortunate enough to survive an owner loyal only to himself; other clubs are experiencing difficulties now and some have collapsed altogether.
The road to an independent regulator for football has spanned two Governments and seen cross party support on both sides of the aisle. We would like to put on record our thanks to all MPs who voted this through, and to all politicians and organisations who have worked tirelessly to make sure this is a practical possibility. The shadow regulator is the beginning of a journey to a regulator which will ensure that football clubs have protections from unscrupulous owners and directors, and through which fans will be recognised as core stakeholders.
This is a landmark moment in the future of English football and one that many have striven hard to achieve. We wholeheartedly support this legislation as it aims to protect the clubs that we all love, as shared cultural institutions for the benefit of all, both now and in the future.
We very much look forward to working with the Shadow Regulator to help share our own experiences, as well as continuing our constructive dialogue with Southend United FC and its owners in this area.
Previously issued Statements can be found below.