NFR Accrington Stanley

[Burt]

Actually there is much that is wrong with the Premier League (and top class football generally).
- Stupid transfer fees.
- Absurdly high wages.
- Over-the-top endorsement agreements.
- Sky-high ticket prices.
- Agents making a killing.

I could go on.

I think the Accrington rant is as much a statement about that (totally agree) as it is about the top teams attracting 99% of the money in the sport.

[Funky Fulham Dave]

The PREMIER LEAGUE: The tail that wags the dog.

[toshes mate]

I see Mr Clarke, FA chief, has come out all guns blazing with "Well Manchester United can do what they want.  They are accountable to their owners and, wait for it, to their fans".  Proof positive that football is in the hands of those for whom a lobotomy wouldn't make any difference, absolutely no bloody difference at all

[westcliff white]

it is not just the premier league that spend silly amounts of money, Spanish, German and to a lesser degree Italian clubs do as well.

transfer fees, agents fees and wages are all at silly levels, The bosman ruling helped the situation explode, along with all the TV revenue. Its a multitude of things that have cascaded into where we are now.

I personally think if a club (and I do not think United paid all that money, I think Juve paid a proportion as did Pogba) then that's up to them if they think it is justified in the own minds for the service they are getting, however ridiculous the amount being paid is. Football has got out of hand financially for definite, that is for me what everyone can agree on.

As for the PL, do they have to give anything to the EFL? yes I know they agreed to when the broke away, however, maybe next time the contract is up they might say we don't want too or we don't have too. then how will that affect  the game?

[Carborundum]

Seems to me that football is in rude health.  Up and down the country there are young fellows happy to earn next to nothing to play and others happy to pay something to watch them do it.  Live football is a drug and a mighty addictive one at that.  Accrington are a case study in just how hard it is to actually kill a club.

Chairmen come and go.  The standard deal is wave goodbye to disposable cash and say hello to the opportunity for bathing in reflected glory and / or achieving some minor celebrity, usually at a local level.  This guy's spent the cash, missed out on the reflected glory this season and is currently going all out for the celebrity status.  Who can blame him?