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The Mail Bag

Modern Football

As Everton have released the information on season tickets next year only thought came to my head that I won’t be renewing mine next year. I’ve always been against Sky Sports and any other organisation that think they are the custodians of modern football.

I’ve had a season ticket since the 2003/2004 season which was one of our worst in recent years but I’ve also seen the joys of the 2004/2005 season and 2008/2009 season. But this year I feel will be my last season as a season ticket holder.

Over the last 2 seasons I’ve realised a few things about football. Gordon Strachan, despite only losing the title to Rangers, once was hated by Celtic fans for his attitude. His belief is that football fans shouldn’t expect to be entertained when they go to the match. First of all when people are paying up to £50 for a ticket or £500 for a season ticket they have every right to be entertained. The fans are the most important part of the club not the players and managers and players come and go but the fans are there forever. Even that bitter Scottish sod from across the park realised what football was about that football is a great way for people from all walks of life to enjoy something together and the clubs can make a massive difference to people’s lives.

Over the last 10 years the FA and the premier league have been determined to wipe the working class out of Premiership stadiums forever. They’ve sold their soul to people who don’t give a damn about football or fans in Sky Sports. Allowing Sky to change fixtures to ridiculous times for absolutely no reason is just ridiculous. I’m sure all you financial experts will tell me that Sky has revolutionized the game into a highly competitive league where only 2 teams have any chance of winning the league.

If anyone can recommend a decent website where you can watch football for free next season I’d be grateful. The reality is that in 20 years there’s no chance that these clubs will be still making the millions that they are now. As nowadays people can watch live games on their PC for free no matter what time the kick off which I’m happy the FA and Sky sports aren’t happy about why would you bother to pay £30 to watch a game in the freezing cold on a uncomfortable plastic seat?

The Premier League is ruining everything for people nowadays as their too interested in themselves rather than the clubs that play in their league. Clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Portsmouth, and Liverpool are like the Coronation Street studios with just one scandal coming out after another. The players and managers seem to live on another planet to the average man on the street where they can get anything they want.

The recent controversies at Chelsea brought in home to many people that these players are just bored multi millionaire morons who have nothing better to do that get drunk or cheat on their wife. The players don’t seem to care whether they lose or win as long as they get paid.

Chris Butler, Merseyside Posted 26/02/2010 at 11:53:01

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Dave Wilson
1 Posted 28/02/2010 at 01:59:54

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Take another look at your season ticket Chris lad, on no part of it is entertainment or value for money guaranteed.
Strachans attitude was deplorable, but its shared by so many other so called coaches. the stakes are too high and winning is the only option. The manner of the victory stopped counting a long time ago.
The good news is, the choice of buying a ST still remains yours, but if you decide to renew, do so with your eyes wide open.

You will rarely get value for money. but we will continue to take our chances, because the feeling is so sweet when we do.
Even at places like the Emirates, where the football is silky and the surroundings palatial, you’ll still feel as if you’ve had your pocket picked if you buy a couple of pints.

The really sad reality is, we buy tickets more in hope than expectation that our team will play fantasy football.

Clubs may not actually ask you to bend over when you part with your hard earned , but rest assured, you will still be shafted

Kevin Hudson
2 Posted 28/02/2010 at 03:58:57

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There is no law that states that football is obliged to entertain you.It’s an athletic competition,that just happens to be entertaining. ( to most )If you withdraw your support,then trust me,with that attitude,it won’t be missed..

You state that you don’t find it entertaining,yet still want to watch ? That doesn’t stack up.For free also ?Apparently,you want something for nothing. Regarding your economic jealousy,and tiresome "multi-millionaire," argument. People on minimum wage "get drunk,and cheat on their wives,"too.

No offence,but this argument hasn’t been properly thought-out.

Simon Birkett
3 Posted 28/02/2010 at 04:30:48

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ok, so i’m not gonna have a go at you, i struggle with the cost of season tickets and as such, rarely go to as many matches as i would like, so i do have to settle for internet links most of the time.

my favourite all in one website for games is:

http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/

this website has pretty much any football match on it so is often a good place to start off, although it is free they do appreciate a donation to keep it running every now and then.

also just check the toffeeweb forums on a matchday for more links. hope this helps.

Ray Robinson
4 Posted 28/02/2010 at 06:02:27

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I share your general disillusionment with football in general Chris but it would take a different set of arguments to make me give up my season ticket with Everton.

Andy Codling
5 Posted 28/02/2010 at 06:53:25

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What else are you going to do on a saturday afternoon?

Nick Entwistle
6 Posted 28/02/2010 at 06:56:47

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Chris, do like I do and distance yourself from all football other than Everton.

David Hallwood
7 Posted 28/02/2010 at 07:05:18

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Chris, this has been part of the game for as long as I can recall, I remember Ron Saunders, saying that if people wanted entertainment, they should go to the circus. In fact it was because football was becoming almost unwatchable, that 3pts for a win, the back pass was outlawed and the offside law was modified, to make the game more entertaining. As for off field, its a mixture of too young too much money too much temptation and too many pages to fill in the Daily Shitesheets

Ray Kelly
8 Posted 28/02/2010 at 07:13:45

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Chris, I got the junk mail about season tickets too this week. I’ve been going since I was in short pants, but that display on Thursday has sickened me so much that I’m having serious thoughts about paying 500+quid to renew mine... I’m seriously sick to the back teeth of this lets finish in the European places bullshit, it’s fuckin’ pie in the sky. I just can’t see the point of it if we’re going to get knocked out every year in the same fucking embarrassing style.

The new bull from DM will be that it’s imperative we finish as high as possible, it’s like a fucking scratched record... qualify — capitulate. How many years is it before we stop ’learning our way in Europe’ and actually look serious contenders? Anyway, we best see some movement in and out of the Club this summer ’cos this also rans tag is fuckin’ killing me. Still very down from Thursday.

Rob Wilkinson
9 Posted 28/02/2010 at 08:16:21

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Anyone got a link?

Simon Kirwan
10 Posted 28/02/2010 at 08:47:45

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Ged Simpson
11 Posted 28/02/2010 at 08:50:28

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Is there a forum anywhere

John Gee
12 Posted 28/02/2010 at 08:37:25

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Chris Butler,

I’m in full agreement with you. I just don’t find that football is fun anymore. Money has sucked out all the joy from this sport. And the fact that this is skewed in favour of a few elites makes it all the more galling. I feel for the the portsmouth fans. A passionate, loyal following have seen the heart ripped out of the club by faceless money men and a greedy, dodgy, currupt used car salesman. They’ve knocked local businesses for millions and screwed the public finances so that some over rated millionaires can get paid top dollar. Added to that is the fact that their debt is less than one tenth that of Man Utd.

I’m sure if we go back over recent posts on this site, there would be alot of those posts about money and investment and wages and debt. It’s not the fault of the editors of this site but, football is about money so much that it dominates conversation and pushes the actual sport into playing second fiddle.

And as for the spoiled millionaires, the thought of them lifting the world cup makes my blood run cold. Hopefully they completely fail in june and won’t be lauded for the next 40 years.

Gavin Ramejkis
13 Posted 28/02/2010 at 12:57:57

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The older I get the easier it’s getting to turn off from the football, listened to first twenty odd minutes today as I was out with my family and switched off, didn’t even get the old anger at the abject display. I’m finding it easier now too when I get the chance to do something else despite having a season ticket for god knows how many years to not go. In the past I have driven the length of the country, flown miles to be at the game but find it hard to justify it anymore.

Roy Keane was interviewed the other day and said players don’t give a toss about playing for their country anymore they just want the bentley and the blonde and paycheck, he’s right on all three counts. I just cant believe WAG is spelt with a W and not SL.

John don’t worry about Engerland and the World Cup they’ve got no chance, just wait for the next excuse when they get beaten by a better side again.

Jamie Rowland
14 Posted 01/03/2010 at 10:40:44

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For me, its about a release from the weekly working pressures.
I’m ’lucky’ enough to work normal daily hours so the arrangement of crazy football kick off times rarely impacts my life. I agree with the comments about the players not caring any more about our opinions - they care only that they get paid (thats my opinion, scuppered by the fact that pompey players continue to turn into work without pay!).

I’ll renew my season ticket - not because I get great entertainment from the players - but because the social entertainment aspect in the pub before etc. with my mates is well worth the money.

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