The Alienation of the People's Sport

There was a time when the beautiful game was the sport of the working class people. The public would work their mundane, manual labour jobs from Monday to Friday and treat themselves to watching an affordable game of football on the weekend.

As sad as it is to say, times have changed and financial matters have been put before the enjoyment of supporters. Ticket costs have reached a disgusting high, pricing out a large number of fans who have to be content with watching their chosen game on the TV or illegally via a free live stream.

It is clear that football has evolved from recreational entertainment into a business. Clubs are intent on sucking their die-hard supporters dry to watch 22 individuals kick a ball around for an hour and a half. The protests of Manchester City and Liverpool fans during their February encounter is proof of this. A jointly-held banner displaying the slogan ‘”£nough is £nough’ is an emotive message to those at their respective team’s hierarchy. Will they listen? Probably not, why should they?

The question now is, can the working class afford to still be followers of the world’s most popular sport? At the way inflation is going, the answer is no. According to this writer's research into ten London football teams using sources from the BBC and official club websites, the average price of a league ticket in English football is £41.90, which is the equivalent of paying 47p per minute. Some fans would be content about splashing the required amount of cash to watch top quality players, but the fact is that only a small minority of football across England can be considered world class. Paying £23 to watch Brentford at home is not most supporter’s idea of value for money.

Ticket prices are not the only essentials that are on the up financially. Merchandise is crucial to the football fanatic’s day out and everyday life. QPR fans would have to pay £60.99 to have a half time pie and be decked out in the latest kit and scarf, on top of the £40 cost for a ticket. You’d think that empty pockets would be less common in the lower leagues, but expenditure is still rather high. Followers of Championship side Millwall would have to pay £53.98 for the same day out, including the £28 ticket.

The most expensive ticket in the country belongs to Arsenal at a whopping £127, whilst the cheapest in the sample was fellow North Londoners Barnet at a somewhat more reasonable £14. The question football fans must be asking themselves is the football at the Emirates £113 better than games played at Underhill. For a typical working man, £127 is going to be a significant dent in the monthly wage, and prices like those would probably be considered criminal by many.

The overpricing doesn't stop there. Out of all the London teams in the sample, not one of them charge under £3.00 for a pie, costing significantly more than the same refreshment at your local supermarket. The priciest pies belong to White Hart Lane who charge £3.70 for their pre-match delicacy. One most assume that the most premium of horses are involved in the ingredients.

Following the recent reports of match fixing combined with the current economic downturn, it may come across some chairmen’s minds that fans might actually start abandoning and boycotting matches over these issues. Therefore, in order to restore some dignity to this already corrupt sport, lower prices from the official club store to the ticket office would seem like a plausible idea.

Whether those at the top of the football pyramid will see it in this light remains to be seen.

Jarvis jives down to Upton Park!

After three failed bids in an attempt to lure the winger away from Molinuex, Matt Jarvis has finally completed his transfer to West Ham for £7m, with a further £3m being paid in instalments.

There have been questions surrounding the Englishman's future ever since Wolves' relegation from the Premier League in May. But despite Ståle Solbakken's desperate attempts to keep one of their most highly rated players, he will now join up with Sam Allardyce's new boys after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms today.

 Jarvis becomes the seventh major signing to join the east London based club this summer, following the acquisitions of such players as Alou Diarra, James Collins and Modibo Maiga. He will be competing with Matt Taylor for a place on the left wing in the starting line-up.  

The former Gillingham player, who has one international cap to his name, played in the disappointing 3-0 defeat to Swansea today, but manage to show glimpses of talent throughout - hopefully a sign of what is to come!

2012/2013 - The Relegation Scrap!

Now that the Premier League is now more competitive than ever before, predicting the candidates for relegations is no easy task. The three teams promoted from the Championship have a certain unpredictability factor, and this was evident last season when Swansea and Norwich finished in very respectable mid-table positions. The teams that struggled last campaign have been dipping into the transfer market to attempt to ensure that they do not fight in the relegation battle again. Alas, three teams will certainly be resigned to the English football second tier come the end of the season.

West Ham:
Despite several new editions to Sam Allardyce's side, the Hammers have been fairly inconsistent during pre-season as they attempt to find their strongest squad. They have won only twice during the ten games in July and early August, but have been somewhat handicapped by only playing fixtures away from home. Last season, they dominated the Championship's top two for the majority of the season, until a run of five consecutive draws in March saw them drop out of the automatic promotion positions. Having won the Play-Off final in scrappy circumstances, Allardyce will be on a mission to prove that his team can cope with England's elite, and also play exciting football in the process (he has been criticised by his own fans for his tactical style)
Prediction - SURVIVAL

Reading:
Reading shocked everyone in the nPower Championship to win the league last season, winning 15 of their last 18 games which lifted them from mid-table all the way up into pole position. Since their promotion, they have managed to secure some decent signings, including Fulham's scoring sensation of last year Pavel Pogrebnyak, aswell as the versatile former Newcastle midfielder Danny Guthrie (both of them on a free transfer). However, football fans around the country may question what Reading will turn up in the Premier League. Will it be the one we witnessed during the first half of last season, who looked more like Championship relegation contenders than champions? Or will it be the resurgent Royals who dominated the league since March?
Prediction - RELEGATION (19th)

Southampton:
The Saints have changed drastically as a team since they last graced the Premier League during 2004/2005 season. Since then, they have hit rock bottom by slipping miserably into English football's third tier, but thanks to manager Nigel Adkins, they have changed their fortunes around dramatically. Adkins has managed to build a squad that was capable of successive promotions in 2011 and 2012, and has strengthened the core of the side along the way. With menacing forwards such as Jay Rodriguez, Adam Lallana and Billy Sharp (all of whom blitzed Championship defences last season), they will certainly put up a fight to stay in the top division. Star player Rickie Lambert will be pivotal to the Saint's season as he looks to match last seasons goal tally of 25 while also weighing in with crucial assists.
Prediction - SURVIVAL

Wigan:
It would be fair to say that the Latics had a considerably poor 2011/2012 season, and only a late burst in form saw them escape from the Premier League's trap door when they won four of their last five games. With Roberto Martinez at the helm, Wigan have a strong and experienced manager that will help guide them through the season, but the manager hasn't appeared to made any major additions to the Greater Manchester based side. With Hugo Rodallega moving to Fulham and Victor Moses looking certain to depart the club, the pressure will be on Franco Di Santo to provide the goals (unless a striker is acquired in the near future).
Prediction - RELEGATION (20th)

Norwich:
Despite finishing in 12th place last season, Norwich will be wary of the second season syndrome myth which has plagued many promoted clubs over the years. With manager Paul Lambert departing the club for Premier League rivals Aston Villa after the end of last season, the pre-season schedule would have been somewhat disrupted and major new signings have been at a minimum. Last season, the Canaries had the joint fourth worst defensive record in the league, conceding 66 goals (only the teams relegated that season conceded more). For Norwich to not be involved in the relegation scrap, they must tighten the defence and hope that Grant Holt can continue his sublime scoring form of last season. Without these factors swinging in their favour, it could be a nervy season for City fans...
Prediction - RELEGATION (18th)