Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

Tom, this thread links to a great article about the state of football today.. although to be fair its mainly aimed at Premier league clubs... it is still relevant to a lot of clubs in the championship.

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=36405.0

And these are my views from that thread.



Football has moved on, the mega money from Sky etc has propelled the game into fantasy land ... without the injection of this TV cash, we wouldnt be seeing any of the global superstars except in international games on the telly ... But while the TV money no doubt finances the unbelievable transfer fees, It is left to us mugs to pay the salaries of these players and that is the problem imo.

Football used to be the game of the working classes, it was an outlet for millions of men who spent all week working their arses off and Saturday was their escape, a few pints and then the footy. 3pm on a Saturday was sacrosanct, it was football. Now your club will play more games on Sundays or Mondays than they actually play on Saturdays.

I used to go to Luton when I was a kid, my Dad used to take me and my Brother every week, we would park up walk to the ground, get a mars bar at the local corner shop for half time and a bovril or a hot chocolate inside the ground at half time too, My Dad was a fireman back then and a single parent of 3 of us .. yet he could afford to take us. Now I cannot afford to take my boy to more than 1 or 2 matches a season, here is an example of costs.. recent trip to see Pompey play Man utd

Tickets £35 for me
           £15 x 2 for 2 kids ( i got Sam a kids ticket even though he is 16 and concessions were UNDER 16's

Couldnt just buy tickets for the Man Utd game, so had to Purchase tickets for a game in November as well, versus Hull City.

so Tickets £130

Half time and kids want a drink ... 2 cokes, 1 coffee, 3 kit kats £8.20

seats inside the ground are shit, they are so close together that you get NO legroom and you are literally shoulder to shoulder with the person next to you, legroom is so poor that even when you have to stand up to let people through you WILL get your toes stood on every time as there really is no room to get through.

take into account programmes, travel to and from grounds and you are adding costs up all the time.

The game has without doubt been stolen from the people and given to the corporate giants yet despite all the corporate money, ticket prices have, and continue to rise well above the rates of inflation .. yet clubs get away with it because football is a drug and people find the money at expense of other things. But this wont continue, when the silly money stops being made available football will be bankrupt and will have to start again, and when it does these clubs will be begging the working class man to return.

Until then, me and millions like me will have to make do with 1 or 2 live games a season and long for the days when spending Saturdays at the footy with your mates and your kids was just as much of a ritual as a religious person going to church on a sunday, where as now its more akin to a religious person going to the vatican to see the pope !

Crikey!

This deserves a proper read.

Will do so and reply after I've been to b&Q.

[redsimon]

Tom, this thread links to a great article about the state of football today.. although to be fair its mainly aimed at Premier league clubs... it is still relevant to a lot of clubs in the championship.

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=36405.0

And these are my views from that thread.



Football has moved on, the mega money from Sky etc has propelled the game into fantasy land ... without the injection of this TV cash, we wouldnt be seeing any of the global superstars except in international games on the telly ... But while the TV money no doubt finances the unbelievable transfer fees, It is left to us mugs to pay the salaries of these players and that is the problem imo.

Football used to be the game of the working classes, it was an outlet for millions of men who spent all week working their arses off and Saturday was their escape, a few pints and then the footy. 3pm on a Saturday was sacrosanct, it was football. Now your club will play more games on Sundays or Mondays than they actually play on Saturdays.

I used to go to Luton when I was a kid, my Dad used to take me and my Brother every week, we would park up walk to the ground, get a mars bar at the local corner shop for half time and a bovril or a hot chocolate inside the ground at half time too, My Dad was a fireman back then and a single parent of 3 of us .. yet he could afford to take us. Now I cannot afford to take my boy to more than 1 or 2 matches a season, here is an example of costs.. recent trip to see Pompey play Man utd

Tickets £35 for me
           £15 x 2 for 2 kids ( i got Sam a kids ticket even though he is 16 and concessions were UNDER 16's

Couldnt just buy tickets for the Man Utd game, so had to Purchase tickets for a game in November as well, versus Hull City.

so Tickets £130

Half time and kids want a drink ... 2 cokes, 1 coffee, 3 kit kats £8.20

seats inside the ground are shit, they are so close together that you get NO legroom and you are literally shoulder to shoulder with the person next to you, legroom is so poor that even when you have to stand up to let people through you WILL get your toes stood on every time as there really is no room to get through.

take into account programmes, travel to and from grounds and you are adding costs up all the time.

The game has without doubt been stolen from the people and given to the corporate giants yet despite all the corporate money, ticket prices have, and continue to rise well above the rates of inflation .. yet clubs get away with it because football is a drug and people find the money at expense of other things. But this wont continue, when the silly money stops being made available football will be bankrupt and will have to start again, and when it does these clubs will be begging the working class man to return.

Until then, me and millions like me will have to make do with 1 or 2 live games a season and long for the days when spending Saturdays at the footy with your mates and your kids was just as much of a ritual as a religious person going to church on a sunday, where as now its more akin to a religious person going to the vatican to see the pope !

Got to love the marketing there getting a full ground vs Hull City, disgusting abuse of the casual fans imo

[Acidmouse]

Watching live football is so so 80's.

[tikay]

For those unable to click a simple link......this is the Wiki piece. But just google "Sheffield Wednesday Football Chairman", & the stories will make your toes curl.

Dave Allen is a Sheffield based businessman and ex-chairman of football team Sheffield Wednesday. Allen owns a 99.9% share of the A & S Leisure Group which runs Napoleons Casinos across England, as well as the greyhound racing track at Owlerton Stadium in Sheffield.

Allen joined the Sheffield Wednesday board in 2000 and eventually became chairman in June 2003.

In his spare time Dave Allen enjoys pigeon racing.[1]

According to the Sunday Times Allen was listed as the 944th richest person in Britain in 2006 and was said to be worth £60m,[2] however by 2007 he had dropped out of the top 1,000 richest people in Britain.[3]

Allen came under severe criticism from some supporters in October 2006 after sacking popular Owls manager Paul Sturrock, with fans attributing a slump in form to the chairman instead of the manager; this then led to a series of protests by some supporters aimed directly at the chairman and board of directors. However, the sacking of Sturrock did see an improvement in results and style of play. Allen was sometimes the basis of much criticism from Wednesday fans, as they felt he put money in to the club with the sole intention of taking more out – lacking a "supporters' heart".[citation needed]. Several media soundbites over the last few years of Allen's reign as Sheffield Wednesday chairman stoked the criticism.[4]

Allen resigned as Chairman and a Director of Sheffield Wednesday on 23 November 2007,[5] but still holds around 10% of the shares.

[TightEnd]

Kev makes some great points. to be fair though Portsmouth is the worst ground in the Premier league for supporter facilities.

The new grounds you get legroom, and a good view etc etc

The points about corporate etc are entirely accurate in the top league and some of the Championship

[RED-DOG]

Tom, this thread links to a great article about the state of football today.. although to be fair its mainly aimed at Premier league clubs... it is still relevant to a lot of clubs in the championship.

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=36405.0

And these are my views from that thread.



Football has moved on, the mega money from Sky etc has propelled the game into fantasy land ... without the injection of this TV cash, we wouldnt be seeing any of the global superstars except in international games on the telly ... But while the TV money no doubt finances the unbelievable transfer fees, It is left to us mugs to pay the salaries of these players and that is the problem imo.

Football used to be the game of the working classes, it was an outlet for millions of men who spent all week working their arses off and Saturday was their escape, a few pints and then the footy. 3pm on a Saturday was sacrosanct, it was football. Now your club will play more games on Sundays or Mondays than they actually play on Saturdays.

I used to go to Luton when I was a kid, my Dad used to take me and my Brother every week, we would park up walk to the ground, get a mars bar at the local corner shop for half time and a bovril or a hot chocolate inside the ground at half time too, My Dad was a fireman back then and a single parent of 3 of us .. yet he could afford to take us. Now I cannot afford to take my boy to more than 1 or 2 matches a season, here is an example of costs.. recent trip to see Pompey play Man utd

Tickets £35 for me
           £15 x 2 for 2 kids ( i got Sam a kids ticket even though he is 16 and concessions were UNDER 16's

Couldnt just buy tickets for the Man Utd game, so had to Purchase tickets for a game in November as well, versus Hull City.

so Tickets £130

Half time and kids want a drink ... 2 cokes, 1 coffee, 3 kit kats £8.20

seats inside the ground are shit, they are so close together that you get NO legroom and you are literally shoulder to shoulder with the person next to you, legroom is so poor that even when you have to stand up to let people through you WILL get your toes stood on every time as there really is no room to get through.

take into account programmes, travel to and from grounds and you are adding costs up all the time.

The game has without doubt been stolen from the people and given to the corporate giants yet despite all the corporate money, ticket prices have, and continue to rise well above the rates of inflation .. yet clubs get away with it because football is a drug and people find the money at expense of other things. But this wont continue, when the silly money stops being made available football will be bankrupt and will have to start again, and when it does these clubs will be begging the working class man to return.

Until then, me and millions like me will have to make do with 1 or 2 live games a season and long for the days when spending Saturdays at the footy with your mates and your kids was just as much of a ritual as a religious person going to church on a sunday, where as now its more akin to a religious person going to the vatican to see the pope !

Thats a teriffic piece by you Kev, well written and very moving if I may say so.

I'm a brand new football supporter and because of you I'm already missing the old days.

[RED-DOG]

Just been reading Brian Laws, (Brian Laws's? How do you wtite that?) Anyway I've just been reading his CV.

Laws’ management of Town was successful, but things suddenly deteriorated after he clashed with Grimsby player Ivano Bonnetti. Laws reportedly threw a plate of chicken wings at the player following a 3- 2 defeat at Luton town in February 96.

He seems like an interesting sort of bloke.

[RED-DOG]

Ahhh.

The club was a cricket club when it formed in 1820 as The Wednesday Cricket Club (named after the day of the week when they played their matches).

[RED-DOG]

Charles Clegg joined Wednesday in the 1870s, starting a relationship that would last the rest of his life and eventually lead to his becoming the club's chairman. He also became president and chairman of the Football Association and known as the "Napoleon of Football"



Hence "Napoleon's casino? or is that a bridge too far?

[Colchester Kev]

Charles Clegg joined Wednesday in the 1870s, starting a relationship that would last the rest of his life and eventually lead to his becoming the club's chairman. He also became president and chairman of the Football Association and known as the "Napoleon of Football"



Hence "Napoleon's casino? or is that a bridge too far?

No, that was Cornelius Ryan

[RED-DOG]

After narrowly avoiding yet another relegation in 2003–04 and a poor start to the 2004–05 Coca-Cola League One campaign, Turner was replaced by former Southampton F.C. manager Paul Sturrock. Sturrock revitalised Sheffield Wednesday's fortunes and they finished fifth in League One at the end of the 2004–05 season, qualifying for the promotion playoffs. Over 40,000 Owls fans travelled to Cardiff to watch Wednesday beat Hartlepool United 4–2 after extra time in the playoff final, and return to the Championship.[10] Sturrock guided Sheffield Wednesday to Championship survival in 2005–06 but was sacked after a poor start to the 2006–07 season and replaced by Brian Laws


Blimey! It doesn't take long to go from hero to whipping boy does it?

[RED-DOG]

That's it. I'm going stir crazy. Gotta play me some live poker.

I will be donating to all and sundry tonight a DTD. Get it while it's hot.

[RED-DOG]

More Wednesday questions.

Does anyone else on here support them?

When do "we" play next?

Can I listen on t'wireless?

[77dave]

You should have a chat with big barry

[RED-DOG]

You should have a chat with big barry

Everything has a downside.













Disclamer: If you're reading Barry, I'm only joking.