Things About Football Clubs Which Annoy You

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

I'm sure that most of us will have taken issue, at some point, with something that a football club does (or rather, does not do).

 

For example, if you were attending a match at an away venue, and there was no programme, food/drink facility, toilets unfit for human use or rude and aggressive stewards/committee members etc. I am sure you would have reason to complain.

 

What things annoy you about clubs - the one you support, or others?

 

For me, the most annoying - besides allowing a ground to become dirty and unkempt - are (in no particular order):

 

1) Lack of advertising.

 

This bugs me, because why wouldn't you want people to know that a game was on? Unless specifically designated as a training game, all friendly games should be advertised well in advance and open to the public in my opinion.

 

2) Clubs without a website.

 

This is silly, in this age of digital communication. There is simply no reason for any side to not have a website.

 

3) Clubs who fail to update their websites constantly or whom fail to reply to messages/posts.

 

It doesn't take long to update a website, nor reply to messages, so clubs should update as often as possible. If the main webmaster cannot do it one day, put a relief webmaster in charge in order to oversee that the site stays up to date.

 

4) Club staff who refuse to listen to sensible suggestions by their fans.

 

Club staff need to recognise that they are representatives of the club, not Gods of it. By shunning the people, without whom their club might not exist, they are creating factions and rods for their own backs. A club should be an 'open shop' and not run like the local Freemasons Lodge.

 

5) Clubs with rude and unhelpful staff.

 

I don't think I need to explain this one, as it's pretty self explanatory.

[missunderstood]

Clubs that spend money they don't have, get into debts and never repay those debts

 

Bad language and drunken behavior which has made football at many clubs family unfriendly.

 

The obscene wages payed to most Premier League player.

 

Garth Crooks.

 

The sponsors that put tens of millions of pounds into Premier League businesses (clubs) and which encourages the greed is good culture that will one-day ruin football.

 

Sky Sport.

[Eastside Urchin]

Ha ha Alan

Garth crooks,he is shocking,as is mark bright and jonathan pierce and his admiration for man utd

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

I agree with both Missunderstood and Eastside.

 

One thing that got me a bit riled this week was a friend of mine wanted to go and watch Gloucester's game against Hereford. He turned up at Whaddon Road about an hour before kick-off, only to be told they had switched the game to Edgar Street!

 

Clubs should be told the following when arranging friendlies:

 

1) Both sides give a written agreement that the match will take place, and unless there is a good reason (bad weather, death of a player/committee member etc.) the game cannot be cancelled and will be played. It is a 'locked in' agreement.

 

2) When a game is agreed, both clubs have to advertise it on their websites or in the local papers etc. Unless it is a training match/trailist match, the host club cannot deny access to spectators.

 

3) All friendlies have to be agreed and advertised by mid June. Not only is it common sense, but it allows fans and management time to prepare (as well as the pesky hoppers!)

 

4) A club cannot move the venue of the friendly, no later than 48 hours before kick-off. Moving the venue, and not telling people, will only get their backs up and they will be less likely to want to see that team in the future. Also, it is no good saying that the pitch 'isn't ready' - if the weather has been good/favourable, then the pitch should be in good condition by early to mid July. The pitch is going to get some serious abuse from players, but that is life - big deal. If the pitch and ground need help, then get local people in to help, or even day-release prisoners to help clean the ground.

 

5) Club staff should be willing to help fans who ring/email and ask about certain games (dates/times/prices etc.) and not just say 'dunno, don't care.' One of these fans could be a potential investor, one day, and adopting a slack and rude attitude will only keep that club in the stone age.

 

6) It should be compulsory for all clubs to issue match reports with results for every friendly played on their website, within 12 hours of playing the game. Even a brief precis will do.

 

Clubs should realise that they are 'open shops' and have a duty to keep their fans well informed, no matter what standard they play at. Just because most people might not be interested does not mean that nobody is interested.

[careboy]

good point! i agree with your!the information I’m sending it to some friends!

[cup of tea]

Clubs that spend money they don't have, get into debts and never repay those debts

 

Bad language and drunken behavior which has made football at many clubs family unfriendly.

 

The obscene wages payed to most Premier League player.

 

Garth Crooks.

 

The sponsors that put tens of millions of pounds into Premier League businesses (clubs) and which encourages the greed is good culture that will one-day ruin football.

 

Sky Sport.

 

Incredibly, I agree with most of these,especially Sky and the unfortunate Garth - You missed out however on owners who pile their debts into football clubs and then Phoenix the club and then either leave or get kicked out pocketing a load of dosh on the way and in the process let the club take the blame. Football clubs have been easy targets for the less than honest businessman in the past and I would imagine will continue to be easy targets until the FA does something about it or regulations are put into place.

Edited August 2, 2012 by cup of tea

[missunderstood]

Indeed, West Ham are allegedly up to one hundred million pounds in dept, and yet they are hoping to spend around twenty million to bring Andy Carrol to Upton Park, and pay him Ninety grand a week in wages. Totally immoral IMO.

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

God help West Ham, if Dai Porn (David Sullivan) and co. are one day no longer there to pick up the tab.

[cup of tea]

I dont think West Ham ever recovered from the Tevez debarcle.

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

I was aiming the topic more towards non-league clubs than league clubs, but thanks to everybody who's contributed to the discussion so far !

[missunderstood]

God help West Ham, if Dai Porn (David Sullivan) and co. are one day no longer there to pick up the tab.

 

Are they picking up the tab though, and morally and I would have thought legally their first priority should be to the people and organizations the club owes money to.

[cup of tea]

I would have thought that morally, the previous owners who caused the mess and profited from it should be held accountable to be honest.

 

Legally the club has to pay back the debt but in light of the fact that the club as an entity didn't really cause the problem, I would have thought a certain amount of leniency would be shown if the club is starting to pay back that debt. If you ask for too much, too quickly then you are at risk of destroying the club and then no-one then gets their money back if we are talking about non-league where the club has no assets of any note.We've arguably gone into a double-dip recession because we cut back to quickly.

 

.

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

I agree, Cup Of Tea

 

Just look at the Portsmouth scenario!

 

However it looks like there could be light at the end of the tunnel, as Kitson has left and an investor (fan) has come forward.

 

Kanu is suppodesly off to Charlton, with Ben Haim attracting interest from Nottingham Forest.

 

I hope they survive - they're most likely going down to League 2 anyway, but I'm sure fans would rather that than have the club wound up.

Edited August 4, 2012 by AdamKing(wasAK11)

[missunderstood]

I agree, Cup Of Tea

 

Just look at the Portsmouth scenario!

 

However it looks like there could be light at the end of the tunnel, as Kitson has left and an investor (fan) has come forward.

 

Kanu is suppodesly off to Charlton, with Ben Haim attracting interest from Nottingham Forest.

 

I hope they survive - they're most likely going down to League 2 anyway, but I'm sure fans would rather that than have the club wound up.

 

Dont you think the people that are owed money are the important ones?. The only good reason I can think of why Portsmouth or any other club in trouble survives is that those who are owed money have at least a small chance of being paid back.

 

I know a guy who lost his house and business because he spent a huge amount of money on material and wages while working for a football club and never got paid. The club still exists and is still in dept, and I bet not one single fan gives a stuff about the misery that club caused as long as they can still enjoy their Saturday afternoons watching their scumbag team.

[Eastside Urchin]

What club is this alan?

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

Missunderstood/Alan

 

Of course I do, and I would force Chanrai to pay them back. If he's so rich that he can afford to buy a football club,he can afford to pay its debts (or is he really a Walter Mitty with no money at all?) There needs to be a police investigation into the running of Portsmouth, and let's hope that this type of event never happens again.

 

I'm sorry to learn about the guy who lost everything whilst looking after his club. That club need naming and shaming.

[Eastside Urchin]

Yes name and shame them Alan

[cup of tea]

I don't believe there will be too many people who will be unsympathetic about other people's woes in a middle of a recession Missunderstood, maybe some younger people who don't understand the consequences. The company I work for have seen some customers go to the wall and we've had to make redundancies as a result - it affects people's lives. Most people are on the whole decent and I don't think you give them the credit they deserve.

 

I will re-iterate what I said before i.e. if you force the club under then everyone loses. If someone falls behind on their rent, do you take what little they have and kick them out onto the street or negotiate with them to get the money back in affordable amounts? And as AdamKing says, a full police investigation into the running of these clubs would be a good idea (cost withstanding) and the real culprits found.

Edited August 5, 2012 by cup of tea

[missunderstood]

 

 

I will re-iterate what I said before i.e. if you force the club under then everyone loses. If someone falls behind on their rent, do you take what little they have and kick them out onto the street or negotiate with them to get the money back in affordable amounts? And as AdamKing says, a full police investigation into the running of these clubs would be a good idea (cost withstanding) and the real culprits found.

 

I owned a second property and my last tenants thought they could pay their rent when it suited them. I was running a business not a charity so they was kicked out as it was costing me money and putting my families financial security at risk.

 

Not much point in having police investigating into the running football of clubs because British law is loaded heavily on the side of so called entrepreneurs who care little for the small businesses and lives they destroy.

[Eastside Urchin]

Alan,what football club forced that person you know to go under?