When the Fan Advisory Board was announced last month, we said the real test would be the reports that came out of it. Open and specific, and it would earn trust quickly. Press-release language, and it would go the way of the old Engagement Panel.
The first of those reports is now out. The FAB met for the first time in the Directors' Lounge at Hillsborough on Tuesday 3 November, with six supporter groups around the table, and the club has published an executive summary of what was said. It's more specific than we expected, although a lot of the big questions are still filed under "no decision yet".
Money, ownership and investors
Chief executive David Bruce opened with the numbers. The club says around £11.5 million has gone into Hillsborough and the Middlewood Road training ground, with more than £2 million of that spent on essential work to the North Stand.
Supporter reps pushed on governance, the role of the ownership group and whether outside money might be brought in. The answer was that the board meets formally every quarter and that there are "no current plans to seek additional investors". The club did add that major infrastructure projects further down the line would need careful thought about how they're paid for. That's an answer about today, not a promise about tomorrow, and it's worth remembering as such.
The women's team has no licence to use the club's name
This is the line that will surprise most people. The summary confirms that the women's team runs independently of the club and has no formal licence to use Sheffield Wednesday's intellectual property. The club says that carries risks which will need sorting out, that first conversations have been held with the people who run the team, and that it wants a closer working relationship.
Nothing more is given on what a future arrangement looks like. It's one to watch, because "closer relationship" could mean anything from a simple licence to bringing the team in-house.
Pushback on the Football Safety App
Equality, diversity and inclusion was raised by every supporter group, and the sharpest exchange was over the Football Safety App, which lets fans report incidents straight to stadium control, anonymously if they want to.
Nobody argued against better reporting. The complaint was that the app was brought in without enough consultation, and reps asked pointed questions about its privacy policy, where data is stored, whether personal data could be used by third parties, and its commercial features. The club has agreed to review all of that, do more due diligence and come back with answers.
Reps also made the fair point that an app doesn't fix discrimination by itself. They want people who report to hear what happened next, and they want the club to show publicly that it acts. On behaviour at away games, the club will trial bringing Wednesday stewards back to away fixtures, starting with a game that hasn't been named yet.
Tickets: loyalty pricing, and the away season ticket survives for now
The club pointed to price cuts on season tickets, matchday tickets and memberships, though the summary puts no figures on them. Interest-free season ticket payments went down well and are set to continue. For 2027/28 the club would rather reward existing season ticket holders with loyalty pricing than run early-bird windows, and those proposals will go out to consultation first.
On the away season ticket scheme, the club says no decision has been taken to scrap it and that anyone affected would be consulted before any review. That's reassuring, but it stops short of a guarantee.
The ticket office took some stick for call waiting times and enquiries going unanswered. Staffing changes and a new customer service platform are planned. A ticketing working group meets for the first time in December, where the club has agreed to share how its prices compare with others.
Atmosphere, the Kop Band and the missing stout
Both sides accepted that the atmosphere at Hillsborough has been underwhelming at times this season. Singing, flags, banners and pre-match music all came up, and opinion on the Kop Band was split, which won't shock anyone who sits near it. An atmosphere working group will be set up and opened to a wider group of supporters.
Catering, stock and queues are still a weak spot despite the summer's changes, and the lack of stout on the concourses is being passed on to the caterers. Reps also asked for better facilities and activities for families and younger fans. In the shop, the complaints were about stock levels and a thin range for women, girls and kids. New products are due before Christmas.
What has a date, and what doesn't
Things the club has put a timescale on:
- December: first meeting of the ticketing working group.
- Summer 2027: a new website, app and streaming platform, subject to procurement. The club accepts its digital platforms need major work.
- Start of 2027/28: a substantially upgraded scoreboard and sound system.
- After every FAB meeting: a published summary within 10 working days.
Things still open:
- Safe standing beyond the West Stand Lower trial. Options are being explored with the safety authorities, with consultation and help relocating promised for any season ticket holders affected.
- A new fan zone. It's being looked at, but there's no location, budget or delivery date.
- Family and atmosphere areas in the West Stand Lower. Ideas only at this stage.
- Accessibility. Nimbus Disability is carrying out an independent review covering physical disability and neurodiversity, and its findings will set the priorities.
- Matchday transport. After the Supertram disruption, when information didn't reach fans in time, the club says it will flag problems more clearly and is talking to transport operators.
Our view
On the test we set, this is a decent start. The summary admits things the club didn't have to admit: the women's team licence, the state of its website and app, a ticket office that isn't coping, and an atmosphere that has gone flat. A press release wouldn't have included any of that.
The other side of it is how often the phrase "no decision" turns up. Safe standing, the fan zone, the West Stand Lower and the away season ticket are all still to be settled, and most of the actions are working groups and reviews. That's reasonable for a first meeting, but it means the second one matters more. The summary itself says the FAB will be judged on whether these conversations change what the club goes on to do. We'll hold them to that when the next quarterly meeting comes round.
Sources: Sheffield Wednesday Fan Advisory Board executive summary.