FC UNITED of Manchester said the time for talking is over as the government revealed plans yesterday to force clubs to meet supporters twice a year to discuss the running of the organisation.

Fans’ trusts group Supporters Direct called the report put together by the Government Expert Working Group on Supporter Ownership and Engagement — which includes members from the Football Supporters Federation, the Football Association and the Premier League — a “step forward” and while FC United also welcomed the potential reforms, there remained an air of scepticism about the proposal, saying it has potential but not if it “sits on the shelves of ministers.

FC United told the Star: “There have been good reports and proposals about reforming football in the past.

“The time for talking is over — the government must act and implement the report promptly and correctly.

“If they do there is real potential to dramatically increase the number of supporter-owned clubs and an opportunity to begin a new chapter for supporter ownership and involvement in football.”

Supporters Direct said the publication could mark a “new era” for supporters, with the report also proposing that when clubs fall into administration “the appropriately constituted supporters’ trusts have an opportunity to bid for their clubs,and that administrators handling an insolvency procedure should meet with the supporters’ trust and invite a bid from it, if the trust is willing and able to mount a creditable bid.”

It is also recommended that supporters’ trusts should be supported with extra funding for advice and professional services to buy part of or the majority sharehold of their clubs.

Chair of Supporters Direct Brian Burgess said: “The government must keep pressure on the football authorities to ensure that this marks the start of a new era of meaningful dialogue, both at local and national level.

“It is a welcome step forward in a long-term process of reform, aiming to reconnect clubs with their communities.”

But not everyone welcomed the move with Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (Must) and the Labour shadow minister for sport Clive Efford wanting to see more being done from clubs.

Chief executive Duncan Drasdo said: “We are concerned that there was an effective veto for any member of the group so that any meaningful reform which was not attractive to club owners was effectively blocked. We believe this should be only the start of the process.”

Efford added: “While this is a welcome step, it is clearly a missed opportunity.

“Changing the rules to allow fans to have two meetings a year with their clubs is a far cry from having voices in the boardroom and fall way short of Labour’s own proposals.

“This must only be seen as a start.”