Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

Indeed the "fit and proper persons" test is not worth the paper it is written on sadly.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

Playing devils advocate here but I wonder if anyone has compiled the attendance and performance stats of the Greater Manchester area teams since the oil money poured into Man City. In all the years of United’s dominance of the PL all of the other local teams enjoyed success of varying degrees. Blackburn, Bolton, Oldham Athletic, Wigan, Bury, Rochdale, Stockport County, even Man City had several ups and downs in that time . Five of those teams including City all tasted PL football during that period and all appeared to at least maintain their fan base. The first of those teams to fall out of the league where Stockport County and it’s well known that a large part of City’s fan base is from Stockport. Now Bury have gone with Bolton staring over the edge and Oldham Athletic hanging on by their finger nails.

I have absolutely no idea if the stats support my hypothesis but it makes me wonder.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

Yes l think there is quite a lot of substance in your hypothesis Jim as maybe there is someone around who has compiled the attendance and performance statistics of the Greater Manchester area teams since the oil money started pouring into Man City.

It would be interesting to see.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

One thing I do know, the trams from Bury are rammed full of City supporters on match days.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

Fair-weather supporters perhaps?.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

Attendances probably do play a part in the scenario, however I think money is at the root of this evil.

Teams newly promoted to the Championship with a League 1 budget, playing against teams recently (up to 3yrs) relegated from the premiership with their multi £million handouts. This leads to some teams believing they have to get into heavy debt to fund better players . . and pay existing players a higher wage too.

Teams relegated from the Premiership /Championship still carrying players on long contracts the clubs can ill afford, and the players unwilling to move or renegotiate. (Stoke, Sunderland for example).

Unscrupulous people buying clubs in debt then using nefarious means to nullify the debt and then make a nice few quid . . at the expense of club and fans usually.

Too many clubs trying to buy their way to promotion (by getting into debt), and then being saddled with interest payments they can't afford to repay . . Bury as a case in point?

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

From what I have read there are some very dodgy loan/mortgage deals tied to the Gigg Lane ground with extortionate interest rates involved.

Clubs have always gone under, I can remember Wigan Athletic and Accrington Stanley being booted out the league many years ago. It’s just the concentration of so many clubs really struggling in such a small area that gives me pause for thought.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

There is quite a list of clubs who have entered into administration or CVA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admini...itish_football)

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

Good point, Both the Manchester clubs and the Liverpool clubs (well one of) could well be taking their toll on the fan base of smaller clubs in the area.
Oh and let's not forget the impact of live TV games on all of this, especially with ticket price and transport costs . .

There are a heck of a lot that escaped by the skin of their teeth too, and many previously well known clubs that now languish down in the darker depths of the leagues . . through one reason or another.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

Exactly as l reckon in the Football league pyramid currently that at least half the clubs are struggling to make ends meet one week to the next.

---------- Post added at 11:56 ---------- Previous post was at 11:55 ----------

l did notice that you naughty man..:D:D

---------- Post added at 12:00 ---------- Previous post was at 11:56 ----------

Look at the amount of live games on TV now and then there are many others means for supporters to follow their clubs without going to the game.

Ticket prices have become way too expensive for most of Joe Public.

And transport costs especially for longer trips plus accomadation overnight are very pricey as well.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

There is a certain league that could afford to give more back to rest of the game, instead of wasting tens of millions on the latest numpty.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

l agree Mr K but l cannot see it happening.

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

A nice little earner for one of my second teams, The Dale have been drawn away to United in League Cup.:cool:

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

An interesting draw for the next round............................

Re: Season 2019/2020 Football
 

Indeed as my brothers and l will certainly be looking forward to that one above all other matches..;)

---------- Post added at 04:38 ---------- Previous post was at 04:37 ----------

What about your third , fourth and fifth team..;)