A Government plan that could see clubs forced to hand over 25% of their shares to supporters' groups has been attacked as "a pre-election gimmick" by the Conservatives.
Labour is considering giving fans first refusal on the purchase of shares in their clubs when they are put up for sale, and clubs could be required to hand over stakes of up to 25% to supporters' groups, according to the Guardian.
The move comes after growing unease about levels of debt in some of the top Premier League clubs with Manchester United supporters having recently formed a group called the Red Knights to try to take over the club from the Glazer family.
Shadow sports minister Hugh Robertson said there were easier ways of increasing supporter influence in clubs such as by insisting on all clubs having at least one director to represent supporters.
Robertson said: "After 13 years of inactivity by the Government on this issue this has all the hallmarks of a pre-election gimmick.
"There are massive, massive implications for company law and insolvency law."
Robertson said changing the rules on governance to increase supporter influence at clubs would be quicker and easier.
No 10 are expected to include the plans as part of Labour's general election manifesto.
Other strategies being considered include giving the football authorities a deadline to reform the FA and removing "vested interests" from the board.
It would also give the leagues and the FA more power in ratifying takeovers of clubs.
Liberal Democrat sport spokesman Don Foster said the idea was "a pipe dream" and said there were more urgent areas to tackle.
Foster said: "Supporter ownership is a nice idea but will be nothing more than a pipe dream for most fans.
"We urgently need a radical overhaul of the FA to better represent supporters and act in the interests of the game.
"Ministers need to promise to look at other issues of desperate importance to fans, like ticket prices, safe standing and facilities for disabled supporters."
