Leeds fan spot on?

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The general level of contempt for the Premiership and its pampered ponces does seem to be at an all-time high. The wages of so-so players has lost all touch with reality and the chavvy behaviour that goes with it would shame a lotto lout. It would be a great day indeed if Sky were ever to withdraw the TV money and leave the Premiership high and dry.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

"Financially,I am glad to say,each player will benefit by this afternoon's match to the extent of at least £3.To the winners a bonus of £8 is payable by the club,so it is possible for the participants of the winning team to receive£11 extra to their basic wage.If the match is drawn,all players taking part will receive an additional£7 made up by £3 appearance money and £4 bonus for the draw.If our boys are successful the wage packet for those taking part in both the Luton and this afternoon's match will be £35.As today's match is in addition to the normal League and FA cup programme,it is nice to see the players get a little extra remuneration,provided they give entertainment value to supporters."

Let's translate this into today's money and see how it reads.

Financially,I am glad to say, each player will benefit by this afternoon's match to the extent of at least £48.

To the winners a bonus of £128 is payable by the club, so it is possible for the participants of the winning team to receive £176 extra to their basic wage.

If the match is drawn, all players taking part will receive an additional £112 made up by £48 appearance money and £64 bonus for the draw.

If our boys are successful the wage packet for those taking part in both the Luton and this afternoon's match will be £560.

As today's match is in addition to the normal League and FA cup programme, it is nice to see the players get a little extra remuneration, provided they give entertainment value to supporters.



This was in the days when footballers received a maximum wage of £20 a week - or, in today's money £16,640 a year.

 

[Wozza]

My fear is that any day now a Premiership chairman, because of the huge sums involved, will break ranks and say there should be no relegation, the view that has so disgusted people in rugby.

You can bet your mortgage that this will happen within 10 years.

The foreign owners - close to a majority already? - will insist on an NFL system.

And the rest of football will become like the college system which, in fairness, is well supported in the US of A.

 

[byf]

Fcuking northerners...always moaning!

 

[Pavilionaire]

The contrast between Rugby Union and Football in this country is massive.

In union, if there is ANY doubt about a try the ref will refer it. Consequently the error rate is probably 5% or less.

Players very rarely abuse or show dissent to the referee and only the captains can engage in any dialogue with the ref.

Touch judges have an ACTIVE part to play in proceeds and officials work as a team.

Above all, there is mutual respect between players and officials, so the whole thing WORKS.

The same goes for cricket, Aussie Rules, Rugby League, American Football to name but a few.

The problem with football is that the sport is run, without exception, by wankers and shysters.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

You can bet your mortgage that this will happen within 10 years.

The foreign owners - close to a majority already? - will insist on it.

I dont think this would happen.

A Europe league however.

 

[Dave the OAP]

The contrast between Rugby Union and Football in this country is massive.

In union, if there is ANY doubt about a try the ref will refer it. Consequently the error rate is probably 5% or less.

Players very rarely abuse or show dissent to the referee and only the captains can engage in any dialogue with the ref.

Touch judges have an ACTIVE part to play in proceeds and officials work as a team.

Above all, there is mutual respect between players and officials, so the whole thing WORKS.

The same goes for cricket, Aussie Rules, Rugby League, American Football to name but a few.

The problem with football is that the sport is run, without exception, by wankers and shysters.

spot on

 

[Simster]

The problem with football is that the sport is run, without exception, by wankers and shysters.

I think you're forgetting "incompetents".

Come to think of it, Ken Bates in particular fits into all three categories.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

The general level of contempt for the Premiership and its pampered ponces does seem to be at an all-time high. The wages of so-so players has lost all touch with reality and the chavvy behaviour that goes with it would shame a lotto lout. It would be a great day indeed if Sky were ever to withdraw the TV money and leave the Premiership high and dry.

If Sky withdrew from The Premiership who do you think would suffer more?

It would be cola league clubs.

 

[Simster]

If Sky withdrew from The Premiership who do you think would suffer more?

It would be cola league clubs.

How?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

How?

How many clubs in the lower leagues get out of debt by selling youngsters to "bigger" clubs? This would stop and clubs would vanish.

If Brighton had not sold Cullip to sheff
Currie to Ipswich - backed by Ipswich selling players on
Virgo to Celtic - Celtic getting money from sky
CKR to sheff - sheff getting money from sky


would there still be a club?

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

You can bet your mortgage that this will happen within 10 years.

The foreign owners - close to a majority already? - will insist on an NFL system.

And the rest of football will become like the college system which, in fairness, is well supported in the US of A.

I think it would become quite interesting if that happened. I think there would become a marked decrease in interest in the premier league if that happened. The premier league wouldn't be the best of English football anymore, it would be twenty teams with a lot of money. I think a lot of 'real' fans would leave, not to be replaced by the armchair supporters.

 

[Simster]

How many clubs in the lower leagues get out of debt by selling youngsters to "bigger" clubs? This would stop and clubs would vanish.

Or they'd just have to cut their cloth according to their means by NOT overpaying their players.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Or they'd just have to cut their cloth according to their means by NOT overpaying their players.

They try to now, but fail.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I dont think this would happen.

A Europe league however.

I hope you're right - but don't underestimate the threat.

This is how the argument - however wrong - went in rugby (incidentally, from owners AND people you might think knew a bit about sport, like Rob Andrew when he was at Newcastle).

To play in the Premiership we need a decent ground, which costs us millions. To get there we have to invest heavily on the playing side. We've then committed so much on a long-term planning basis that if we were to get relegated short-term, the drop in TV revenue is so huge it will bankrupt the club. This is stupid, so it is better there is no relegation and sod the principle of small clubs reaching the summit of the game.

Much as you might despise it, this is an argument which WILL surface in football soon.

 

[Simster]

They try to now, but fail.

I'm fairly sure that isn't the case. How many players have, say, Chester City, sold in the past 3 years?

 

[Wozza]

I think there would become a marked decrease in interest in the premier league if that happened. The premier league wouldn't be the best of English football anymore, it would be twenty teams with a lot of money. I think a lot of 'real' fans would leave, not to be replaced by the armchair supporters.

The "real fans" as you put it, aren't important to the owners - or certainly nowhere near as important as a worldwide TV audience.

Anyway, I think you'll find fans of Fulham, Reading etc etc would LOVE a closed shop.

And fans of Spurs, Newcastle, Everton etc would LOVE a realistic chance of winning the title (again) one day.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I hope you're right - but don't underestimate the threat.

This is how the argument - however wrong - went in rugby (incidentally, from owners AND people you might think knew a bit about sport, like Rob Andrew when he was at Newcastle).

To play in the Premiership we need a decent ground, which costs us millions. To get there we have to invest heavily on the playing side. We've then committed so much on a long-term planning basis that if we were to get relegated short-term, the drop in TV revenue is so huge it will bankrupt the club. This is stupid, so it is better there is no relegation and sod the principle of small clubs reaching the summit of the game.

Much as you might despise it, this is an argument which WILL surface in football soon.

I think the main difference is that in football there are "big" clubs in the Chmapionship - Palace, Birmingham, Norwich, Leeds etc - even in League one Forest are bumming around.

In Rugby there are a lot fewer clubs with any history.

 

[Simster]

How many clubs in the lower leagues get out of debt by selling youngsters to "bigger" clubs? This would stop and clubs would vanish.

If Brighton had not sold Cullip to sheff
Currie to Ipswich - backed by Ipswich selling players on
Virgo to Celtic - Celtic getting money from sky
CKR to sheff - sheff getting money from sky


would there still be a club?

Brighton is fairly unique. We pay a crippling rent, and don't make money from any match day concessions. What is more, match tickets cannot be bought on the day - we have NO walk up support.
Not to mention the club has no amenities with which to woo corporate sponsors.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I'm fairly sure that isn't the case. How many players have, say, Chester City, sold in the past 3 years?

How many have Bmuff?
How many have Brighton?
How many have Rotherham?

Chester are a bit different because they came up from non (ish) league.