United are spending just as much and Real have been spending just as much if you look at the time since Abramovic arrived (not withstanding you guys spend loads more than other sides). Is there spend abhorrent or is it now a different argument because they earn their own money (debatable for Real)
I'm sat here, with my popcorn and cola, watching PISKIE get pummeled! This is much better than WWF! Just one criticism, though, lads... I'd like a little bit more trash-talk, if you wouldn't mind. Cheers!
You keep claiming that Abramovich's investment completely dwarfs that of Norris as if it's a fact. It's not. The finances of the two eras make any comparison impossible, barring vague ones. They both spent a ****load of cash. Claiming that there's a difference between the two due to the amounts is ridiculous, as there's no accurate way to compare them.
It doesn't make it impossible. It makes it difficult, but not impossible. As I've said given the best estimates Norris' investment was worth between £15m-£30m by today's standards. It doesn't even come close to abramovich
If I might lend a helpful hand, here, for a moment... It does seem to me that the actions of Norris were far in excess of anything ever dreamed of by Mad Dog. Norris bribed the clergy, ffs! That's a crime, not only against the statute-book, but also against God. What Norris did (for Arsenal) was far more despicable than anything Abramovich has done for Chelsea. There! Hope that helps, lads! I'm off back to my popcorn and cola...
Real are debatable. Utd have a massive spend but seem to be able to finance it from their turnover, despite the glazers loading the value of the club against huge debts, which is a risky strategy.
Piskie, you are using inflation incorrectly i'm afraid. Even accounting for inflation, you need to recognise Football is now a global sport. What people were being paid in the 50's 60's 70's hell even 90s and 2000's has astronomically changed. If you had raised the Salarys at inflation that is still no where near the weekly salary players get paid. The same could be said for transfer fees what have gone up exponentially. So just because what Norris spent back then is only in the tens of millions now actually isn't a fair reflection
And that is my point... you are now moving the goalposts to suit your agenda which is why i asked specifically, is it because of the obscene spend or because of how the spend is being financed. If its both then fair enough but not all clubs are financed by just turnover and in Real case you have some dodgy deals going on which Abramovic hasn't stooped too (imagine he bought stamford bridge for 1billion pounds, is that then legitimate?)
You haven't even got a clue about any of this as you claimed that I said 'Arsenal cheated and conned their way into the top flight'. I asked you to explain how I had done that and you went into hiding. You then said that 'at least the Russians and Arabs acted within the law when they invested their cash'. Perhaps you'd like to explain how Norris didn't act within the law when he made his significantly smaller investment into Arsenal ?
Arsenal are the only club in the top flight that didn't get there on playing merit. I take it that you don't dispute that?
I've got no love for Real either and I'm not moving any goalsposts. I agree that it's a mixture of the amount and how that is financed. Real and Barca should be subject to he same scrutiny as Chelsea and City, but they are UEFA's darling and seem to be offered special protection.
Seeing as we have won the league 13 times. It suggests that we would have been promoted from any lower division anyway, so We are in the top flight on playing merit.
Really? Your own club disputes that. http://www.arsenal.com/history/laying-the-foundations/norris-negotiates-top-flight-return "the only club not to have been promoted on playing merit."
We weren't promoted at the time on playing merit I agree, but our 13 league titles demonstrates that we are in the top flight on playing merit
Not only that, but our near century long unbroken spell in the top flight says that we are there on playing merit.
Your own club disagrees with you. Can't get much more biased than that! You didn't earn your place in the top-flight, so you shouldn't be in it. You moan about Chelsea and City buying their place, but they still had to earn it on the pitch afterwards. Arsenal skipped that stage, but you're somehow ok with that.
