As the football season draws to its close, many football fans will be metaphorically biting their nails in the crucial last matches hoping for a satisfactory outcome to the season. It was great to be supporting in the stands as Woking won their 3 - 2 thriller against Dagenham and Redbridge last Saturday.

Looking wider, the Government has just announced that it will introduce legislation to create an Independent Football Regulator, guaranteeing that fans’ views are listened to and aiming to ensure the future success of English football. 

For too long, some unscrupulous owners have got away with financial mismanagement. That is why we are enshrining this Independent Football Regulator in law, giving fans a voice in how their clubs are run and ensuring teams across the leagues are financially sustainable.

The Independent Football Regulator will oversee a new licensing regime for clubs in the top five tiers of English football. The regulator will follow an advocacy-first approach but will have the power to revoke licences and impose fines. The regulator will also oversee requests by owners to sell the club or relocate the stadium and will introduce baseline standards for fan involvement in key off-field decisions such as club heritage.

This will mean that clubs will be blocked from joining breakaway leagues, protecting the competitions and leagues that have made our football arguably the best in the world. Fans will no longer face the prospect of seeing their clubs signing up to proposals such as the European Super League which would have undermined the football pyramid.

The regulator will have the power to block rogue owners from harming clubs and their fans. The new licensing scheme will ensure that those who have previously done damage to football clubs cannot continue to do so.

The Government has invested £64 million into grassroots football, working alongside the Premier League and the FA. I was pleased that Woking FC and Fullbrook School secured extra funding for improvements to their grounds.

Grassroots facilities are essential for nurturing future sporting talent and encouraging people to get active, benefiting their physical and mental wellbeing. It is great that Surrey County Council's Your Fund initiative is inviting bids for new or enhanced community sports facilities.

Clubs across Woking are often the beating heart of our communities, with thousands of us each week turning out to support our local team. In recent months I have been to Woking FC, Westfield FC, Meadow Sports FC, Goldsworth Park Rangers and Woking Tigers and over the years I've visited all our other local clubs and playing fields. 

As for the top five tiers, I’m delighted the Government has set out these important measures to support fans, ensuring our views will be heard loud and clear.

Let's also make our voices heard loud and clear from the terraces and the stands as we support our local teams in the last vital matches of the season!