Not at the 'big' clubs anyway. One of my friends/co-teachers here in Vietnam supports Chelsea. He is a real fan, not a plastic - he has supported them all of his life, including the dark days of being in what is now the Championship. He really liked RDM and he really hates Benitez because of the Liverpool vs Chelsea rivalry in the CL. He also believes that RDM has been treated shabbily. He is pretty sure this is how most traditional Chelsea fans feel. Clearly, though, Abramovich couldn't care less about how the fans feel. It's his toy and they can go screw themselves. And what can the fans do? If they protest or boo Rafa or don't attend matches or whatever, Abra doesn't care. Why should he? He doesn't need their money from the turnstiles. And in the end they might destroy their own club, if Abra goes into a sulk and decides to buy Palace or Brentford instead and leaves Chelsea to collapse. On the same day I read that yet another Arab group is finally going to buy Leeds. Saturday was everything that was wonderful about football. This midweek has been everything that is vile about the modern game. All I can say is thank God for Delia. We may never win the League or be in the CL, but we are at least a real football club with a local heart.
What's vile about our takeover? A predatory dick who's hiked up prices to unprecedentedly unfair levels for the division we're in, who hates fan power and atmosphere, has been ousted pretty much, while a Leeds supporter leads the bid who have every intention of getting us success as fairly as possible, by all accounts. Point the finger at those West London nancy types, but I think the removal of Bates from influence should be counted as a victory for English football and the purge of the parasites.
OK, I haven't closely followed what is going on at Leeds and I apologise if I've misunderstood the situation there. But the Chelsea situation proves that if you sup with the devil, you need a long spoon. I hope you're right and you haven't got a new, bigger, international version of the Bates Motel.
That happened a long time ago when TV revenues became larger, and ultimately, more important than gate receipts. And you can't blame anyone for that but the clubs.
from what i've been told the new leeds owners have very little money. its a very strange takeover and i know there are many concerns from people close to the club. and more importantly, bates is STILL involved there!
and despite this, some of them now firmly believe it is only a matter of time before they are "back where they belong" - god luck with that then
There's too much money in football and too many spiv type people whp you wouldn't trust with your piggy bank. As was said by vietnam, thank God for Delia.
nothing wrong with owners who haven't got enormous wealth - ours haven't and its done us no harm, but people who think they will now be bankrolled to success are going to be very disappointed. if they start spending big then there is something odd going on
Nothing wrong with owners who haven't got enormous wealth - ours haven't and its done us no harm. Oh but Supers it so nearly did.We got very ,very lucky.Delia saw sense and appointed Mr McNally.I dont want to start a debate but it very nearly did go all wrong for us at one point.
yes, but what i meant was that we have been successful without a large cash injection. of course we sailed close to the wind but that was down to mismanagement - we've proved that by being managed correctly on and off the field we can beat clubs with cash injections. that was my point
So a rich family own my club, but I bet we've got more youngsters breaking into the team than you have, so point your misguided finger in another direction if you please.
sorry, but you spent the best part of £50m this summer. norwich haven't spent £50m if you comine the previous twenty seasons. therefore, it is perfectly reasonable to point out your wealthy owners influence.
Well, just so we can't be accused of exaggerating, the guardian make it £33m, which makes them the 7th highest spending club in Europe for the summer, ahead of Barca, Inter, Juventus and Real Madrid.
is it? fine. i went by what the bbc said the other day but as we know, the beeb don't have the greatest track record of late for being right
We did, & £12M for Gaston has made me very nervous indeed, its just not the Southampton way, we're supposed to sell for that much, not buy. But bar that transfer, I think it was all just a two successive promotions transition. The funny thing is, we needed to spend £10M on a centre back & keeper............but didn't! D'oh. But I must say though, we haven't just thrown money about, we look to include young hungary players into our squad, not like Queens Park Srangers.
