Supporters Direct is an initiative backed by the Scottish Executive, funded by public money and based at Robert Owen House, Glasgow.

Their aim is to help those fans and supporters "who wish to play a responsible part in the life of the football club they support".  In doing this they offer support, advice and information to groups of Supporters, such as SMiSA.

The organisation exists to: 

• Promote and support the concept of democratic supporter ownership and representation through mutual, not-for-profit structures

• Promote football clubs as civic and community institutions

• Work to preserve the competitive values of league football in the United Kingdom and promoting the health of the game as a whole

In order to promote and achieve this, their objectives are to bring about the following:

• The Formation of Supporters’ Trusts as Industrial & Provident Societies (IPSs*) registered with the Financial Standards Authority (FSA) to ensure democratic, transparent representative bodies for supporters at their clubs

• The democratic representation of Supporters’ Trusts on Football Club Boards

• The ownership of shares in clubs by Supporters’ Trusts and the pooling of individually held shares in a club under the influence of the Trust

In assisting Supporters Trusts such as SMiSA to achieve, this they work to ensure:

• The identification and dissemination of best practice between Trusts

• Increasing influence of Supporters Direct with the governing bodies

• High profile for Supporters Direct and Supporters’ Trusts within the media and cognate organisations

To qualify for the assistance of Supporters Direct, supporters trusts such as SMiSA must be:

* For more information about IPSs, click here http://www.supporters-direct.org/englandwales/IPS.htm

(Information reproduced from the Supporters Direct Website)