Sign Here........

[redrus]

Petition Against Prices.

By Andy@ UWS

Date: 21/2/2007

The Football Supporters Federation have launched an online petition as part of their efforts to see fans benefit from the increased TV revenues clubs are to receive. The aims of this campaign are to freeze season ticket prices for home fans and to impose a £15 ceiling on admissions for away fans.

From the FSF: "After the recent announcement that the FA Premier League has secured the largest television rights deal in the history of the sport, the Football Supporters' Federation have launched a campaign to ensure a fairer deal for fans.

The campaign's principal initial aims are:

Universal away ticket price of no more than £15 for all Premier League (FAPL) games with £10 for concessions.

A three-season freeze of prices at 2006/7 season levels for both season tickets and individual match tickets for seasons 2007/8-2009/10 imposed by FAPL rule.

Encouragement of clubs to cut ticket prices in cash terms over and above the freeze, particularly at the low end.

The facility fee received for all FAPL televised matches to be used to subsidise tickets prices for all attending those matches.

The FSF wants to emphasise that the campaign isn't just about ticket prices in the Premier League though. Many prices in the Football League and even in the Conference and below are simply far too high. The objective of the campaign is to ensure that football again becomes the "people's game".

Prices across the board in this country are absurd. The recent decision by Fulham to charge Manchester United fans £45 to visit Craven Cottage when earlier in the season Wigan Athletic fans had been charged just £10 shows how clubs are penalising supporters of those clubs with bigger away followings to subsidise a decline in home support.

Just in this past week the Birmingham City versus Stoke City Football League Championship game was moved at EIGHT days notice to a Sunday 11.30am kick-off. Potters fans were still expected to pay £30 (£1 more than home fans who were still being asked for an outrageous £29 behind the goal). During the first six months of the 2006/07 season, eleven of the seventeen Premier League clubs who remain in the FAPL from last season are showing a decrease in average attendances. Of the remaining six, both Arsenal and Manchester United have increased attendance as a result of increased capacity.

We believe that constantly increasing, rip-off ticket prices, along with decreased competitive balance has driven many supporters out of the game, either unable or unwilling to pay out the sums asked. The increasing number of empty seats up and down the country is testament to this. The majority of clubs are refusing to address dwindling attendances, apparently safe in the knowledge that gate receipts contribute only a tiny proportion of income.

There are some honourable exceptions. There are plans at Manchester City to dramatically lower children's prices (but not adults, unfortunately), Bradford City has launched an innovative season ticket scheme and Blackburn Rovers has announced it wants to lower prices. This is all welcome but is NOT enough. The FSF want to deliver a clear message to Club Chairmen. We want a fairer deal for football fans through a fairer pricing structure which will make football more affordable for all. We want to see IMMEDIATE action by the football authorities to limit ticket prices to no more than £15 for adult away fans in the Premier League, to freeze prices for home fans, reducing prices in the cheaper categories and redistributing the facility fee for televised games by subsidising ticket prices for these matches.

Show your support by signing our petition today. We want as many people as possible to sign up and add their name. Fill in your name and details here - everyone who does will receive an email in return, confirming that they're part of the campaign. Just as important though, an email on your behalf will be fired off to the FAPL and all Club Chairmen leaving them in no doubt about the strength of feeling on this issue. We'll also keep the Football League, Conference and the Football Association of Wales informed on this. And don't just leave it there - you must know dozens of people who feel the same way about this as you do. So spread the word, email them and tell them about the campaign, and make sure they get signed up too. Fans are the most important people in football. We have to make sure our voice is heard.

Sign the petition here: http://www.fsf.org.uk/petitions/away-tickets/ or CLICK HERE.

redrus

[redrus]

Received e-mail... from Feedback <[email protected]>

Thank you for your email.

We appreciate the concerns supporters have about ticket prices and we do encourage all our Clubs to have fair pricing policies with concessions available at all grounds. However the Clubs are able to set their own prices for tickets and it is not something we are able to dictate.

To give you a little more background on this, we do encourage our Clubs to adopt flexible and imaginative ticketing schemes which encourage wider access to matches. Many Clubs now operate a 'price-banding' policy such as you mention, charging prices according to demand. We have looked into this as we are concerned about the impact this could have on the supporters of the more popular Clubs . However some Clubs find that the best way to ensure the ground is full is to charge lower prices for the less popular fixtures and higher prices when the demand is increased.

We understand the impact this has, but to prevent Clubs from charging variable prices could clearly have an adverse effect on attendances. Please be assured that we do understand your point, and we will continue to look for a solution that would be fair on both Clubs and fans. However ticket prices are ultimately at the discretion of individual Clubs.

Thank you for taking the time to email us.

Kind regards,

Communications Dept

redrus

[redrus]

Just got this in my inbox too...........

Your Comments <[email protected]>

show details

17:41 (1 minute ago)

Thank you for contacting West Ham United FC.

Please note that while we endeavour to answer all enquiries that are sent to us, due to the large number of messages that are received we regret that we cannot operate an interactive service and therefore cannot guarantee a reply.

Therefore if your message is urgent and non ticket related we would ask you to contact the club direct on 0208 548 2748. If however you have a ticket related query regarding either a purchase you have made or availability relating to a forthcoming fixture we would recommend that you contact the ticket office direct on 0870 112 2700 or alternatively check the official website for all available ticket information.

Anyone wishing to receive a personal response from the chairman must write in to the club at the address given below.

www.whufc.com

redrus

[redrus]

Well, it definately works, just got one back from United.

Below is the list as sent....

Sent: 21 February 2007 17:36

To: Arsenal; Aston Villa; Blackburn Rovers; Bolton Wanderers; Charlton Athletic; Chelsea; Everton; Fulham; Liverpool; Manchester City; Enquiries; Middlesbrough; Newcastle United; Portsmouth; Reading; Sheffield United; Tottenham Hotspur; Watford; West Ham United; Wigan Athletic; Arsenal; Aston Villa; Blackburn Rovers; Bolton Wanderers; Charlton Athletic; Chelsea; Everton; Fulham; Liverpool; Manchester City; Enquiries; Middlesbrough; Newcastle United; Portsmouth; Reading; Sheffield United; Tottenham Hotspur; Watford; West Ham United; Wigan Athletic

Subject: Attn Club Chairman Football Ticket Prices

Come on people, get on the case, pass it on too.

redrus

[ThaiPauly]

Good Man Red.

Football used to be the working man's game. You want to take your kids to see their local heros and you can be looking at shelling out near on a hundred quid by the time ou have parked , brought a programme, a few pies a pint and a few cokes.

How many factory workers can afford to spend 200 a month to go to matches when they have a fair old chance of watching it on television?....but thats just not the same...no atmoshere, no adrenelin etc.

If they do they are probably running up debts or neglecting other important family purchaces

England DESPERATLEY needs new talent....I never really cared that much about football until my Dad started to take me to watch football...then I wanted to play professional....sadly I was not good enough..but there are many who are like my strike partner in my local boys team who went on to play over 300 games for Spurs.

[JacknDanny]

Good Man Red.

Football used to be the working man's game. You want to take your kids to see their local heros and you can be looking at shelling out near on a hundred quid by the time ou have parked , brought a programme, a few pies a pint and a few cokes.

How many factory workers can afford to spend 200 a month to go to matches when they have a fair old chance of watching it on television?....but thats just not the same...no atmoshere, no adrenelin etc.

If they do they are probably running up debts or neglecting other important family purchaces

England DESPERATLEY needs new talent....I never really cared that much about football until my Dad started to take me to watch football...then I wanted to play professional....sadly I was not good enough..but there are many who are like my strike partner in my local boys team who went on to play over 300 games for Spurs.

I must admit Danny Blanchflower was a very good player

[JacknDanny]

Well, it definately works, just got one back from United.

Below is the list as sent....

Sent: 21 February 2007 17:36

To: Arsenal; Aston Villa; Blackburn Rovers; Bolton Wanderers; Charlton Athletic; Chelsea; Everton; Fulham; Liverpool; Manchester City; Enquiries; Middlesbrough; Newcastle United; Portsmouth; Reading; Sheffield United; Tottenham Hotspur; Watford; West Ham United; Wigan Athletic; Arsenal; Aston Villa; Blackburn Rovers; Bolton Wanderers; Charlton Athletic; Chelsea; Everton; Fulham; Liverpool; Manchester City; Enquiries; Middlesbrough; Newcastle United; Portsmouth; Reading; Sheffield United; Tottenham Hotspur; Watford; West Ham United; Wigan Athletic

Subject: Attn Club Chairman Football Ticket Prices

Come on people, get on the case, pass it on too.

redrus

It would be interesting to know which clubs reply, and whether or not it is a positive one

[ThaiPauly]

Good Man Red.

Football used to be the working man's game. You want to take your kids to see their local heros and you can be looking at shelling out near on a hundred quid by the time ou have parked , brought a programme, a few pies a pint and a few cokes.

How many factory workers can afford to spend 200 a month to go to matches when they have a fair old chance of watching it on television?....but thats just not the same...no atmoshere, no adrenelin etc.

If they do they are probably running up debts or neglecting other important family purchaces

England DESPERATLEY needs new talent....I never really cared that much about football until my Dad started to take me to watch football...then I wanted to play professional....sadly I was not good enough..but there are many who are like my strike partner in my local boys team who went on to play over 300 games for Spurs.

I must admit Danny Blanchflower was a very good player

You cheeky git

[muckypups]

Let's see if I get one from United..! Fired the link off to a few mates as well.. good on you Red..

[redrus]

From United last night (GMT) Pups.

RE: Attn Club Chairman Football Ticket Prices Inbox

Reply

[email protected] to Contacts list Delete this message

[email protected]

Dear Supporter

Thank you for your feedback on ticket prices. We are currently in the process of setting ticket prices for next season and will be publishing them in the coming months.

Regards

Ticketing & Membership Services

Ticketing & Membership Services

24 Hour Ticket & Match Information Line - 0870 442 1968

Ticket Line - 0870 442 1999

Enquiries - 0870 442 1994

www.manutd.com

www.seasonticketfeeling.com

....and the arse

Arsenal FC General email <[email protected]>

Thank you for your email enquiry to Arsenal Football Club. Due to the overwhelming response from supporters to the [email protected] address, emails cannot always be answered immediately. We will respond to every email, however, the swiftness of our response will vary according to the nature of the query and the date upon which it was received. We would appreciate your patience until you receive a reply. In the meantime you may wish to visit the Club web-site at www.arsenal.com or telephone the Main Switchboard on + 44 (0) 20 7704 4000.

If your enquiry is with regards to Membership Sales/Email confirmation or Membership card queries please email [email protected] or telephone our membership office on 0870 343 0870; [email protected] will be unable to respond to queries of this nature.

Please note [email protected] only operates between Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm.

We thank you for your patience.

Emirates Stadium Events – World Class Conference and Banqueting at the New Home of Arsenal

Call 0845 262 0004 or visit www.arsenal.com/events to book your event at London’s most exciting new venue.

**********************************************************************

The Stadium, Highbury Square – a unique collection of luxury apartments and penthouses.

Call 0845 262 6000 or visit www.thestadium-highbury.com to make the home of Arsenal Football Club your home.

Obviously just auto responses but, its a start.

redrus

Edited February 22, 2007 by redrus

[mr_hippo]

I voted, years ago, with my feet! I used to watch United on a Saturday and Widnes Rugby League on a Sunday. The Widnes ground was about 3 miles from my house and parking on match days was horrendous so I used to walk there and back. One Sunday, I got to the turnstiles and saw the price had gone up from 90p to £1, tutted, turned round and went home and never went back!

[redrus]

I voted, years ago, with my feet! I used to watch United on a Saturday and Widnes Rugby League on a Sunday. The Widnes ground was about 3 miles from my house and parking on match days was horrendous so I used to walk there and back. One Sunday, I got to the turnstiles and saw the price had gone up from 90p to £1, tutted, turned round and went home and never went back!

:D

When first at Old Trafford, I payed around 60p as a junior Stretford Ender, back in the early eighties when I was 5 or 6. I can't turn my back, Glazers or not.

Its around £28 for the cheapest ticket now, bloody bargain compared to the rest of the Premiership. I will still fight though, for the reasons as layed out by my ol pal ThaiPauly above and, shared by many on the forum and around the world.

redrus

[mrbojangles]

Good Man Red.

Football used to be the working man's game. You want to take your kids to see their local heros and you can be looking at shelling out near on a hundred quid by the time ou have parked , brought a programme, a few pies a pint and a few cokes.

How many factory workers can afford to spend 200 a month to go to matches when they have a fair old chance of watching it on television?....but thats just not the same...no atmoshere, no adrenelin etc.

If they do they are probably running up debts or neglecting other important family purchaces

England DESPERATLEY needs new talent....I never really cared that much about football until my Dad started to take me to watch football...then I wanted to play professional....sadly I was not good enough..but there are many who are like my strike partner in my local boys team who went on to play over 300 games for Spurs.

Spot on, nail onth ehead TP

[redrus]

BOLTON REDUCE TICKET PRICES

Thursday 22nd February 2007

Surely United won't be following suit

From the BBC

Bolton Wanderers have cut season-ticket prices for the start of next season.

The move comes after champions Chelsea froze season-ticket prices for next season and Wigan brought down the cost of tickets for certain games this term.

Bolton, who froze prices last season, say they are the first Premiership club to lower costs, having reduced season tickets by an average of 10%.

The club's manager, Sam Allardyce, said: "We are sensitive to the economic demands on our supporters."

"We have to recognise that fans have to dig deep in their pockets to watch top-flight football.

"This has become a serious issue that has reached a crescendo across the country and we feel duty bound to make a stance by reducing the cost for our season-ticket holders."

Bolton's decision was given a cautious welcome by the Football Supporters Federation.

FSF spokesman Malcolm Clarke said: "We will give Bolton only one and a half cheers because it is not very much in relation to the money they will get in, like other Premiership clubs.

"They could let everyone in free and still have as much money as they have got today.

"Set against that background, it is still a welcome step by Bolton but the Premier League as a whole needs to do much more."

Bolton say the move to lower prices on the back of last year's freeze means there has been a 15% reduction in real terms over the past two years.

The discount will be in addition to the early-purchase discount they traditionally offer.

Bolton's current most expensive season ticket, priced at £499 with discount, will drop to £449.

The Trotters are keen to encourage younger supporters and families back to the Reebok.

A family season ticket for two adults and two children, currently priced at £960 will be reduced to £864, which means a family of four will be able to watch a game for £45.

A family stand season ticket for one adult and one child priced at £480 will fall to £432, enabling a dad to take his son to the Reebok for £22.74 per game, while the child's season ticket will drop to £99, which works out at £5.21 per game.

redrus

[mrbojangles]

BOLTON REDUCE TICKET PRICES

Although i applaud Bolton for doing it, they are the biggest tw4ts at upping the prices for away fans, especially derby games like City and United

[redrus]

BOLTON REDUCE TICKET PRICES

Although i applaud Bolton for doing it, they are the biggest tw4ts at upping the prices for away fans, especially derby games like City and United

Tier pricing....!

Almost as bad as Scousers.!

redrus

[Bredbury Blue]

Manchester City’s recently launched Under-16 Seasoncard has proved to be the fastest-selling ticket of its kind.

The Seasoncard, which at £95 is the lowest priced season ticket at any leading football club, has sold at an unprecedented rate, far outstripping previous seasons’ sales.

Applications for the card have more than tripled when compared to the same selling period last season and clearly reflect the popularity of the 56% price cut amongst the Club’s young fans and their parents.

Sales of the Under 21s Seasoncard are also on the increase, with fans welcoming the 31% reduction on last season’s prices. The Club’s drive to make Manchester City more accessible to young fans, together with the freezing of adult prices for the fourth consecutive season, represent the widest ranging review of ticket pricing in the history of the Club.

Speaking of the recent uptake of Junior Seasoncards, Chief Executive Alistair Mackintosh said,

“We are delighted with the sales of our Under 16 Seasoncard. The price reduction for this age group has come on the back of our successful LIVE4CITY initiative and is confirmation that our relationship with our young fans continues to go from strength to strength.”

Fans wishing to benefit from the Under 21 reductions and the Adult price freeze however, must have applications in by Friday 9th March.

To renew your Seasoncard online or find out more about prices click here >

Isn't this what it should be all about - get the kids interested and hooked early (but don't charge them a fortune later).

Edited February 22, 2007 by Bredbury Blue

[redrus]

Nice one Bred/City....

redrus

[redrus]

Another point of view.

United's Crocodile Tears! From a Fulham on VitalFootball

It`s not often I have sympathy with the opposition support but Manchester United may well, on the surface, have a strong case of victimisation.

There is a degree of unrest amongst those who follow the club that currently leads the Premiership. It appears that they object to paying £45 for a ticket for the forthcoming fixture this weekend.

Considering that they`ll be asked to fork out slightly more for a trip to Stamford Bridge in the very near future, I suppose we could argue that we have valid reasons for charging this amount.

That is until you consider the £45 seems ridiculous compared to the price that Wigan supporters paid for the same seats and that the £45 is £23 more than United supporter`s paid just two seasons ago.

The United support is so enraged they have proposed a boycott. Not of the match but of the associated facilities that go hand in hand with watching football. Their intention is not to put additional revenue into the pockets of Fulham Football Club by paying the extortionate prices wanted for refreshments and are also intending to blockade the betting kiosk etc.

Indeed, there is even talk of pickets being placed in the vicinity of these facilities to impose the blockade.

At a time when attending football is fast becoming a little more than an expensive hobby and more of a financial drain, there are probably people out there who have every sympathy with the United supporters.

Perhaps there are even some amongst us who feel obliged to join in with their appeal for Fulham supporters to join in their protest; thankfully, I`m not one of them.

I belong firmly in the group that suggests we should fleece these visitors of every penny we can. We`re a small humble club with a great tradition but tradition doesn`t pay the bills or provide funds to keep the club competitive in the most competitive league in the world.

The last few years have been a trying time for Fulham Football Club, the move back to Craven Cottage being an emotional time, a move that required additional expenditure to make Craven Cottage a fit habitat for Premiership football.

We`ve never had the funds to compete with any of those clubs at the top of the table on a regular basis and our television appearance fees go now where near approaching the revenue received by the big four.

More importantly, the big four have never seen fit to stand their ground and insist on a fairer distribution of wealth in the top flight, therefore, although it may seem to be almost a mercenary gesture, let`s get every last penny of these sorts of people as possible.

Controversial enough for you United boys?

redrus

Edited February 22, 2007 by redrus

[redrus]

CALLS FOR PRICES FREEZE GROW

Friday 23rd February 2007

With away tickets set at £15.

The Football Supporters Federation has appealed to the PL to peg tickets for away fans at just £15, with supporters being urged to sign an online petition.

Commenting on the petition FSF Chair Malcolm Clarke, a Stoke City supporter, said:

"Supporters in this country are sick to the back teeth of being ripped off. My own club has just had a game at St Andrews against Birmingham City moved from Saturday at 3.00pm to Sunday at 11.30am with eight days' notice.

"Despite this surreal kick-off time for a professional football match we were still expected to pay £30 a ticket in the Stoke end for the privilege. It's absolutely shameless. I've made an official complaint about this to both clubs and the League.

"Now we have Peter Kenyon at Chelsea reported as saying that the club has no intention of lowering ticket prices as his players will be demanding big pay rises. Sorry Peter. Get real. Here on planet Earth most people view professional footballers in the Premier League as being paid enough already. I think most people would be able to get by on the average salary of a Chelsea first-team squad player.

"Anyway Chelsea and every other club in the Premier League are going to receive extra millions in broadcasting income next season. It's time this was shared out with the fans. The new money coming into the Premier League from next season is worth around £30 per admission over three seasons. The Premier League clubs could afford to let most fans in for nothing and still be as well off as they are today."

The on-line petition calls for:

- A League wide away fans' ticket price of no more than £15

- A League mandated freeze on all matchday and season ticket prices

- The use of television facilities fees for broadcast games to lower ticket prices to compensate for fixture moves and inconvenient kick-off times

The petition can be found on the FSF website at:

http://www.fsf.org.uk/petitions/away-tickets/

redrus

[muckypups]

Sorry chaps for the lengthy article.. but really..45 quid!!!

Time to stand up for standing up

Paul Wilson

Sunday February 25, 2007

Guardian Unlimited

It was appropriate that images reminiscent of Hillsborough should surface in a week when Manchester United fans protested about paying £45 to get into Craven Cottage, and a number of Premiership clubs announced price reductions for next season. Because Hillsborough is where it all began. All-seat stadiums might have been an appropriate and necessary response to a dreadful tragedy, but they changed football in ways that few could have foreseen at the time.

Lord Justice Taylor tried his best, specifically recommending that clubs should not use seats as a means of ramping up prices, but his wishes were ignored and seats, wages, television deals and almost everything else have been ramped up to a level that everyone in Life on Mars except John Simm would find staggering.

Yet as events at Lens so vividly demonstrated, seats in themselves are no panacea. Not when fences still exist, Uefa stage games at unsatisfactory venues as if Heysel had never happened and the police default mode is to treat all fans as hooligans. Even in this country, where the high cost of seats is rather loftily held to have solved the hooliganism problem now plaguing Italy (by pricing out the young and the troublesome), being forced to sit down is proving divisive. Hardly a game goes by at Anfield or Old Trafford without repeated Tannoy requests for fans to show consideration for other supporters and sit down. There is nothing more annoying than paying a fortune for a seat then being forced to stand because people in front of you are standing, and this ongoing argument itself is likely to provoke a major disturbance before long.

So should we bring back standing areas, as more than 100 MPs have requested? I would say yes, because they improve atmosphere, allow easier and cheaper admission, are still enjoyed in Europe and in other sports, and need not be considered inherently dangerous in modern stadiums with CCTV and improved stewarding. But I was not at Hillsborough, nor did I lose a friend or relative in the crush, and I fully respect the view that even a slight risk of a repeat is too much of a risk to take.

The time has arrived for a rational debate on the issue, if such a thing is possible in football.

In theory at least, standing areas offer the hope of turning back the clock to a time when the cost of admission to a football ground did not exclude anyone, when you could choose your immediate company, make as much noise as you wanted and feel part of a crowd rather than a member of an audience. All the things that used to distinguish football from a visit to the theatre, in other words. Clubs used to peddle the line that they were offering similar entertainment to the theatre and were entitled to charge similar prices to seat spectators in comfort, but this is clearly nonsense. Half the fans don't want to be seated, in any case who goes to the theatre every week, and how many theatre-goers make away trips to Sunderland and Wigan?

Football has always been about making money but, now it is knee-deep in the stuff, another thing you don't hear so much these days is that it needs to be run more like a business. It could do with being run less like a business for a while, and more along the lines of a national asset, like a park or a listed building, that should be accessible to all.

It is unlikely that the freedoms supporters took for granted two or three decades ago will ever return and perhaps there are pressing reasons why they should not. There is little point in pretending that standing was completely wonderful. Yet a debate might result in some useful compromise. If all-seat stadiums must stay, why not reserve some tickets for sale on the day of the game on a first-come, first-served basis as they do in Germany? Away fans, who have already incurred expense travelling to the game, should not be asked to pay any more than the cost of the cheapest home ticket. There might even be scope to go further and accept the Football Supporters' Federation's idea to set a cap of £15 on away tickets next season. Much stricter action needs to be taken against people who stand in seated areas and much more could be done to make tickets not only affordable but available to young people, who do not always have the resources to wait in telephone queues and pay by credit card.

The best initiative by far to have reached this column comes from Bradford City, another football club touched by tragedy. In what seems a sensational deal - assuming you want to watch League One football - the Bantams are offering season tickets for next season at £138 or just £6 per game. The proviso is that at least 10,000 fans must pledge to take up the offer, so the club can make its financial projections. You won't find better football value than this, or many other clubs making such an effort to help fans, yet after three weeks the take-up is still hovering around the 5,000 mark. One hopes the missing numbers soon sign up, because if this scheme works it could easily be adopted by much bigger clubs who would rather see supporters than empty seats.

Improbable? Unworkable? Pie in the sky? Maybe so, but nothing like as outlandish as being asked to pay £45 to watch Fulham.

Easy laughs

Ready for a laugh? Let's go to Scotland then, where Celtic go straight from entertaining Milan in the Champions League to visiting Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Cup this afternoon. Sub-editors will be glad if the underdogs fail to come up with another shock win, since the classic Sun headline 'Super Caley Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious' is neither repeatable nor beatable. That's not the joke, though. The joke is that when the SPL resumes on Saturday, three days into March, Celtic need only three wins to clinch the title.

Mickey Mouse league or what? But wait, here's a press release from Chelsea. Apparently they will be making significant price reductions for admission to their Champions League group games next season. It was sent out mid-February. Still laughing?

The FA should show respect, not a teenager

Cheer up, Mark Hughes, now you know how Arsene Wenger feels about teams who turn up just for a draw.

How much respect does Hughes want, anyway? Universally admired as a player, he is now bringing his qualities to management and has already done enough at Blackburn - Uefa Cup exit notwithstanding - to suggest that he will go on to greater things.

So surely he could have been a little less po-faced when Cesc Fabregas observed that Blackburn don't play like Barcelona. The Arsenal teenager was paying Hughes a compliment of sorts and should not have been asked to apologise for his amusing temerity. What the situation demanded was a (metaphorical) cuff round the ear, or a riposte in earthy Lancastrian, rather than the oddly humourless put-down Hughes came up with by pointing to his medal collection.

Hughes admits he is paranoid about the lack of respect Blackburn receive, but if he cannot laugh off a casual remark from a sparky 19-year-old perhaps he is taking this management business too seriously.

Wenger's suggestion that replays could be usefully abolished was another instance of the growing separatism of the Champions League elite, if nowhere near as calculated as Rafa Benitez's recent sneer at Everton's smallness. It could be argued that any club, if they so wish, ought to be able to forfeit the right to a replay in return for surrendering home advantage. That would keep fixtures to a minimum, but it would deprive smaller teams of money-making opportunities and the chance to perform on bigger stages.

It would change the nature of the competition and there is no need to do that to please Arsenal, who have been handed consecutive home ties against Bolton, Blackburn and (if they win the replay) Manchester City and are still not happy. Is it too obvious to suggest that replays can be avoided by winning the tie at the first time of asking? Or that teams who sign up for the oldest and most famous knockout tournament in the world, and who will be bigging up the tradition and status of the competition should they make it to the final, might accept a time-honoured format and start showing the Cup some respect?

But what kind of example do the FA set? Not one quarter-final kicks off at 3pm on a Saturday; indeed only one of them will be played on a Saturday. Of the three on Sunday 11 March, the one that's trickiest to get to has a 6pm kick-off. So that's a feast for TV viewers and another kick in the teeth for travelling, paying supporters. And they wonder where the romance went.[/i]

[redrus]

Great article mate, thanks for that. (Chon, any chance of an applause smilie....?)

'Super Caley Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious'

I'll be singing that all day now, best headline ever....

What the situation demanded was a (metaphorical) cuff round the ear, or a riposte in earthy Lancastrian

The cheeky little &lt;deleted&gt; [Cesc Faggybastard] deserved a left hook to the right jaw....!

Is Hughsie not Welsh though....?

redrus

[redrus]

Good on Everton.

Everton <[email protected]>

to rus

show details

26-Feb

Thank you for writing to Everton Football Club.

Having reviewed our pricing structure ahead of our impending season ticket announcement for season 2007/08 we, as a club, are especially sensitive over the cost of coming to watch Premier League football.

The recent media reports have put a lot of focus on Premier League clubs' current ticketing strategy and contrary to popular belief it has not been a process of how much we should raise the bar for next year.

We want to ensure that prices at Goodison Park do remain competitive and next season's pricing structure when released into the public domain shortly will hopefully demonstrate our commitment to making coming to Everton affordable.

Kind regards

Everton Football Club

redrus

[redrus]

...and Reading.

customerservice <[email protected]>

14:47 (1 hour ago)

Thank you for your recent email concerning ticket pricing at Reading Football Club.

We are currently in the process of looking into prices for next season and would like to assure you that your comments will further assist us in heightening our awareness with regards to supporters’ opinions.

Confidentiality caution & disclaimer: This message, together with any...................

redrus

[mrbojangles]

...and Reading.

customerservice <[email protected]>

Confidentiality caution & disclaimer: This message, together with any...................

It's good to know you can keep a secret Red

[redrus]

...and Reading.

customerservice <[email protected]>

Confidentiality caution & disclaimer: This message, together with any...................

It's good to know you can keep a secret Red

Oi, cheeky....

attachment, is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is legally privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please be informed that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message, or any attachment, is strictly prohibited. Kindly note that e-mail communications are not secured and therefore are susceptible to alteration.

You ain't sin me, right...........

redrus

[redrus]

A RADICAL APPROACH

Tuesday 27th February 2007

West Brom manager asks whether fans should get into matches for free.

Tony Mowbray:

"It is a surprise to me that we are finding it difficult to get crowds in and is that because there is an air of resignation about what you can achieve? Maybe so.

"This club wants to get into the Premier League and somewhere down the line compete for a UEFA Cup spot.

"That's the height of what we you can achieve. It's quite sad because we should be saying we want to get to the Premier League and in five years be competing to try and win it but it isn't going to happen.

"So, people might be disillusioned. And I'm sure there is a balance to be had with the financial side of it as well.

"Football is expensive these days and fans can become a little disillusioned - going up and coming back down - because the gulf is too big and the teams already up there have too much money to spend.

"That may be happening with the Premier League. Certain clubs are already reducing ticket prices because of the television revenue.

"I read an article the other day about whether football might become free to fans because of the amont of money generated television revenue.

"The grounds should be bursting if you don't have to pay to come in. Will that happen? Is it worth looking at?

"My opinion is that the game is awash with cash at the top end. I don't see why the game is bleeding money from the fans as well. Football is in danger of pricing the lifeblood out of the game.

"I can see the dangers. On one level it's almost glamorous to see players earning £100,000-a-week.

"But is it really? It's not if you are realistic and you see the jobs and money that hard-working family people earn every day of their lives.

"I know it is the entertainment business and there are arguments for and against it. Hollywood stars have lived in big mansions for the last 80-90 years. Where does professional sport come in the entertainment business? I don't know, but it is worth discussing."

redrus

[mrbojangles]

...and Reading.

customerservice <[email protected]>

Confidentiality caution & disclaimer: This message, together with any...................

It's good to know you can keep a secret Red

Oi, cheeky....

attachment, is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is legally privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please be informed that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message, or any attachment, is strictly prohibited. Kindly note that e-mail communications are not secured and therefore are susceptible to alteration.

You ain't sin me, right...........

Well if theyr'e a member of TV, you better hope they have you on their ignore list

[redrus]

You're the only one left 'mate'....!

redrus

[mrbojangles]

You're the only one left 'mate'....!

Who said that