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These 77 comments are related to an article called:

Has Football Changed For Better Or Worse?

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posted on 29/4/13

Hasn't Dave Whelan invested tens of millions of pounds of his own money into Wigan?

comment by Chronic (U3423)

posted on 29/4/13

it has been ruined by chelsea

posted on 29/4/13

I'm pretty sure Dave Whelan has some sort of salary cap in place at the club? That is one thing he has pushed for and unfortunately will never happen.

And, yes am pretty sure he's invested millions, but there are those who have the money then there are those who have the money, have heart and care about the club.

posted on 29/4/13

Worse,too much money involved.

posted on 29/4/13

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posted on 29/4/13

I agree with you apart from one point. The largest inflationary rises in wages, transfer fees and ticket prices came in the nineties, before the big money owners came along. The key instigator was basically the setup of the premier league, it was the extra money in football already that attracted the big investors in the first place.

Football did this to itself. I have to say though, the effects have been heightened, but it has never been any different.

posted on 29/4/13


Worse now

Too much money and power involved.

Back in 70s and 80s, multiple teams could win title, now it's pretty much a 2 horse race every year.

15-17 teams are out the running before a ball is kicked

posted on 29/4/13

Dave Whelan

Is there a worse man in football?

posted on 29/4/13

Too much greed and money in football now. Football teams are businesses (krap ones at that) now so fans are now seen as purely people to make money off.

Not that I don't enjoy football, just that you don't need money to make football more enjoyable. It is disgusting the money footballers earn but we live in a capitalist world and we're stupid enough to throw all our money at it.

posted on 29/4/13

Bahama dave.

Most people i know can't afford to go anymore after years of ploughing there cash into following the team home or away.
Unless ya earning decent wages it's just too far down the list of priorities.

posted on 29/4/13

"Back in 70s and 80s, multiple teams could win title, now it's pretty much a 2 horse race every year.

15-17 teams are out the running before a ball is kicked"

I must have dreamt Liverpool or Everton winning it for seven straight seasons in the eighties...

posted on 29/4/13

meltonblue (U10617) posted 7 minutes ago
I agree with you apart from one point. The largest inflationary rises in wages, transfer fees and ticket prices came in the nineties, before the big money owners came along. The key instigator was basically the setup of the premier league, it was the extra money in football already that attracted the big investors in the first place.

Football did this to itself. I have to say though, the effects have been heightened, but it has never been any different.

----------------

Very true and often overlooked.

posted on 29/4/13

I may have been mistaken some how. But, even though he is an old guy. I thought Dave Whelan was a sound lad? Old school type, who wants salary caps in place and decent ticket prices for fans?

posted on 29/4/13

meltonblue

But you have to admit cycles of success before the 90s were down more to good management rather than money. It's no coincidence that the top 4 teams in the PL are by far the richest.

posted on 29/4/13

When, back in the day 'the man' told us that all the dosh being invested into the game would filter down and benefit all the clubs and not just the Premier League is as bogus as was privatised public transport or utilities providing greater consumer choice and value for money - both never would and never will. As for the actual standards of the football played - that's an age thing because I personally have never seen anything to better Cantona and Beckham at their peak.

posted on 29/4/13

There was more passion and commitment from players in the 80's and 90's.Also players showed loyalty to clubs and had an affinity with supporters.

Now footballers live on another planet,calling themselves 'slaves' as they are tied to a contract that only pays £80k a week when another club comes calling offering double that.

Average footballers earn more in a week than 90% of supporters earn in a year.

Football is a business were the owners lose millions whilst paying millions to mercenaries who masquerade as footballers.Surely some sense will eventually come into the game

posted on 29/4/13

"meltonblue

But you have to admit cycles of success before the 90s were down more to good management rather than money. It's no coincidence that the top 4 teams in the PL are by far the richest."

As I said, the effects have been heightened. It still tended to be the richest clubs at the top though. There are less exceptions to the rule nowadays, but te idea that money in football wasn't an issue since the very beginning is wrong.

posted on 29/4/13

Unless ya earning decent wages it's just too far down the list of priorities.
---------------------------------------

Even when I was earning 16k as a placement student, watching Chelsea was my number 1 priority.

That meant sacrificing Saturday nights out and after work drinks for the sake of getting match tickets.

It can be done. Just depends on how badly you want to see your team.

posted on 29/4/13

Worse !!

posted on 29/4/13

Football is worse now,I loved going to football in the 80's and 90's.you could pay on the door plus during the early 80's spurs,Liverpool,Everton,arsenal,villa,forest and man utd all had good teams and played good football.i know football had to make changes regarding standing in grounds but if you look at YouTube and watch fans celebrating a goal in them days it just looked blinding and was great to be in amongst it .the only downside was some pretty bad club cup final songs apart from chas and Dave of course

comment by JFDI (U1657)

posted on 29/4/13

It's about the fans, their passion, their pride, the amount of money they invest into their clubs through thick and thin. Unfortunately, this has been ruined by big money owners, who have no heart for the club, but only invest to increase their bank accounts. They do this through, the big sponsorships on show, through the mega TV deal by Sky etc... They eat away at that money, eat away at our money, players are far better off, yet the true people, the fans are always the ones left behind. The fans are the ones, who find it difficult to pay for season tickets, match day tickets, yet there is all this money on show.
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I can only speak as a Chelsea fan but would have to dissagree. Since ROman took over we have had just two increases in our Seson ticket prices. I have just renewed for the 3rd year running at £750 for the season. Cup game prices used to be the same as a league game and are now cheaper.

paying to go to football has always been an issue, it very much depends on your circumstances. As a teenager I could go home and away week in week out as I had nothing else to worry about spending my money on (other than pubs, clubs, gigs, traveling etc, no Mortgage, kids, cars etc though). Then things got tighter, relationships, himes and kids became a factor and attendance at football took a back seat, maybe 3 or 4 games a season but as the kids grew up they started coming to football with me, we went more often then season tickets came back into the frame. Now with my kids all grown up and working with lives of their own, I am back to going with my old mates from the dark ages once more. Every one moans it isn't the same as back in the day and they are correct, but better or wrse hard to tell. As a kid it is certainly more difficult to get a ticket these days, back then all ticket games were few and far between, you could drrol over Sally James on Tizwas then decide if you eanted to go or not, tip up and pay on the door, I can imagine it takes a bit more planning these days unless you have a season ticket. But then, you are more likely to get home after the match without having been arrested, thrown out or had a narrow escape from a beating at Liverpool street staion by rival london clubs waiting for you from some god awful trip up north to get a thrashing.

I loved those days but if I didn't enjoy these days just as much I would have given up my season ticket long ago.

posted on 29/4/13

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posted on 29/4/13

Well I was born in the 90's, so have no clue what is was like in the 80's, 70's etc... But, would people prefer to go back to the 80's, the way everything was with the money, hooligans etc...Or keep it as it is now with all the money, big flashy modern day players and no hooligan type trouble?

posted on 29/4/13

Worse, in that until the Sky 4 have been exactly that for most of two decades.
Even though in the 80s the Poool were the Empire, twas not the same teams filling in slots 2 and 3 (which got you a UEFA Cup place) behind them all the time.

posted on 29/4/13

meltonblue

But for me it's how money has effected every element of football. The power top clubs have now, the wages the players earn (even the youth kids make stupid money), the cost to the fans, it's completely destroying any bonds the fans (who are the most important people in football) have with their clubs which is so wrong.

It really was a breath of fresh air to see the Dortmund fans appreciate their fans the other day, the PL really is losing touch of what actually matters.

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