Carlisle United have been named the sixth best-run club in the EFL – though the survey that has placed them there has also attracted its critics.
The Fair Game Index rated United third highest in League One last season and sixth in the EFL
Those behind the survey rated clubs in areas of “financial sustainability, good governance, equality standards and fan engagement.”
Carlisle were given an overall score of 57.0, while in the category of “financial sustainability” they scored 31.5, the third highest in the EFL.
United, who have been part of the Fair Game movement of clubs since its launch three years ago, said they were delighted with the recognition, with chief executive Nigel Clibbens saying the club “pride ourselves on good governance, with a key focus on sustainability, strong fan engagement and working hard for our community.”
It follows similar high ranking for Carlisle in other independent assessments, with United coming second in the country in the recent Think! Fan Engagement Index.
But the Fair Game movement has come in for criticism from certain parties, such as the Accrington Stanley owner Andy Holt, who has branded the ranking table a “stunt” and “infantile”.
Accrington's Andy Holt has criticised the Fair Game Index (Image: PA)
He said his own League Two club, who were ranked fifth bottom in League Two,had not wished to be part of the Fair Game group, which consists of a number of clubs at different levels of the pyramid, including United.
Posting on X, Holt said that it was wrong of Fair Game to rank clubs in such a way at a time lower-league clubs should be speaking and acting with one voice.
“Judging and ranking clubs they need to win support from was infantile to put it mildly,” Holt said.
“That’s why most clubs gave it a wide berth I suspect.”
Holt said that Fair Game’s aims had “morphed into telling owners how to run their clubs” and that they had “lost focus”, suggesting that it was no surprise that AFC Wimbledon were rated highly given Fair Game involved former senior figures from that club.
"Are they saying they’re the best and the rest of football needs to be like them? A stupid divisive exercise in self congratulation," he added.
United, though, said the recognition was a good reward for staff at the club and justified praise for their hard work.
“We are still continually seeking to improve, and this independent benchmarking and unbiased feedback is very valuable in giving recommendations and ideas. It also allows us to see how we compare from year-to-year and with other clubs,” added Clibbens on the Blues’ website.
“We welcome Fair Game’s work in highlighting the issues faced by football and also the important role all clubs can play in operating sustainably to ensure they remain at the heart of communities, making a difference, so fans can enjoy for many generations to come.”
United CEO Nigel Clibbens has welcomed the findings (Image: Richard Parkes)
United were ranked second in the Index in 2023.
Fair Game, which launched in 2021 with the aim of campaigning for better governance in football, say they assessed 226 specific areas when compiling their index, with clubs scored out of 100, with 40 marks coming from financial sustainability, 30 from good governance, 20 from equality and ethical standards and ten from fan and community engagement.
The index rated clubs from the Premier League down to National Leagues North and South, and also assessed Scottish clubs.
Tottenham Hotspur were named England’s best-run club, with Manchester United second. Carlisle came behind Cambridge United and Exeter City in the 2023/24 League One rankings.
Niall Couper, CEO ofFairGame, said: “Football is far from perfect but with the likelihood of an incoming football regulator there is a real chance to change it for the better.
“To deliverreal and meaningful change we need to understand the problems. We’ve designed theFairGameIndex to do exactly that and help reshape thegamewe love.
“It is the most comprehensive analysis yet of what it means to be a well-run club, and we’re calling on the authorities, the Football Regulator and football’s governing bodies to work with us.”
The full Fair Game Index can be found HERE
