As the break between the end of one football season, and the start of the next season continues to shrink, the average supporter barely has time to lap up, or start (if you are of a more hands-on persuasion), the multitude of summer rumours before it all kicks off again. Some individuals who are “in the know” can rise to almost legendary status amongst us mere mortals. They drop hushed rumours and half overheard gossip like crumbs upon us unworthy fellows below. The fact that most of their inside information proves to be bollocks is generally glossed over when they eventually get something more right than wrong. I’m still waiting for Peter Beardsley to arrive after he was spotted at the train station. I’m also rapidly losing patience waiting for Les Ferdinand to sign on the dotted line. As for the Gazza rumour….
Who’s leaving? Who’s staying? Who’s coming? Will the Manager still be here? Has the new ground been sorted? Will we employ stewards who can walk and talk at the same time? All these questions and more and hurriedly mulled and pontificated over.
A major topic of discussion is always how much the club are going to squeeze their loyal fans for in the coming season. It would appear that trying to tempt floating fans to Rockingham Road was abandoned a long time ago in favour of fleecing the faithful few for as much as possible as quickly as possible.
Club membership? “Premium Games?” Pick-a-figure-at-random-for-the-visit-of-the-Inbreds? No method of grabbing the extra buck whilst at the same time alienating the extra fans is missed. Yes, football clubs need income. Yes, most needs to come from the supporters. Yes, Imraan continues to do a sterling job of keeping a full-time club going on part-time gates.
OK, the Club Membership was a nice little earner, and presumably a one-off, unless our FA Cup heroics are repeated next season. I can’t see people queuing out of the Newlands in a couple of months time to renew their membership with the promise of 10% off any Locum hired in 2010.
The “Premium Games” plan is plainly a rip-off, and not a particularly well organised one. At best there was a flapping, photocopied sheet hastily pinned to the turnstile telling the paying customer that they would need to cough up more because we were playing a team that used to appear on the telly. At worst there were arguments when the gateman asked for a different amount to the price stated on the outside of the turnstile.
Who knows, the income next year might be augmented by actually having a main club sponsor, rather than leaving The ET’s advert on the shirts all season. We may even occasionally rent out the Rydon boxes when they are priced more realistically. The view may be good from up there, but I’m pretty sure the punters still look out over Rockingham Road and not Old Trafford.
In these more austere times the very least the club should do is announce a freeze on admission prices. In addition, if the club want more of our money up front from season ticket sales, actually make the tickets more attractive. Next season an adult Wigan Athletic fan can buy a seated season ticket to watch the world’s most popular league for less than an adult paid to stand at Rockingham Road last season. How insane is that? And then in the pre-Fulham ticketing frenzy the season ticket holder who had forked out in excess of £250.00 to the club was no better off than a passer-by at the club shop who had a tenner burning a hole in their pocket and fancied a black footie shirt.
If the club are a bit short of funds as the season trundles on perhaps we won’t be able to afford the wages of the next Jason Lee. I can think of no better argument for a price freeze than that!
Do you agree or disagree with the above?
Should fans simply pay up and shut up?
Should there be more fiscal reality in football?
Is Jason Lee the biggest waste-of-space of God's green earth?
Let us know. If you agree with us we may even print your message.
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