Lowland League club offers fans chance to run club for just £25

Lowland League club Edusport Academy have announced plans to offer fan ownership for just £25-a-year, which will give contributors a big say in the running of the club.

They are looking to take fan ownership to a new level in an attempt to reach the Scottish Premiership, with fans being able to have a say in a new name, club colours and crest, as well as recommending signings along with a host of other key decisions for their annual subscription.

Former Motherwell player Chris Ewing is the club's owner, and is hoping his side can reach the top flight in Scotland by 2025. Edusport Academy currently play their football in the Lowland League, where they sit in 11th place. They would need to win a promotion play-off from their league to reach the SPFL.

The academy was originally started as a residential course for young French footballers in Scotland, and has two bases - one at Lesser Hampden and the other in Edinburgh. The senior side play their games at Annan Athletic's Galabank.

Ewing said: "What started off in 2011 as a private football academy has evolved into a football club with full membership of the Scottish FA playing in the fifth tier of Scottish football, just one step away from professional football.

"The business model that was originally set up is now maybe not best placed to support the ambitions of the football club and that is what led me to think of alternatives.

"We want this to be the most innovative fan experience in the game. We aim to offer the best and most immersive supporter experience in world football, which is exactly what we feel the game needs.'

Chris Ewing says he aims for Edusport Academy to reach the Scottish Premiership in seven years time, a goal which he believes certainly isn't out of the question.

He said: "Yeah it's ambitious - but I'm an ambitious guy.

"Reaching the Premiership by 2025 is a bold statement but I stand by it as there is no reason why it can't be achieved.

"The whole project is based on trying to inspire people so you need big hairy ambition and that's what we're offering.

"When you see how many people play things like fantasy football or Football Manager and how passionate they are about it, you can see the interest is there.

"If we can try and apply that interest to a real modern-day football club then I believe there is opportunity and potential there.

"The challenge we have is making it seem niche and game-like for the members but at the same time making it professionally run and organised.''

A number of Scottish clubs - including Hearts, Motherwell and St Mirren - are now engaged in a fan-ownership model but Ewing's scheme will take it to another level.

He said: "People are crying out for transparency and to have a voice at their club. For a lot of fans, once you pay your season ticket money, they get nothing back other than seeing 90 minutes on a Saturday.

"For some people that's enough but I believe fans deserve more.

"There is a trend in Scottish football where fans want to be more involved.

"We are now offering that opportunity to run the club the way that fans want but we're doing it without the politics because there is no existing fan base, there is no conflict of interest.

"There are no board of directors or investors - it's myself who has this club and I'm opening up the door and offering to share it.

"It's Roy of the Rovers stuff but if we can have enough people who buy into this idea, why can't we get to the Premiership by 2025? Why can't we be playing in the Champions League within 15 years?'

• superscoreboard