+ Visit Cardiff FC for Latest News, Transfer Gossip, Fixtures and Match Results |
Remind us of the marvellous achievements Hartlepool made prior to the Prem being created; nothing to do with being overshadowed by Mddlesboro being not that far away?
I know you like to rail about big business at every opportunity, but at least allow your rants to have some relevance to the debate.
Getting vaguely back on topic after Sludge's diversion, I remember Shoot used to do these fantasy columns, matches played by "region of origin", ie teams with players born in the midlands etc.
Whilst those would be too big entities, I think football in the UK would be better if a number of teams consolidated, particularly in non-league.
Bigger clubs in a region will always get the money, sponsors, support. It's hard for example to see Stevenage ever being bigger than Luton without some sugar daddy coming in and spending tonnes of money - which is part of the problem.
I will try and be basic with you
Sides like Hartlepool and Rochdale and Aldershot are forever in the shadow of the bigger clubs
But the gap between the haves and have not in football has never been wider than it is since the burgeoning behemoth that is the Premier League
I mean are you arguing that it isn't?
I haven't said that. Maybe there's an opportunity for Cheltenham and Gloucester to merge, who knows. You seem to be happy with an underclass of teams who will never progress, maybe bounce around non-league/league two at best, maybe get a lucrative cup tie and that's about it.
If fans were generally that bothered about supporting their local side only, then we'd have massive crowds from Cardiff locals only, those from outside Cardiff would be backing their local sides regardless of level they play at.
The notion that the biggest, most successful clubs in the country should be financially supporting small clubs in the third, fourth or even fifth tier has always tickled me. It’s a ludicrous idea.
Does that sort of thing happen in any other country? If not, why should it happen here?
I went to Spotland in the 70’s during the “ power strike/cut backs. They played Port Vale on a Sunday afternoon to save using any electricity etc. There was trouble at the end, mainly caused by the many fans who’d travelled up from the Potteries.
A trickle down of cash has until 1993 always happened in football
Clubs may have rivals but the football league is exactly that ....a league , a group , a union
The usual suspects will be happy watching 3 or 4 clubs as long as its on sky
The Prem teams and Prem has a whole have created the demand for televised matches. That has led to fans wanting to watch games on TV, which has brought in advertising revenue.
So yes, it's been earned.
I get you'd yearn for the old days of no Sky, BT Sports etc so basically only a top league game televised every now and then, always involving top six teams, with lower league teams not getting a look in other than via a cup run, but the world has moved on; lower leagues are getting more publicity than at any time before.