Does anyone else think.

[micmak]

All this money spent in the football transfer window is obsene. i thought we were in a credit crunch. Ordinary people who go to these games are suffering with less spending money. So will they still go to the match, or will there be less money for the family. Food, days out etc.

[Andyvon]

It is obscene. I used to go to Highbury quite often. I don't like Arsenal but it was the easiest ground to get to on the train and tube. It cost £3.50 to go in the stands or £5 in the seats. I think it now costs something like £50 or more! How can the stereotypical Dad take his two sons to the game when it's going to cost £150 or more? The vast majority of that money goes straight into the pockets of these unpleasant, bellicose, party-type footballers.

It is outrageous. The whole game has become unpleasant and outrageous.

[micmak]

Andyvon. I am pleased that someone agrees with me. I am a footy fan, I remember when a players pay was £20 max. All changes are not for the best.

[starone]

Thank you Andy, my sentiments precisely. I couldn't have worded it better!

[craft1948]

I'm just laughing at the thought of paying out any money to watch a team you don't like......

[Invictas]

Right micmak,
Here is my list of those to stand against the wall and be shot come the revolution!
1.Estate Agents.
2.Overpaid Fottballers.

Please feel free to add to the list! LOL

[Buenchico]

To some extent, the size of the numbers is immaterial.

If a club sells one player for £50, then buys two others for £20 and £30 respectively it has exactly the same effect on their accounts as if they sell the player for £50m and buy the others for £20m and £30m. As long as income and expenditure match, it doesn't matter if the figures run into billions (or even billions of billions). It's only when there's a shortfall, and the fans are expected to meet it, that problems will arise.

In practice it's players' wages, rather than transfer fees, which put ticket prices up.

[starone]

Financial advisers.

[starone]

Sorry, I should have said add to Invictas' list.

[Andyvon]

Well, what happened to all the decent and pleasant people in the game? We had people like Gary Linekar, Trevor Brooking, Emlyn Hughes, Jack Charlton, Bob Wilson, Ray Clemence etc. They were all decent fellas who went home to the wife and kids after a game. Now there just seems to be these unpleasant boozy thugs who turn up at clubs with an entourage of about 18 hangers-on. As for these 'pundits' in the studio.......

Oh God - I'm sounding like my Grandad used to!

[dotty.]

they didn't all go home to their wives and kids back in the 1970s, far from it, day off sundays and they partied all night,

[ELVIS68]

You could always switch to womens football, they need the support ;o)

http://www.youtube.co...onV0Q&feature=related

[micmak]

Chris, most clubs have massive debt. Explain to me how one man can be worth 50 million pound, when the national health will not pay for drugs to keep a mother of four alive. when that mother dies ( because of lack of care ) her children will cost the country thousands through no fault of her own. This country IMO has its priories wrong. Long live football and to hell with the health of the nation.

[Buenchico]

Hi MicMak:

British football clubs are commercial businesses (unlike, say, Barcelona FC , which is a not-for-profit community organisation). I have no objection whatsoever to any business maximising their profits Indeed, I have no time whatsoever for any business that doesn't put profit first, last and everywhere in between. (Any business which genuinely cares for their staff or customers, other than as is necessary to increase their profit, deserves to fail as quickly as possible. If you're running a business the only rule must be 'Profit always matters, people never matter'. I can't respect anyone in business who doesn't believe in that).

irrespective of that though, I repeat my assertion (above) that the numbers involved in transfer fees are irrelevant as long as the figures add up. If Manchester United pays1000 billion pounds for a player, but sells two other players for 500 billion pounds each it hasn't cost them (or their fans) anything. Transfer fees are simply numbers shunted around in an internal market. It's players' wages that have the impact upon fans.

As you state, many clubs have massive debt. My belief in 'profit is the only thing that matters' takes that into account. I sincerely hope to see a large number of English football clubs (perhaps a third?) going out of business within the next few years. In the meantime, UEFA is seeking to ensure that clubs throughout Europe operate on a 'level playing field' by banning any club from participation from European competition if, over any successive three year period, their income does not meet their expenditure.

Chris