Western Mail article on the effects of Premiership football in Swansea

The article by Matt Withers in Wales on Sunday makes some rather obvious correct points about the reality of Premiership football on the finances of a City/ area. However, to me it is a not too thinly-veiled swipe at Swansea. My guess is that the Cardiff-based media is already finding it difficult to cope with our footballing success. I wonder if Cardiff had promotion whether this article would have appeared.

Just a point about raising the profile of Swansea. The reality is that our name will be mentioned all over the world and matches will be shown world-wide. The footballing world has heard of Wigan, Bolton etc. and see them play and watch the world-class players in those teams. This is not the same, as the article mocks, as being able to point to the exact location of these cities on a map. Can an average football supporter overseas point to where the Arsenal of Chelsea grounds are on a map of London? And not many of us could point Barcelona our on a map of Spain? But we don't have to know exactly where they are on a map in order to know how good they are.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/columnists/2011/06/05/matt-withers-politicians-should-leave-swansea-city-alone-to-enjoy-their-promotion-success-91466-28820935/

 

"...and Swindon, who have all been promoted to the Premier League in recent years."

Reaching a bit there? Weren´t they there in 1992 but got relegated first season? The Premiership was a different beast then...

 

I actually agree with some of the points made.

But I also feel that in today's economic doom and gloom it doesn't hurt to have something nice to think about aye?

It isn't necessarily about putting Wales on the world map so much as putting Swansea on the UK map and enlightening people to the well-kept secret that the M4 continues for another 40 miles or so Cardiff.

Anything the close the bias disparity by the Welsh media would also be welcome, although I won't hold my breathe there. Swansea could go on to win the EPL and get to the CL and still they would find some doom and gloom in black and white, and find some 40 year old Scum game to comment on!!!

 

There was a map of UK somewhere recently showing the distribution of Premier League teams. There's the London-Midlands-Lancashire axis which accounts for most. Then there's Newcastle/Sunderland in the North-East. And finally, nowhere near anything else is little Swansea and little Norwich. I think that rammed it home for me what an achievement it is for both these clubs.

And MK Swans... we're not calling it the EPL! Has to be Premier League or Barclays Premier League!

 

right you are then

 

Do you know what. I dont care what anybody thinks, from the welsh press, the prime minister or the pope. All i know is 'WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE'. if people dont like it or want to say we dont belong there. Well i have one thing to say to them 'F**K OFF'

 

This rag though is not very favourable to the Bluebirds, and over the years has been quite negative, I didn't see anything in the article other than an attack on that banana, Peter Hain!................

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I think the Western Mail article is spot on. Just change the name Swansea in the article to some other team and see if you still think the same. It is obvious that Swansea's profile will be raised and they will get some investment, but no-one will really notice. It will bring a feel-good factor to the city, but this will quickly wear off if the Swans struggle. I can't see how this will benefit Wales as a nation economically. Politicians like Hain are just trying to get their name in the media. It's just a personal PR exercise to them. They just want to be associated with anything good, even if they have nothing to do with it.

The article isn't knocking the city of Swansea at all. Yes, we've all heard of Barcelona, and many of us have even be there, but how many other La Liga sides do you know. If people abroad watch a match between Man U and Bolton, they will have forgotten who Bolton are 5 mins after the matched finished.

Swans might only have a few games on TV and I can't see how that can really raise their profile much overseas. Here in Thailand people have only heard of Chelsea, Liverpool and Man U. Mention Bolton and they have no idea what you are talking about. That is the reality of the situation.

I think too many people from Swansea have a chip on their shoulder regarding Cardiff. Forget about Cardiff and live your own life. It will be much more fun.

 

The miserable so and so must be an egg chaser. He has a pop at us and our neighbours, I for one will ignore twerps like this who obviously has a chip on his shoulder