The Game's Gone

[bobzy]

10 hours ago, Xela said:

Not a single English (or British) player in the starting line ups for Chelsea or Arsenal today. 

No doubt not the first time to happen but I think its a sad state of affairs. 

Sadder state of affairs being the owners of clubs IMO. Only 5 PL clubs have all-English ownership. 

[Zatman]

Not sure if right thread but nothing more annoying than non local Liverpool or United fans calling each other Manc scum or scouse scum when couldnt point to either city on the map

[Jimzk5]

14 hours ago, VillaJ100 said:

If it was man u or the scousers that fact would be trotted out every other week

I might be wrong but got a feeling boro took that record off us on the last day of a season when Southgate was manager? 

[sne]

Barf

Quote

Swansea City may play in football's second tier but they are charging parents Premier League prices for children to be mascots.

It costs up to £478 for a match-day mascot "package" at the Championship club, research by BBC Wales found.

Only three teams in the Premier League charge more, while the experience is free at most of the top clubs. Cardiff City charge £255.

Swansea City said prices were reduced this year following relegation.

Consumer groups have branded the higher prices as "outrageous".

For many youngsters, the chance to walk out onto the pitch with their football heroes is a dream come true.

Indeed many clubs tell parents the package is the "ultimate gift your child will never forget".

Yet while many of the biggest clubs in the country, including Premier League champions Manchester City, do not charge for the opportunity, others are cashing in more than £700 per child.

West Ham United charges £700 for matches against the "top six" teams, less for other opponents. The club also has one free mascot per game.

Being a mascot for Everton costs £718 for two to three fixtures a year, which goes to charity, but is free for other matches.

Most packages include full kit, match tickets, photographs and autographs as well as walking onto the pitch before kick-off.

But a £185 package at Bournemouth does not come with a ticket to the game.

Martyn James, of consumer website Resolver, said: "It's absolutely outrageous that some richer kids can effectively buy their way to the top of the mascot list.

"When I was younger, being a mascot was a reward for super loyalty or for having been through a great deal.

"Charging any money for these packages is unacceptable - and it's pretty unknown too.

"It makes a mockery of all the things that our national game is supposed to represent."

Supporters on fan forums have slammed the prices as "unfair" and "scandalous".

Swansea City said the "truly once in a lifetime experience" includes four hospitality places, a meal and half-time penalty competition on the pitch.

A spokesman added: "We've reduced prices this year following relegation, from £450 plus VAT to £399 plus VAT for weekend, and £349 plus VAT for weekday matches.

"We also give one space free to charity every match and this was brought in this season."

Mascots at the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are picked at random from their junior fan club and are free.

Cardiff City offer the chance for children aged between four and 10 to turn "dream into reality" for £255 and have sold out for many of their most popular home fixtures.

Claire Blake, of Penarth, arranged for her eight-year-old son Cian to be a mascot before the Bluebirds' game against champions Manchester City as a birthday gift in September.

"We were lucky to get such a big game but I'm not sure we would be happy paying the same amount for games against other teams," she said.

"Cian got a kit, signed photos and met Neil Warnock and had a great time, but the seats were poor and it was a bit rushed meeting the players."

Season-ticket holder Tracy Morgan paid for her eight-year-old son Leo to be a mascot.

She said: "It was very expensive but it was worth every penny to see my son's face - and my husband's."

Ryan Moore bought a mascot package as a Christmas gift for his six-year-old son Niall.

He said: "It's free for some big clubs like Liverpool but a money-making scheme at others and there are so many mascots that it dilutes the experience.

"But we were pretty happy with the whole day. Niall loved it - apart from the team being hammered 4-1."

Most expensive mascot packages at Premier League clubs

Everton £718

West Ham United £700

Leicester City £600

Tottenham Hotspur £405

Wolves £395

Crystal Palace £375

Brighton £350

Burnley £300

Cardiff City £255

Watford £250

Bournemouth £185

Free: Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Huddersfield, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, Newcastle United and Southampton.

Clubs have been urged to find a "good deal" for fans.

The Football Supporters' Federation said: "Clubs should speak to their supporters about what they think represents a good deal for parents and if fans have specific concerns, we'd be happy to look into it.

"Our campaign focus will primarily remain on affordable ticket prices - particularly fair concessionary and fair young adult prices."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-46526716

[Mark Albrighton]

On 27/12/2018 at 13:52, Jimzk5 said:

I might be wrong but got a feeling boro took that record off us on the last day of a season when Southgate was manager? 

But they weren’t top of the league having just fielded a completely English side, which we were (for a while).

[Mark Albrighton]

Completely naive of me, but it honestly hadn’t occurred to me that any significant payment is required for a kid to be a mascot.

I hadn’t given it much thought, but I always assumed it was just kids who were part of a supporters group or some such organisation and it was done in a lucky dip/raffle kinda way.

[Zatman]

Bournemouth is funny. Do they kick the kid out at kick off

[villa4europe]

i thought it was a mixture of kids who paid, kids who wrote to the club to ask and then kids from the boxes, i know the villa often give kids in the boxes a chance to do it

in the grand scheme of things the revenue from it does absolutely **** all so why bother, do a lottery from supporters clubs, give the kid a free ticket too

[lapal_fan]

So, out of the 19 home games in the PL, the max 1 mascot can generate is £9000.  You could have 11 mascots (I guess), so that's 100k.. 

Or, 2 weeks wages for a average PL player.. 

Bit of a kick in the teeth really. 

[sne]

For the love of the game (Cricket that is)

Quote

The reason Steve Bruce won't become Sheffield Wednesday manager until February 1 'revealed'

According to some reports on Thursday, the commitment will see Bruce watch the England cricket team play in the West Indies

Sheffield Wednesday have appointed Steve Bruce as their new manager.

But the former Aston Villa boss will not take charge until February 1 due to a prior personal commitment, reports claim.

According to some reports on Thursday, the commitment will see Bruce watch the England cricket team play in the West Indies.

This has not been confirmed by Bruce or Sheffield Wednesday.

However, at least one report suggests: "It appears as if Bruce’s arrival as new Sheffield Wednesday boss has been delayed as he wants to tick off an item on his bucket list: seeing an England cricket test in West Indies."

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reason-steve-bruce-wont-become-15623395

[AvfcRigo82]

2 hours ago, sne said:

For the love of the game (Cricket that is)

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reason-steve-bruce-wont-become-15623395

[Davkaus]

I've seen other reports of it being due to knee surgery. People are just pulling reasons out of their arse.

[sne]

If it's a foot in arse removal surgery I expect him to be out a lot longer than just the end of January.

[villa4europe]

we all know the real reason he's doing it....he's waiting for them to pull themselves towards mid table safety so he can claim responsibility for a good season and to let alex scream "they were in the relegation zone" to anyone who calls him shit for the next 3 years

[Stevo985]

42 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I've seen other reports of it being due to knee surgery. People are just pulling reasons out of their arse.

It's harder to pretend you're angry at knee surgery though  

[HanoiVillan]

11 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

we all know the real reason he's doing it....he's waiting for them to pull themselves towards mid table safety so he can claim responsibility for a good season and to let alex scream "they were in the relegation zone" to anyone who calls him shit for the next 3 years

. . . what

[sne]

To begin with the Italian Super Cup final is played in Jeddah Saudi Arabia, but that's not even the worst part.

Quote

PRESS RELEASE – TICKETS FOR THE “SUPERCOPPA ITALIANA” Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A communicates that Sela Sport, partner for the organization of the Supercoppa Italiana 2018/2019, has started to sell tickets for the match:

JUVENTUS – MILAN

that will take place in JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia), at “King Abdullah Sports City Stadium”, on Wednesday, the 16th January 2019, at 20.30 local time.

International fans can buy tickets only on the following website: https://www.sharek.sa/

Each fan can buy only his own ticket and the related e-visa, which also needs to be paid.

Please, follow the below instruction on the Sharek platform:

- create an account on sharek.sa for each individual by registering;

- select the ticket category (the categories indicated with the word “singles” refer to male areas only; while the categories indicated with the word “families” refer to mixed sectors);

- move to e-visa page;

- fill all information such as Passport, date of birth, date of arrival etc.; -

upload a photo and a scan of passport;

- move to payment page to complete the process and print the documents (ticket and e-visa).

http://www.legaseriea.it/uploads/default/attachments/comunicati/comunicati_m/7852/files/allegati/7915/press_release_n._19.pdf

Women only allowed in the family area (15% of the capacity) as the rest is male only area.

and still this is progress...

It's apartheid but towards women, all in the name of religion (or culture)

Bet they are paying a fair whack for the privilege thou.

Edited January 3, 2019 by sne

[villa4europe]

to be fair the Koran is very specific about women attending italian super cup finals, theres a whole 2 chapters on it

[Zatman]

6 hours ago, sne said:

To begin with the Italian Super Cup final is played in Jeddah Saudi Arabia, but that's not even the worst part.

http://www.legaseriea.it/uploads/default/attachments/comunicati/comunicati_m/7852/files/allegati/7915/press_release_n._19.pdf

Women only allowed in the family area (15% of the capacity) as the rest is male only area.

and still this is progress...

It's apartheid but towards women, all in the name of religion (or culture)

Bet they are paying a fair whack for the privilege thou.

sure its an improvement on the wrestling event that happened few months back when women competitors couldnt compete and stadium was just full of men

[Xela]

When transfers are talked about in terms of shirt sales in different countries.