Cobbetts teams up with football group and nets more work

Manchester firm Cobbetts is reaping the benefit of its association with Supporters Direct - a government-funded advisory service for football fans who want to play a greater role in their clubs.Supporters Direct, which has just celebrated its first birthday, refers to the firm, and to a lesser extent Bournemouth firm Lester Aldridge, fans who want to set up supporters' trusts.Cobbetts partner Kevin Jaquiss said: 'The volume of legal work we have received has been massive.

We anticipated registering half a dozen trusts in the first year, but so far we have completed over 30.' The work is done at a flat rate paid by Supporters Direct.

Supporters Direct director Trevor Watkins, a partner at Southampton frim Ensor Byfield, who was at Lester Aldridge when the scheme began, said 125 groups of fans had approached it for help.Andrew Towler