I expect Premier League football.

I expect dumb articles written by Uboat

Benchmarks, etc. Lately, Spart and Madrush are mine!

Hey, wouldn't it be great if all contributors talked at least a little sense; merely my opinion of course! Chuckling somewhat.

U7380 takes off hs stat cap and puts on the hood of doom.

Articles like this really get my back up. How many times do you have to say this WE ARE NOT A BIG MONEY CLUB. Each year we (rather predictably) lose one of our better players to some club. This is due to a few reasons:

1) We do not have a billionaire owner willing to throw £££ at us each and every year we are a club who has to live within their means.Anyone offering a good price for a player that would effectlvley give us cash to fund a few more players to come in and help with the wage bill is a bonus.

2) Times are changing and not many players stay around due to club loyalty, it is all down to who can pay the better wages and bonuses etc etc and some of the bigger clubs will happily pay more than we can afford to get a proven player that has performed well. Our budget will only stretch so far for players wages and a lot of other clubs know it.

when the financial fair play rules eventually start to hit home we may see a turnaround but I'm not 100% sure as the big clubs will always find a way to weasel their way around it.

I would rather see us lose one or two players and stay out of admin and with KH's ability to pick up a good bargain or two I'm also pretty confident we can end just as good (If not better) than last year.

I was going to write something about the lack of crowds too but this is already turning into an essay.

Good one Monbison, another voice of reason!

Thanks for that davedrew

I was thinking of doing a reply to him regarding the drop in crowds but I think it would be like Leeds league campaign against the Super Reds (Pointless) Uboat only seems to surface when we lose, he then throws up a few statistics and then retreats when presented with a decent argument.

U2737 - Lowest wage bill for 5 years = lowest crowds for 5 years.

Uboat

I am not a number I am a free man!

(Always wanted to say that as a response to something)

Now onto a decent response to your great stat of lowest wages in 5 years lowest crowds, which I myself find absolutely laughable (Why only limit our wages to 5 years.....looks back 5 years into our clubs history….oh right). You are right though crowds this year are a thousand or so down each match but you have to take the following factors into account which is something that I think you seem to not understand. It’s going to be another long un I’m afraid:

1.The Country is in a recession

Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past year or so will realise that the country is in economic trouble. Companies are laying people off, budgets are being slashed but the cost of living is still on the rise. This means that a number of people are cutting back on none essential items. I see this as a the main reason why fans are not coming as a number of my friends and matchday regulars I know have had to bite the bullet and to save cash not bought a season ticket and chose to attend a select few matches when they have the money. I have a wife and 3 kids, the eldest is old enough to get a free season ticket when I get mine but pretty soon It is going to cost me- a major point of argument in the Bison household as money is scarce at the moment.Also the fans that used to come to Oakwell on the odd occasion have had to trim their budget and also cut down on the number of games. I could also mention that the recession hasn’t just hit the fans and the club has to trim budgets where it can but I think I made my point clear yesterday.

2. People are falling out of love with football

It pains me to say this but a number of fans have become disillusioned with the game. I’m not talking about the regulars like Skinnered who turn up every season and when they see us play badly go home burn their scarf/shirt/season ticket in disgust vowing to never return (until next season anyway), I’m talking about the ones that have realised what the sport has become thanks to Sky. It is hurting me to write this but a small number of fans throughout the country are slowly realising that the game itself is becoming unrecognisable. Players are no longer in it for the club- it’s all about money, there seems to be hardly any heart in the game (As clubs are run more like a business nowadays) and there is a major gap between the top clubs and the rest. The idea of a small club doing good and against the odds are even less than before and a number of people are cottoning on to that and are either dropping down to see conference/ part time clubs that have players that really play for their team or are going to watch rugby instead (Both sports are available locally and are a fraction of the cost).

3.A drop in away fans

I can’t say that these are totally to blame but I have noticed that we seem to have a lower number of away fans visiting Oakwell each home game. Hopefully Uboat can pull me up a stat to show me I’m wrong but I’m just going to include this as I have seen a smaller number of fans turn up each time and I’m not surprised as we are never going to be the main draw for fans of any team who are cutting down on the number of away matches they are going to this season (For reason why they aren’t going see point number1)

4. This is happening all over the country

I could have kumped this in with the previous point but I think its so important (And blindingly obvious) that I thought it deserved its own heading. Checking information from the likes for Derby, Hull, Crystal Palace and Ipswich (all clubs around us in the table) shows us that the crowds are falling, surely that’s got something to do with lack of wages too eh?

I have another few to add if you can be bothered but I think that’s enough for now.

Oh and Uboat- please give yourself a username.

Not having one doesn’t make you look mysterious or non coformist: You look like a plank who can’t figure out how to use a PC

You're wasting your energy, Bison...The submariner is a total divot, who probably does actually live under a rock...

I know Sparty, I am just getting sick of seeing rants from him that make no sense half the time and thought it would be good to see if he could actually defend himself in an argument.

My guess is he's just a keyboard warrior who sits at home watching the BBC live match thread to see when the attendance figures for Oakwell pop up.

So are you suggesting that 50% of MrU's threads are not rubbish? I think you're being extremely charitable; I think Spart's suggestions are nearer the mark!

All Rowing clones, no ambition, accept mediocrity. Next year will see Hill depart this penny pinching.

Point 2 from Mon Bison, spot on. Did anyone watch the BFC/Wolves match last weekend on ITV4 from 1983 when we beat them 2-1,it also showed the Man City/Spurs game? It made a great change to actually watch players who played the game for the love of it and not the money.The amount of fouls that took place when the players just got up,didnt winge and cry to to the ref to get the other player booked or sent off and just got on with the game,oh the good old days.The game has changed so much and I believe for the worse, fans are falling out of love with it and are seeing it for what it is, in the majority overpaid. What is the real reason Drinkwater and Vaz Te left? in a word Money.Both players were playing well for us enjoying the game,starting practically every game and both have gone to clubs where they are not guaranteed to be in the starting 11. I think football will see big changes in the next 10 years (not long) probably not the premiership due to Sky and clubs like Barnsley have to ready for it and ensure we are still a club when it happens,some won't be. I will always support the reds and always will no matter what league they are in, but if it got to the stage where I couldn't afford to watch them then so be it,not everyone has the money all the time,some fans have to pick and choose.
Come on Reds lets do something we have done for 80 odd years and win at Coventry.

You Reds

Just call him Derren...I certainly don't want him banned...

My dad always told me..."Look after your tools"

Whoops...above comment should be on...Right who wants to start, thread....

Bad day at the Office Spartacus.

comment by (U7380)
posted 3 days, 12 hours ago

All Rowing clones, no ambition, accept mediocrity. Next year will see Hill depart this penny pinching.

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