League Restructure

[AnglianRed 6,320]

18 minutes ago, Humpty said:

It’s only called Mickey Mouse by the teams that don’t win it. In its current guise it’s a major honour because it’s competitive, historic and has a prize at the end of it. Like someone above said, it might as well swap it with the JP trophy if the top 6 drop out.

Thats pretty damning of the rest of the EFL, which still has plenty of history and tradition in its own right.

The PL has already changed football almost beyond recognition and apparently some within it are wanting to change things even further. At some point you just have to accept things are no longer as they once were. If Project Big Picture does go ahead, its going to have a seismic impact on all of football outside the PL.

 

[Humpty 3,261]

I don’t think so. If it doesn’t have the best teams in the competition, it’s not an elite competition. I think that’s what it boils down to.

Edited October 14, 2020 by Humpty

[Neverbefore 10,942]

56 minutes ago, Will said:

Never thought I'd say this, but after reading his comments I'd like Gibson to sell our club. Everything he says in that article is like a man who is defeated, falling at the feet of the big six for the slightest sniff of some money. This isn't who we are and it isn't who he used to be. A new owner may not be as caring for the club as Gibson, but I'd rather see us die trying to be better than pander to the big clubs in the hope they keep giving us their scraps.

The issue with this is that by all accounts the majority of the football league clubs have the same opinion as Gibson on this - thats 72 clubs, 72 chairmen. So given already the difficulties or limitations we might have to find a buyer, what are the chances that gibson sells and we get someone who goes against this proposal? Absolutely minimal. So I dont see why this would be the thing that makes people want gibson to sell. 

I dont like It either and so much more work needs to be done on it - the clubs below the Premier league are essentially being bribed. The fact that there's such mass support for it shows how concerning the financial situation is is. 

[Borodane 6,301]

Gibson has simply given up and realized that we are never going to become a top club. Maybe a mid table Prem club at best and thus he has succumbed to the idea of feeding off scraps from the rich clubs table like a lapdog. Disappointing and defeatist. 

[AnglianRed 6,320]

7 minutes ago, Borodane said:

Gibson has simply given up and realized that we are never going to become a top club. Maybe a mid table Prem club at best and thus he has succumbed to the idea of feeding off scraps from the rich clubs table like a lapdog. Disappointing and defeatist. 

But as NB4 pointed out, its not just Gibson.

Unfortunately it seems everyone is so desperate for any money at all, that they've basically become turkeys voting for Christmas.

I would like to think / hope, that if there was more unity / solidarity among the EFL clubs, against the proposal, plus more definitive support from the FA and government, clearly stating that they don't think its reasonable, then Gibson's response would be rather different.

As it is, objecting to Project Big Picture would be like King Canute trying to stop the tide coming in.

I think all we can really hope for is that the deal is altered substantially before anything is signed off.

 

[boroie 484]

[CrazyL 2,565]

Xmas comes whether turkeys vote for it or not. Same with this. Utterly inevitable and time to be pragmatic.

[Will 2,958]

25 minutes ago, Neverbefore said:

The issue with this is that by all accounts the majority of the football league clubs have the same opinion as Gibson on this - thats 72 clubs, 72 chairmen. So given already the difficulties or limitations we might have to find a buyer, what are the chances that gibson sells and we get someone who goes against this proposal? Absolutely minimal. So I dont see why this would be the thing that makes people want gibson to sell. 

I dont like It either and so much more work needs to be done on it - the clubs below the Premier league are essentially being bribed. The fact that there's such mass support for it shows how concerning the financial situation is is. 

Because I don't want him to sell to stop it happening, our only hope for that is the other 14 Prem clubs (which seems likely tbf). I want him to sell because he seems like a defeated man, and I don't want someone like that leading our football club going forwards.

[Redcar Rioja 5,976]

All this was entirely predictable back in 1992 when the concept of the Premier League started. They "broke" away from the EFL and formed an elite division along with the FA. Since then the Premiership has become more and more distanced from the remaining 72 League teams with only a few of them (us included) briefly flirting with Premiership glory to maintain the status quo of the "big" clubs or top six as they are now being referred to.

I remember in my childhood Liverpool just being a Middlesbrough until Bill Shankly arrived and took them out of the old second division. Most of us on here can recall Man City playing in League One where Sunderland now find themselves and Mighty Man Utd being rather non descript after Matt Busby retired and arguably not far now  from a similar fate after Fergie. Wealthy billionaire owners of these clubs are gambling and wanting to cash their chips in now than risk the ignominy of a poor run at some future point. Liverpool's stock is at it's highest since the eighties and they also know how quick you can slide and how long it can take to clamber back up the greasy pole.

In effect Liverpool and United are future proofing their clubs, realising that right now the rest of Football is desperate just to survive and so by throwing them crumbs from their Gateau and Pavlova ladened tables now is a once in a lifetime opportunity. What they are doing is little different to pimps manipulating young girls, shamelessly exploiting their vulnerability in order to make money on the back of their poverty and misery. Adding a few grams of non prescription stuff along the way just hooks them even further into a spiralling life that once started is almost impossible to escape.

That they are doing this right now should come as no surprise, indeed the only surprise perhaps is that it has taken this long but Covid and Sky combined have presented them with an incredible opportunity to shaft the vulnerable. Ultimately of course like any unfaithful spouse with a wandering eye they will eventually split from the Premiership and the FA to form a sexier and more attractive European super league. They will be joined probably by the two Glasgow sides and those from Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Paris, Turin and Milan etc. in fact any club that can add to their immoral filthy lucre.

It is the precursor to the end of football as we know it as it emulates the practices of owners in the US. The next stage after that will be the most painful, when Liverpool relocates lock stock and barrel to become San Diego Scousers in the Global Super Soccer Sporting League. Manchester United relocate to become Montreal Mancs and Tottenham are sold to become the Saudi Spurs Sheikhers. Blades fans will be up in arms as a bid for them to relocate to become the Shanghai Steelers hits home. Some Championship sides will no doubt be desperate to emulate and become budget versions of their far wealthier Premiership siblings, my money is on Denver Derby Debtors becoming the first to try and break into a Global Super second tier.

That Steve Gibson at this juncture sees a financial lifeline which would ease personal liabilities, responsibilities and pressure is understandable. Business is difficult right now for everyone thanks to Covid and may take a decade or more to recover. The impact of Brexit is also about to be revealed this weekend which is unlikely to improve things anytime soon based upon the recent competence of our present Ministers and their untouchable adviser.

At varying points in our lives we all become tired and a little jaded, most of us right now are probably more jaded than we have ever been with diminishing bank balances to match. Football will never return to the days of Leather Casey's and Goalkeepers leaning against posts cadging a Woodbine from fans behind the goal. Steve Gibson knows the reality of where the game is today, indeed Mike Ashley has known the same for some time hence the eternal calling for his "heid" from Geordie supporters. Over the last fifty years the game has moved on from Bovril to Bollinger and there is nothing we fans can afford to do to stop it. We can of course hope that their avarice implodes, eventually eating themselves up in the process.

Edited October 14, 2020 by Redcar Rioja

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

So CT isn't Vickers!

[BillyWoofs_shinpad 1,884]

41 minutes ago, wilsoncgp said:

So CT isn't Vickers!

Not enough alliteration!

[boroie 484]

This article from JN on F365 is worth reposting. It was written 2 months ago. 

https://www.football365.com/news/leeds-double-burnley-final-west-ham-relegated-european-super-league

[Redcar Rioja 5,976]

15 minutes ago, BillyWoofs_shinpad said:

Not enough alliteration!

Shanghai Steelers, Denver Derby Debtors and Saudi Spurs Sheikhers, pfffff!

[AnglianRed 6,320]

1 hour ago, Redcar Rioja said:

All this was entirely predictable back in 1992 when the concept of the Premier League started. They "broke" away from the EFL and formed an elite division along with the FA. Since then the Premiership has become more and more distanced from the remaining 72 League teams with only a few of them (us included) briefly flirting with Premiership glory to maintain the status quo of the "big" clubs or top six as they are now being referred to.

I remember in my childhood Liverpool just being a Middlesbrough until Bill Shankly arrived and took them out of the old second division. Most of us on here can recall Man City playing in League One where Sunderland now find themselves and Mighty Man Utd being rather non descript after Matt Busby retired and arguably not far now  from a similar fate after Fergie. Wealthy billionaire owners of these clubs are gambling and wanting to cash their chips in now than risk the ignominy of a poor run at some future point. Liverpool's stock is at it's highest since the eighties and they also know how quick you can slide and how long it can take to clamber back up the greasy pole.

In effect Liverpool and United are future proofing their clubs, realising that right now the rest of Football is desperate just to survive and so by throwing them crumbs from their Gateau and Pavlova ladened tables now is a once in a lifetime opportunity. What they are doing is little different to pimps manipulating young girls, shamelessly exploiting their vulnerability in order to make money on the back of their poverty and misery. Adding a few grams of non prescription stuff along the way just hooks them even further into a spiralling life that once started is almost impossible to escape.

That they are doing this right now should come as no surprise, indeed the only surprise perhaps is that it has taken this long but Covid and Sky combined have presented them with an incredible opportunity to shaft the vulnerable. Ultimately of course like any unfaithful spouse with a wandering eye they will eventually split from the Premiership and the FA to form a sexier and more attractive European super league. They will be joined probably by the two Glasgow sides and those from Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Paris, Turin and Milan etc. in fact any club that can add to their immoral filthy lucre.

It is the precursor to the end of football as we know it as it emulates the practices of owners in the US. The next stage after that will be the most painful, when Liverpool relocates lock stock and barrel to become San Diego Scousers in the Global Super Soccer Sporting League. Manchester United relocate to become Montreal Mancs and Tottenham are sold to become the Saudi Spurs Sheikhers. Blades fans will be up in arms as a bid for them to relocate to become the Shanghai Steelers hits home. Some Championship sides will no doubt be desperate to emulate and become budget versions of their far wealthier Premiership siblings, my money is on Denver Derby Debtors becoming the first to try and break into a Global Super second tier.

That Steve Gibson at this juncture sees a financial lifeline which would ease personal liabilities, responsibilities and pressure is understandable. Business is difficult right now for everyone thanks to Covid and may take a decade or more to recover. The impact of Brexit is also about to be revealed this weekend which is unlikely to improve things anytime soon based upon the recent competence of our present Ministers and their untouchable adviser.

At varying points in our lives we all become tired and a little jaded, most of us right now are probably more jaded than we have ever been with diminishing bank balances to match. Football will never return to the days of Leather Casey's and Goalkeepers leaning against posts cadging a Woodbine from fans behind the goal. Steve Gibson knows the reality of where the game is today, indeed Mike Ashley has known the same for some time hence the eternal calling for his "heid" from Geordie supporters. Over the last fifty years the game has moved on from Bovril to Bollinger and there is nothing we fans can afford to do to stop it. We can of course hope that their avarice implodes, eventually eating themselves up in the process.

You should send this to the Gazette...sorry, I mean Northern Echo! 

[AnglianRed 6,320]

44 minutes ago, Redcar Rioja said:

Shanghai Steelers, Denver Derby Debtors and Saudi Spurs Sheikhers, pfffff!

You forgot the San Diego Smoggies. 

 

Okay so no-one in their right mind would see us as a viable "franchise"... 😔