by Suzanne Beishon

REBEL supporter-owned football club FC United of Manchester put principles ahead of profit yesterday expressing “frustration and bemusement” as they announced the rejection of a request from the BBC to move the kick-off time of their FA Cup game.

A statement titled “football is a sport, not a television game show” on the club’s website revealed that the request, which was received via the FA, was to accommodate being part of a “brand new BBC Mobile Match of The Day Live experience.”

Formed by Manchester United fans in protest at the Glazer takeover of their club in 2005, FC United is owned and run wholly by its supporters and the democratically elected board were quick to reject the request, stating: “Match-going supporters should not have to be inconvenienced for the benefit of those who rarely, if at all, attend matches.”

And while one of the seven core founding principles of the clubs states that “the Board will strive wherever possible to avoid outright commercialism,” FC United also made clear that their rejection of the broadcaster’s approach does not mean they are “intrinsically opposed” to rearranged fixtures “provided that it meets with the approval of and benefits the respective clubs and their supporters.

“In 2007, members of FC United voted in favour of entering the FA Cup and acknowledged the competitions rules and TV contracts,” they added.

And widespread support for the statement was voiced on social media as the club also lashed out at the very concept of the BBC’s “Mobile Match of The Day Live experience” — which includes speaking to players on the subs bench and managers in the dugout as well as talking to fans — saying it should have been “canned at inception.”

“As a public service broadcaster the BBC should be taking a lead by promoting the game without causing additional disruption to match-going supporters instead of trying to ape or outdo some of the worst excesses of their competitors.

“If BBC viewers would like to understand the fans’ experience at a football game there are numerous real life games at every level throughout the country and the easiest way for TV viewers to access the real fans’ experience is to go along to a match. For a more in-depth experience they could volunteer like many non-league fans do week in and week out.”

The thriving club, who are spending their first season in their newly built stadium Broadhurst Park, called on the FA to take a stand against the increasing drive to leech off fans’ experiences: “The FA, as the governing body of football in this country, appear to be encouraging ways to cash in on the fans’ experience whilst treating the supporters as the least important commodity in the game.

“We call upon the FA to remember that football is a sporting competition and the associated drama comes from the highs and lows of the game itself. It does not reflect well on the custodians of our game that they would devalue the sporting integrity of their flagship competition by encouraging TV presenters to interfere.”

The also called for a more balanced approach to football’s relationship with TV.

“TV exposure and the revenue it generates are important to football. However, we believe that the balance has swung way too far in favour of the TV companies — and too far away from the match-going, admission paying, regularly attending football supporter.

“FC United seeks to change the way that football is owned and run, putting supporters at the heart of everything. This includes a better and more balanced relationship with TV.”

• The FA Cup fourth qualifying round clash against Sporting Khalsa is scheduled to go ahead as planned at 3pm on Saturday and a win for the Rebels would take FC into the first round proper for the second time.