Football Clubs as Identity Leaders: Communication and Club Action on Fan‐Club Relationships

ABSTRACT Supporting a football club can provide a sense of belonging to fans; however, fan‐club relationships are complex and under‐examined within social psychology. This study used an identity leadership perspective to explore football fans' feelings about their relationships with their clubs and what they feel contributes to these relationships. Semi‐structured interviews ( N = 15) were conducted with fans from three clubs ( n = 5 per club) across different English football leagues. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, we identified two overarching themes that promote positive fan‐club relationships: the importance of communication and club action on fan concerns. The communication theme split into two subthemes: club communication to fans, and opportunities for fans to communicate back to their club. Identity leadership dimensions, specifically identity entrepreneurship and advancement, cut across all themes. We conclude that communication and action are mechanisms through which football clubs can engage in identity leadership and promote positive fan‐club relationships. The present research identifies and proposes that principles of identity leadership could be utilised within non‐hierarchical and non‐traditional leadership contexts as a framework for promoting positive group relations.