From the 2012/13 campaign onwards, all clubs must have an operating supporter liaison officer (SLO) as a new UEFA licensing requirement – marking a new step in club-supporter relations.

The introduction of a new UEFA licensing requirement from season 2012/13 for all clubs to have an operating supporter liaison officer (SLO) marks an important new chapter in club-supporter relations and emphasises how important this relationship is considered.

Under Article 35 of the new UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, clubs will have the obligation to appoint an SLO to ensure a proper and constructive dialogue between a club and its fans. The move is the result of close cooperation between European football's governing body and Supporters Direct – the body that provides guidance and backing to fan groups in 17 countries throughout Europe.

The SLO concept, which has been under consideration for some time, has gained full approval from the national associations represented in the UEFA Club Licensing Committee and has been drawn up with the strong cooperation of Supporters Direct.

Soccer clubs in Europe may be facing bankruptcy unless changes including stricter financial controls are put in place, according to an A.T. Kearney study that looked at teams in England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy.

“Running as normal companies, the leagues in Spain, England, and Italy would be bankrupt within two years,” Kearney’s Munich-based vice president Juergen Rothenbuecher and colleagues wrote in a report called Football Sustainability Study. Some clubs, even bigger ones, may disappear through bankruptcy in the next few years, the consultants wrote.

Financial statistics in some leagues are “shocking” because of players’ “enormous salaries,” the key reason for the situation, the management consultant company said. The clubs in the five leagues also spend more on players than they take in from selling others.

Fans groups have hit out at the increased number of Premier League clubs who are launching a new home shirt every season.

In 2000, the Premier League charter pledged that replica strips would be released every two seasons to save fans digging into their pockets too often.

But 18 clubs issued a new home shirt last season and all 20 Premier League clubs are doing the same this term.

Tottenham have launched three new kits every year for six seasons in a row.

The north London club have also decided that a different sponsor will adorn their home, second and third kits for Cup games this season, meaning there will be six shirts on offer, costing £45 each on the club's website.