Selecting the SLO

Ideally, SLOs should come from the fan base:

• SLOs are seen by fans as “one of us” and therefore credible
• SLOs regularly liaise with fans to build a relationship of trust and exert positive influence
• SLOs promote self regulation and isolation of “undesirable behaviour”

The job specification will be tailored to the requirements of the club and it is therefore the senior management who will make the appointment. The newly appointed SLO, while meeting the requirements of club management, must be widely accepted by the fans, as it is they who the SLO will mainly represent. Communication and regular tie-ins with fans can help develop the relationships between club and fans whilst also gaining acceptance of those the SLO is catering for.

There are various ways to approach this. SD Scotland are happy to visit clubs in person to advise and help them to appoint a suitable person to the role, preferably in consultation with the relevant supporters trust and local fan groups. In view of the liaison and mediation role played by the SLO, it is important that the person selected has the acceptance of all the main stakeholders (club board and management, supporters, police, stewards, etc).

Experience from other countries shows the recruitment of SLOs from the fan base has worked well. This does not mean that an existing member of the club staff cannot be chosen for the role, however, provided that person has a good understanding of the needs of and problems faced by supporters, is credible, and enjoys the trust of the fan base. Nevertheless, in most cases we would recommend the appointment of a recognised supporter.

The number of SLOs appointed, and whether they work on a full-time, part-time or voluntary basis, will depend on the size of the fan base and the needs of the club. Some clubs will require full time SLOs whereas other SPFL clubs may be able to manage with one or two part-time SLOs, or even volunteers. Lower league clubs can make good use of a team of volunteers. We recommend the appointment of a team of three to ensure each competitive match played by the first team can be covered by at least one SLO.

Full-time SLOs should also build up a team of volunteer workers to assist them with the multitude of tasks requiring attention on matchdays (e.g. staffing contact points at home matches, away section monitors, mobile contact points at away matches, etc). In Germany, Borussia Monchengladbach deploy as many as 30 volunteers on home matchdays.

At clubs using a team of volunteer SLOs the work should be broken down into different areas with specific tasks for each SLO. Each SLO should, however, be able to provide the basic level of support on matchday, bearing in mind the fact that they will often be working alone. Third-division German club SV Darmstadt can serve as a useful model in this respect.

A number of good practice examples already exist in Scotland when it comes to the definition of the skills, aptitudes and personal qualities of the person being sought. This also applies to job descriptions and job profiles. Taken together with the examples from the rest of Europe provided in the UEFA toolkit, SD Scotland will draw up a comprehensive menu of recruitment options for clubs to encourage the establishment of base level uniform standards throughout the country. In view of the different cultures, structures and circumstances at work at each club, however, the nature of the work conducted in practice will, of course, vary at every club.

The Recruitment Process

The recruitment process itself can take various forms, including:

• Standard recruitment process with job advert placed on the club website and in other appropriate media and subsequent vetting of applications and interview process with the possible involvement of Supporters Direct Scotland
• Internal selection of a suitable candidate from the fan base, preferably through consultation with supporter representatives, fans forum, etc.
• Internal selection of an existing club employee who fits the requirements referred to above