Time to democratise the running of football

I awoke this morning to the welcome news that the Welsh FA had 'withdrawn support' from FIFA President Gianni Infantino. My first thoughts were "I hope this starts the ball rolling across Europe and the rest of the World to get rid of him". Then I thought a bit more about it. Who exactly are the Welsh FA, for that matter, who is the English FA and how did they get the gig? So I did what I always do in such scenarios and googled "Who runs the FA?". The query took me to a page on the FA website - entitled "The FA Management".

I won't go through all of them, but CEO Mark Bullingham's blurb was pretty typical

Mark Bullingham
Chief Executive Officer

Mark was named as The FA’s Chief Executive Officer on 1 August 2019.

He initially joined the organisation as Commercial Director in August 2016, when he led the commercial, marketing, digital and participation functions at the organisation and under his tenure, annual revenue at the FA rose by over £100m.

Before his move to Wembley, Mark held the position of CEO EMEA for Fuse Sports & Entertainment, responsible for running one of the fastest growing businesses in the sector.  The team had grown quickly over five years to 245 across 17 offices with an annual fee income of over €28m.  The client portfolio included ten of the top 30 global brands.

Mark joined Fuse in 2011 from his position as director of marketing for the America’s Cup Event Authority in San Francisco, where he helped transform the global event.

Mark has negotiated over $2bn of partnerships across a variety of platforms in sports, arts and music and is a qualified Level One coach involved in grassroots football.

Two things struck me. The first is that Mark, like the rest of the board, is very well qualified as a businessman. The second was that I'd never heard of him. In fact, there is no one on the board that I'd heard of from the world of football struck me as rather strange. I then did a search on the page for the word "fan". Only Sue Day, who is director of Womens football lists the fact she is a passionate football fan as part of her blurb. 

The more I read what the 'mini CV's' of the board said, the more I started to realise that football is structurally out of touch. Perhaps the most interesting thing to note is the one area of the game that has grown fastest over the last 20 years, in terms of participation and fanbase is womans football. Is it a coincidence that only Sue Day, the director, felt it worth mentioning she is a fan?

Like Sue, I am a passionate football fan. I support two teams, Manchester City and Local Step 4 Non League team Hadley FC. I am a shareholder in Hadley and supporting them is one of the best decisions I've made. At the weekend, about 100 people turned up to watch them play a pre-season friendly against Grays FC, from Essex. The game exemplified everything I love about non league. Banter with the officials (the Linesman was a great character), a full blooded game without VAR and the ability to have a beer whilst watching the game. The standard is decent. 

At Hadley, fans who want to get involved with helping out the club are welcome. Many do tasks such as car park duties and fetching the ball when it goes over the fence. The faces are familiar and we all have a beer at the end of the game often chatting to opposition fans, players and the officials. Since I've been watching Hadley, they've gone up two divisions and won a cup! The club has come a long way and the manager often comes for a chat with fans after the game. In my opinion, he's the best in the league, but then again I am biased. Often, I chat with fans about their other team, usually given the geography, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Fulham, etc. At this time of the season, the talk is of new players.

What interests me is how many Hadley fans used to go to see the big clubs, but now come to non league games. If you ask anyone why, the answer is always "the cost and the experience". In terms of a spectacle, when I visit the Etihad, it is incomparable, but you can't take a beer out on the terraces, A beer is around twice the price and it is hard to even get tickets for most Saturday games as a non season ticket holder. It also costs about as much for one ticket, as a Season ticket for Hadley. Now I've had the pleasure of seeing such footballing icons as Haaland, De Bruyne, David Silva, Yaya Toure, so I think it has been worth it. City, unlike some clubs do try and make the fan experience good. I went with a friend to Old Trafford and sat in the Utd end and was appalled at the way the club neglects the fans and the total dilapidation of the stadium. 

The first question that went through my mind is that when the Glazers have made so much money from the club, how can they get away with it? I can't help but think that when you read the blurb on the FA website about Mark Ruddingham and ask yourself the question "Who would he feel more comfortable with, the Glazers or the fans sitting under the leaky roof in the Stretford End come rain or shine", the answer would be the Glazers. He is a money man, who understands that big time football is about money. Now I don't know him, so this may be unfair, but for the CEO of the FA to have an entry that doesn't even mention his love of the game, not only speaks volumes about his priorities, but also those of the FA.

There are six major stakeholders in football. To me, the most important is the fans. They pay the money that keeps the whole ball rolling. The second is the players, without them, there is no game, the third are the match officials. You need good officiating at all levels. The fourth are the managers/coaches & their staff. They determine the success or not of the team. The fifth are the club owners. Occasionally you get an owner who is loved, such as Elton John at Watford, but generally they are viewed with deep suspicion by the previous four groups. Fans often feel they are being fleeced, players know that owners see them as a commodity, officials are wary of shenanigans and managers know they are snake like in their loyalty. And last of all, there is the FA. The FA makes it all work. Much of what they do is extremely boring, but absolutely necessary. Organising fixtures and tournaments, organising referee rotas, administrating in disciplinary hearings, certifying coaches, making sure that finances are managed, setting ground standards, inspecting grounds, etc. All of this has to be done at every level. It happens week in, week out, so on that level the FA clearly does a great job. 

However, there is a huge amount of money sloshing around in football. That is why you have a businessman of Mark Ruddingham's calibre as CEO. That is why you have such a well qualified board, from a financial perspective. But what you don't have is representation on the board from all of the stakeholders. I believe that this is a massive oversight. If all five other stakeholders elected a representative to the FA board, I believe it would be far stronger and do its job better. I was discussing this with a mate who is a Man Utd fan and he said "If a Man Utd fan was the best person for the job, you'd never vote for them, if you could". I disagree, I think football fans are mature enough to put their allegiances aside and pick the best person. I suspect a Man Utd fan would do a far better job than a City fan when it comes to legislating against people like the Glazers. He said "Wouldn't you be worried that a Utd, Arsenal or Liverpool fans rep would push for City to be booted out over the 115 charges". Possibly they would, but a seat at the table is very different from being in charge and maybe their concerns should be aired. It's not a job I'd want but if I did it, I'd make sure I spoke to as many supporters groups as I could and when doing my job, put my tribal loyalty to one side. I am sure that fans are wise enough to choose the right representative. My view would be that a ballot of the supporters associations of the 92 league clubs would be a good way to go, to get the ball rolling. 

The bottom line for me is that the way the FA and its board are run and selected is archaic, undemocratic and not fit for purpose. Having people who know all aspects of the game at the board table can only make for better decisions. My suggestions are not perfect, but we have to start somewhere. 

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The False Dots wrote a song back in the last decade about the experience of being a football fan. Poet Allen Ashley sings and Lee Thompson of Madness plays sax!

Why Infantino's plan to monetise football must fail for the good of everyone

 This week, the head of FIFA announced plans to invite private investors to take a stake in FIFA. The continental football federations were promised huge cash bungs if they fell into line. I've not read the details of the proposal, but to be quite honest, I don't need to. The only reason that private investors ever invest in anything is to make a tidy profit, usually in the shortest time possible.

Football has always been a very two edged sword. On the one hand, there are the fans. If you love football and support a team, it is a stronger bond than most marriages. I am always vaguely suspicious of anyone who changes their allegiance after the age of 8. We pick our team and we stick with them. We spend a small fortune on a Sky subscription, and another small fortune on season tickets, if we support a Premiership team and go to games. We pay about ten times the price for replica tops, of  a similar unbranded garment. If we have kids who love football, it is prohibitively expensive for families on low incomes. The clubs have three kits, which change every year, to feed the profits in. If you kid is a Man Utd fan, you'll be paying £60 for a home team top.  It's the same for a City top. I suppose that at least City fans know that the cash is going into the team and not the pocket of the Glazers, but the products are priced to be as expensive as possible without being unaffordable to the main fan base. On the other side were the business interests around the clubs and the game. The only consideration they have for the fans, is to ensure they keep spending money. 

Now when Infantino talks about bringing investment into the game, he is talking about bringing in people who want to squeeze every last penny out of the image rights of teams and the branding of the game. The game is global, so there is huge reach. I am sure that when he talks about 'cash for the development of the game', he's not talking about a magic pill that gives us all the ball skills of Messi. He is talking about finding new ways to squeeze more money out of the fans. 

Infantino claims he has just organised the 'most successful World Cup ever'. In terms of pure cash, he is probably on the button. However it was not the best in terms of football on the pitch. It was not the best in terms of sportsmanship. It was not the best in terms of accessibility for fans. He clearly wanted an Argentinian victory, with Messi scoring the winner. During the knockout stages, Argentina seemingly had a free pass to kick the other team off the pitch. I believe this actually scuppered Argentina. Every time they had to chase the game and stop kicking the opposition, they were brilliant. They had arguably the greatest footballer of the modern era making his swansong, and somehow managed to alienate the whole planet. I am 100% sure that Infantino was dreaming of the commercial rights to the TV footage of Messi scoring a wonder goal to win the final. 

As it was, it was Spain, a team without superstars who won. It was Rodri, a defensive midfielder who goes about his business in an unfussy way who was the player of the tournament. But Infantino used the time in the US well, to make the contacts in their sports world to sow the seeds for his scheme.  The US sporting industry are the masters at squeezing value out of sport. The Man Utd model is perhaps the best example. Borrow the money to buy the worlds most glamorous club team. Squeeze the fans for every last sheckle, to pay the interest off and make sure there is a big dollop of cash on top to ensure your wallet is fat enough. In the Glazer model, success on the field only matters in terms of ensuring the cash keeps rolling in. You don't need the best players and managers, who may win things, just do enough to keep the fans believing and having hope. 

A privatisation of FIFA will be different though. It is not the team or their fans that are being fleeced, it is the whole game. Tournaments will go to the highest bidder. 'Innovations' like hydration breaks and half time shows, which generate hard cash from TV advertising will become the norm. Game times will change for TV schedules. I expect all manner of commercial deals, so if you want a ticket for the final, you fly first class with the 'partner airline' to get points to get a ticket. I am not saying that getting tickets for World Cup finals has ever been easy or cheap, but it will become impossible for fans who are not minted. 

I believe that hydration breaks are just the thin end of the wedge. It will not have escaped the attention of the money men that the final was largely a rather dull, turgid affair, with a lot of fouls. Argentina had zero shots on target. The difficult truth for the likes of Infantino is that this is not the sort of game that lucrative US audiences are interested in. They prefer games like Englands 6-4 defeat of France. They like the images at the end, where English and French players pray together and laugh and smile. The scuffles at the end of the final, are not what parents want their kids to see and for many it was a terrible end. 

For a football fan like me, I do not want to see my players hugging opposition players at the final whistle. I want to see that they care. Of course Argentina went way over the top and entered the realm of bad losers, but I never want football to be a pantomime where no one cares. However when things get commercialised, they get sanitised. I suspect that for the likes of Infantino, the perfect game would be where Argentina had won 7-3, Messi had scored a hattrick and both teams had hugged and smiled at each other during the hydration breaks and at the end. All of the fans would have flown from around the world, first class, at a premium on FIFA packages, all would have bought the official "I was at the FIFA world cup final merch", all would have drunk the beer of the official FIFA world cup partner, everyone who posted clips on Twitter, of match incidents would pay FIFA for a license and at the end The King would give the FIFA board peerages and Donald Trump would give them all a pardon for any naughtiness that may have ensued and the Pope would make them all Saints.

I believe all of this undermines the game at grassroots. When I was a kid, in the summer, a gang of kids would go to the park, put down jumpers and play for the love of it. I don't see that anymore. Now kids log onto their mobile phones and watch memes of Ronaldo and Messi doing tricks ( and someone, somewhere makes a bob or two). We never had to worry about who's side the fat kid was on, because there weren't any. When a sport, which is supposed to promote health, has sponsors that sell sugar filled drinks, is it any surprise, it has lost its soul. 

It will surprise no regular readers to learn all of this has inspired me to put pen to paper and write a song. 

Fake Insidious Fraudulent Amoral

Nordic Row Chant – “No” x 4

Is anyone feeling thirsty, is anyone getting hot (x 4)

F is for Fraudulent

I is Insidious

F is for Fake

A is Amoral

Oh Oh Oh Oh No

Verse 1

We used to have such a beautiful game, played by Brazil, The Netherlands and Spain

Corinthian Spirit and Players with art

Bobby Moore and Pele they’d steal your heart

But the money men came with brown envelopes

Put out game on a slippery slope

Half time shows and commercial slop

It breaks my heart it has to stop

STOP - STOP – STOP – STOP --------------- STOP (whistle to stop)

Hydration Break, Hydration Break

Whistle to Restart

F is for Fraudulent

I is Insidious

F is for Fake

A is Amoral

Oh Oh Oh Oh No

Repeat Verse 1 

STOP - STOP – STOP – STOP --------------- STOP (whistle to stop)

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I'll be at Hadley FC tonight, watching a pre season friendly. It is a world away from the shenanigans at the top

England - The morning after the night before

 So for the 15th time, since 1966, it aint coming home. 60 years of hurt continue. To be completely honest, only in 1970 and 1986 did I genuinely think we had teams that might have deserved to win, and after I saw Brazil beat England 1-0 in 1970, I had no qualms agreeing that Brazil deserved it. But I think if Gordon Banks had been well, we'd have been in the final. In 1986, I genuinely feel we were cheated. Sure, Maradona scored a wonder goal, but his first goal was the worst, most blatent bit of cheating ever. They won it. It has always stuck in my throat.

This time?  No complaints. England became so passive after they scored that they deserved nothing. Argentina are a horrible team, they should have had a dozen yellow cards in the first half, but when England scored, we saw a brilliant display from Argentina. If there is a tragedy with them, it is that they can play great football, but are so wrapped up in cheating that this is obscured. I believe Spain will win comfortably. I like Spain, so maybe I am biased. 

As for England? I'd sack Tuchel. He was employed to make the right calls in big games. He couldn't have got it more wrong, in Southgate we had a manager who did well against the lesser teams, we thought we had a man to beat the big boys. The FA should get Pep Guardiola in. Guardiola knows the players better than anyone, as he managed in the Premiership longer than anyone since Fergie and is a proven multiple winner. 

However, what the FA really needs to do is take a proper look at the structure of English football. Why are we incapable of producing decent managers. In the 1970's, we were spoilt for choice. Joe Mercer, Bob Paisley,  Don Revie, Ron Greenwood, Brian Clough, Bobby Robson, Terry Venables, Bertie Mee, Dave Sexton, were all successful and internationally respected. Now there are two in the Premiership. Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche. There is no clamour for them as England managers. We don't make top managers anymore. That is a failure of the FA and British football. I do not think that the England manager has to be English, but the fact that we don't even have any candidates is awful.

As for last night. We had two of the best players in the tournament in Kane and Bellingham, yet played a system that was not designed to play to their strengths. We have Messi the free run of the park after England scored. What did Tuchel think would happen? Dan Byrne is not an England standard defender. If Messi is the problem, Dan Byrne is not the answer. We had players who can turn a game, such as Cole Palmer and Phil Foden sat at home. We took off Gordon, who was the only player holding on to the ball and running at players, inviting pressure on. I would have left Gordon or Bellingham up by the halfway line, so that Argentina couldn't compress us. We had no one to bring on as a pressing defensive midfield player to bring on when Rice ran out of steam. 

Modern International football seems to consist of around 70 minutes of the ball being passed along the back four, 10 minutes of people rolling around pretending to be hurt, 5 minutes of standing around waiting for set pieces and 5 minutes of real action if you are lucky. We have meaningless stats galore, trying to persuade us that it is wonderful. In truth, until Gordon scored, the match was boring beyond belief. England scoring turned it into a real humdinger. 

I've no complaints. If I was an Argentinan, I'd be absolutely delighted with the performance. Most of all with the gumption their team showed. England seemed to have all of the creativity coached out of them. I reckon I may live to see 4-5 more world cups. Will I ever see England lift the trophy (I did in 1966 but I was 3)? I don't know, but if I do, I hope it is built on creativity and taking chances, rather than playing six defenders to defend a 1-0 lead for half an hour. 

Anyway, that is the footie done for the summer, now its on to music! Here is The False Dots 2023 hit, with a brand new video!

FIFA - The biggest joke in Football

 I used to hate Man Utd, but then I grew up. Now I only feel pity for their fans, continually shafted by greedy owners who care less for their own fans, than I did when I hated them. I never robbed or shafted Utd fans, just chanted my disdain. The Glazers have absolutely destroyed the reputation of Man Utd and turned them into a joke club.Rattycliff is even worse. Ferguson built a legacy and they were the Uk’s no 1 club. Now they are debt ridden, the stadium is falling down and last season they didn’t qualify for Europe and got knocked out of every cup at first attempt. I would say they are the biggest joke in football but Infantino has made FIFA have that title.

Under his rule, FIFA has given World Cups to despotic regimes, with no regards for human rights. The schedules are all about keeping TV sponsors happy. The prices for matches has gone through the roof. The US world cup has seen the introduction of 3 minute hydration breaks, effectively turning matches into games of four quarters. This was done to pacify US advertisers and is universally despised by fans. It works against the interests that teams that have momentum. England have benefitted from a coaching reset, but it is simply not what football is all about. The scandal about the rescinding of USA star Balogans red card, at the behest of Donald Trump is just the latest example of brown nosing Trump. Although not quite as revolting as giving him the Trumped up award of the "FIFA Peace prize", it actually completely undermines the concept of fair treatment in disciplinary hearings.

In truth, it seems to me as if US commercial interests are the most corrosive thing in Football. The Glazers exploitation of Man Utd gives a window into the contempt for ordinary fans. Infantino's fawning over Trump shows that the game has lost its soul. On Saturday, I will go to my first pre season friendly of the season at Hadley FC. I am an addict to football and I've loved watching England, but it is becoming for me, raised a Catholic, almost a guilty pleasure and I feel embarrassed to say I am enjoying it. In many ways supporting clubs with owners like Man Utd's and watching FIFA run competitions is like being involved in an abusive relationship, where you are hopelessly in love with a complete bastard, who doesn't respect you and see's your role solely as being subservient to their desires. We all know what the sensible thing to do is, but none of us ever do it. The fans have never had a say in how the President of FIFA is elected. The process is more shady than a Russian presidential election. 

I have to say I was pleased that England played in Mexico. It seemed proper. I felt like I could pretend we were in a proper tournament in a decent place. I hope that one day Mexico get a world cup again. I would go. In truth, if the USA had a decent and honest President, I may have gone. However I had worries that I'd be turned around at the border, for what I said on this blog. It seems that people have been refused entry for less. 

I wil feel far more comfortable at non league Hadley with a bunch of people who love football and a club that cares about its fans. The False Dots released our new album on Saturday and we have a love song to Hadley FC on it, Have a listen!

Time to scrap VAR - Football is being ruined by it

 Two weeks ago, I went to see QPR vs Wrexham at Loftus Road. The ground was packed and raucous. I was with the Welsh boys, I've been a part time Wrexham fan since the mid 1980's, when I worked with a mate from North Wales, who suggested I tag along to watch a match with him and his mates, and a few bevvies and a curry afterwards. Other commitments allowing, I've been to see them once or twice a season most years since. Since they became a Hollywood sensation, I've not been able to get tickets. However one of the Wales boys dropped out, so I got a ticket. 

Going to a packed stadium for a game with no VAR was so refreshing. The game had one of the best second halves of football I've seen, with Wrexham taking off two defenders and throwing the kitchen sink at QPR for the last few minutes, turning a 2-1 defecit into a 3-2 victory. The Rangers fans were devastated, the Welsh boys elated. For me, it was an object lesson in why I love football.

Yesterday, I watched Liverpool vs Manchester City from the luxury of my sofa. The game was a Premier League classic. City turned around a 1-0 defecit to win 2-1. There were worldies, great saves, some amazing skill and until the last seconds no one knew who would win. All manner of teams were affected by the outcome. A Liverpool win would almost certainly, hand Arsenal an all but unassailable lead in the title race. It would also put Liverpool right back in the race for a Champions League place. A City win would put them back on Arsenal's tails. They are six points behind, but have to play the Gunners at home.

Liverpool (as always seems to be the case) came out clearly feeling they'd been robbed. Their manager Arne Slot felt City defender Mark Guehi should have been sent off for a foul outside the box. He felt VAR had not been fair, as "anyone who had watched Salah would know he would score". Salah rather undermined this claim, ballooning the resulting free kick over the bar. The truth is that Salah has been out of sorts and spent rather too long throwing himself on the floor and waving his arms around when he didn't get what he wanted. The VAR panel correctly (IMHO) decided that it was not a clear and obvious Red Card. The trouble is that such decisions will always be subjective. I think that if Slot encouraged Salah to stay on his feet rather than diving every time he felt a slight brush from another player, he may get more lucky. But that is by the by. The bottom line is that we all had to wait for a minute or two before VAR decided that the Ref was right and that Ruben Diaz would probably have made a tackle.

However that was not the worst example of VAR madness. That happened at the end of the game. City were 2-1 up. The Liverpool keep Allison had gone forward in a desperate attempt to help Liverpool score an equaliser. The ball broke, City's Cherkie hit the ball towards the goal. Erling Haaland and Dominic Szoboszlai, who had both scored, got in a race. The Liverpool player tried to pull Haaland back, then Haaland did the same. Neither reached the ball, so it crossed the line. There were seconds left. City celebrated the third. Then the dreaded VAR stepped in. The goal was chalked off, and the Liverpool player was sent off. The reason being that because Haaland had fouled Szoboszlai, they had to pull the game back and give City a free kick from outside the box, which meant the Liverpool player went. Both teams were punished. There was no room for common sense at all. Liverpool now have a key player suspended and City have one less goal in a tight title race. As ever, we hear "the rules are the rules".

Football is meant to be a form of entertainment. However these sort of decision destroy all of the drama and excitement. Unlike the Wrexham game, I suspect that despite the game being a classic, both sets of fans would be highly frustrated with VAR. Manchester City have a goal difference of five less than Arsenal. In the event that all other results are the same and CIty win 2 games 1-0 and Arsenal lose two games 1-0, then that goal will send the title to the Emirates. As for Liverpool,  Szoboszlai was their best player. If they drop points during his ban, then that could also have a massive effect on the shake up for European places, for what was an incident that didn't change the outcome of what should have happened.

Sticklers for rules and the law will say that VAR got it right. Every football fan on the planet will disagree. Football is a massive business and the customers (the fans) are probably the worst treated customers around. Our views are never listened to. We are just cash cows, our tribal loyalties make us ripe for ripping off. As a Manchester City fan, I've seen us be on the receiving end of both bad and good decisions. I am sure that it balances out eventually.If it was instant, I'd probably tolerate it. What bothers me is the fact that it takes so long. I am sure more players are getting muscle tears etc, as the hanging around means their muscles tighten. In the stadium, you rarely know what has actually happened. We now have referee's explaining the VAR decision, but I wonder if anyone could actually hear through the noise of Anfield.

For the number of times VAR makes a positively good decision, it just isn't worth the disruption to the game. I am sure anyone at the QPR vs Wrexham game with me would agree. As would most people at Anfield yesterday. But we are just the mugs who fund the whole thing. Before VAR came in, there were warnings that it would disrupt the flow of the game. It's beena round a few years now and if anything it is getting worse.

The start of the football season! What is in store, my round up and predictions

 On Saturday, I watched my first competetive game of the season. Hadley FC lost 0-2 at home to Hitchen Town FC at Brickfield Lane in the Southern League Division One Central. It was not the start I'd hoped for, as Hadley had a good pre season. Hitchen had come down from the Southern Premier Division and are strong favourites to go up. Their pre match boasts of 'outnumbering' the Hadley fans was a bit wide of the mark, but after an even first half, they took control and won comfortably in the second half. Over the last seven years, I've become a Hadley fan, buying a season ticket and enjoying supporting a grassroots team. I couldn't make it last night, but they got the show rolling away to Northwood last night, with a decent 0-2 win. I am looking forward to Saturdays FA Cup gane against Maldon & Tiptree, who by all accounts are a very strong team. I am rather hoping Hadley will once again be in the playoffs and maybe do a bit better in them than last year. The team has got some good players and in pre season and in the first half against Hitchen, looked very solid. Manager Anthony Clark has done an excellent job establishing them as a step four club. 

My other team is the world conquering Manchester City FC. I've yet to buy any tickets for games or make any arrangements. We have a busy social calendar, but I hope to get to see them in September. City had a poor (by their standards) season last year. Winning nothing and finishing third, a long way short of Liverpool. I genuinely can't see City performing as badly again. They are my favourites for the title, although they've lost their talisman Kevin DeBruyne, who will be missed. They look to have bought well. 

Liverpool look very strong, especially if they secure their transfer targets, but retaining the league is harder than winning it. When you are the champions, teams are up for it. I don't think anyone expected Arne Slot to win the league in his first season. In truth, he won it at a canter, as both City and Arsenal pretty much fell apart and gave them a pretty easy time. It is a bit harder, when you are neck and neck and need to win your last twelve games on the bounce, as has happened to City in previous years, when tussling with Liverpool. I expect to see a far harder test for them this season. 

I am not sure that Arsenal have done anything to persuade me that they will make a stronger challenge. I am surprised that they are not going for Isaak, as they need a top class striker. I think they will be top four, but not really do much else. Chelsea are an enigma. For much of last season, looking pretty poor, but finishing in a Champions League place, with the Europa Conference and World Club Championship. Nothing would surprise me with them. I think they are a good wild card to actually win the Premiership. They seem to be able to pull out performances in big games and that is priceless. 

Tottenham Hotspur have a new manager and silverware. I liked their manager at Brentford, but he's not been proven at a big club. I am not really sure that Spurs have a squad that can compete for the Premiership, a top four place and a cup is the best I can see for them. They have to cope with Champions League football. I find it hard to understand their strategy as a football team. I liked Ange and felt he should have been given another season.

Then there is my least favourite team, Manchester United FC. It strikes me that the club has become toxic. They have actually made a few decent signings. If he wasn't the Utd manager, I'd like their coach, Ruben Amorim. I think he made a mistake going to Utd mid season. It looked to me, escpecially in the Europa League final, as if his players didn't understand his game plan. Bruno Fernandes, who I dislike intensely, but is a good player, seemed to spend a lot of the game with the ball at his feet, looking for his team mates to make runs, that never materialised. If Amorim manages to explain how he wants them to play, they may do OK. If they still look as clueless after a couple of games as they did against Spurs, he will be in big trouble.

As for the clubs that have come up? I expect Leeds to stay up. I think they have what it takes. I expect Burnley to go down, unless another Prem team falls apart. I think they will finish above Sunderland, who I expect to finish bottom of the pile. Burnley have recent Prem experience and know what to do, so may just scrape enough points if the bottom of the league is poor. I don't believe Sunderland do. I expect Sunderland to finish bottom.

And as for the other teams I take an interest in, across the leagues. Watford in the Championship are a favourite. Sadly, the club seems to be in a permanent state of chaos, with owners who seemingly don't have a clue and plan A is always sack the manager if he loses a few games. For many years, when they were in the Conference and before that, I used to go to watch Wrexham play when they were in London. We'd do a beer trail and have a curry, punctuated by a usually pretty poor, but entertaining game of football. I've not seen them for since they left the Conference, I can't get tickets. I hope they do Ok, but I think they will struggle. If they stay up, it will be a successful season.

In League one, I'll be looking out for AFC Wimbledon. Like many real fans, I see them as what real football is all about. A phoenix club, which rose from the ashes, when the money men nicked their club and moved it to Milton Keynes. If Wimbledon ever won the Premiership, it would give me nearly as much joy as if Manchester City did (or even Hadley, but that would doubtless involve the club losing what I love about it). I've never been to Plough Lane, but it is on my list. I think they'll struggle on low budgets and in a tough league. I think they'll just about stay up, but it will be tight.

In League Two, there is Barnet. Until they moved to Harrow, my second team. I don't like the Hive, I don't like their chairman, but I still have a soft spot for the club, even if I never go! The last time I saw them, I went in the away end, with my Wrexham mates, when Wrexham were still just an ordinary conference club, struggling with no cash. It didn't persuade me to break my boycott of the Hive.

The False Dots recorded a song with Lee Thompson of Madness, called Saturday, to celebrate football and football fans. I co wrote it with Poet Allen Ashley, who sings. We will shortly be releasing  a new version, called Hadley FC We Love You, with Tom Hammond on Trumpet. Here is Allen & Lee doing their stuff with us, enjoy. I love the thumbnail, which I think sums up football in the Premiership in 2025. It's my nephew Martin looking happy! He's a Man U season ticket holder for his sins, and rather unusually, he lives in Manchester. I've no idea who the glamourous lady behind him filming is. 

The Sunday Reflection #48 - Casting stones, watching football and the Manchester Derby

 "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". This was one of the most famous quotes from the New Testament. I recall one particularly fiery priest, who used to give rather interesting sermons at The Sacred Heart Church (especially so when he did the evening masses and had a tot whiskey with his lunch). He suggested that what Jesus was really saying was "You lot are a bunch of self righteous hypocrites and your ten times worse than this woman, who you are trying to condemn". He then looked at the congregation and said "I bet there's a few of you here who'd have cast the first stone" and then berated us all telling us that Jesus wasn't talking to the Scribes and Pharisees, he was talking to us lot, because we are just as bad as them. I think I was about nine at the time. I didn't actually know what adultery was. I was quite perturbed by the sermon. Was I really as bad a hypocrite as the scribes and pharisees?

As often happened on a Sunday, we'd meet relatives at mass and Dad would ask them back to our house for tea and biscuits. On that particular day, the relly in question was Uncle Mickey Fanning, his wife and his lovely daughters. Mickey was a great guy. He was my mums first cousin. He'd been raised in Dublin, got a degree and moved to London. He was an accountant by trade. He was not only the accountant for The Sacred Heart, he was also the accountant for the Irish Rugby Union. Mickey was absolutely mad about Rugby. Mickey only had daughters, and always enjoyed chatting with me, as I think he'd have liked a son. As he always made time to chat, I was fond of him. I mentioned about what the Priest said in his sermon. Mickey burst out laughing. Mickey said "He's one to talk, I took him to watch England play Ireland in the five nations last week, and I can assure you that he'd be first one to cast a stone at the Ireland players, when they missed a tackle. Mickey then explained that this particular priest was not only a big Ireland Rugby fan, who still played occasionally, he was perhaps the most fierce and harsh critic of anyone who wasn't 'up for it'. A week later, the said priest came up to St Vincents. They would do this every week, speak to the kids and then say mass. This priest was actually well liked and what he said was interesting. He'd do a little Q&A and often he'd give left field answers which made us think. 

When the Q&A started, I asked him about his sermon and casting stones. The message of the Gospel had been that Jesus forgave the woman for her mistake. So my question was this "Father, when Jesus said let he who is without sin, cast the first stone, did it apply to Football and Rugby?". For perhaps the only time, for a few seconds, he was truly stumped. Of course, no one got stoned to death for a mistimed tackle or conceding a penalty, but they certainly got a barrel of vitriol from both fans and their team mates. His answer was actually brilliant. He said "That's a great question. I am the first to shout and complain when Ireland miss a penalty. If I was playing I'd give the player a piece of my mind. But there is a difference. Football and Rugby players are playing a sport and passions run high, the only way you improve is to accept criticism. If you are not giving it your all, then you have to take it on the chin. This is totally different to someone who is being victimised and bullied by a bunch of hypocrites. The poor woman in that gospel, did not go for a beer with the scribes and pharisees after the stoning. When you play a team sport, part of the deal is that you get it in the neck when you don't play well. But no one should be stoned to death for simple human mistakes".

As far as I was concerned, this put the matter to bed. When you watch football, it is OK to berate people when they are not playing well. I extended this to allowing myself to shout at Manchester United players and fans because I don't like them (well apart from my brother and a few mates, but you know what I mean) when I watch City play. There really is no better feeling in the world than watching United fans leave a Derby match early, when they are 5-0 down. They feel the same about us lot. Football is probably the only area of modern life where you can really let your negative feelings out. 

But occasionally this throws up a dilemma. Today Manchester City play Manchester United. I will be absolutely delighted if City stuff United. But, and this is a big but, one of my very best mates is a Manchester United fan. His Mum recently passed away. He is very down. I know a United victory would cheer him up no end. How could I be so cruel and heartless as to still want City to win? I mean, there is nothing I'd like more than for him to cheer up, well nothing except a stonking City win. 

The sad truth is that when it comes down to it, Fr Sheil was probably right. I am a cruel, heartless hypocrite and I should have compassion for my mate and be cheering on Utd as it would mean the world to him. Sadly, that ain't gonna happen! Come on City! By the way, it may amuse you to hear that Peter Conway, as a follow up to my question asked "Fr, what team do you think Jesus supports?". This was a far easier answer for him. He shot back "Celtic of course, who else could he support?". I totally accepted this at face value, I often wondered whether Rangers fans could be forgiven. I wished I'd asked when I had the chance. 

Anyway, as we usually do, we finish with a song that recalls those days. Sunday in the 70's is a song that I particularly like. It was one of the first songs I specifically wrote for myself to sing with the band, as we'd always had a dedicated singers until 2021.

The ten fatal mistakes that have doomed Manchester United

I wrote the following blog ten years ago exactly - barneteye.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-saturday-list-67-ten-fatal-mistakes.html - Change a few names and is all current (any new text is in bold). 

The crisis has been building up for several years. Here are the fatal mistakes that United have made.

1. Underinvestment in the squad under Sir Alex Ferguson. Fergie worked a miracle winning the league two years ago, but he did it with a threadbare squad. Bringing in Van Persie was the catalyst that allowed the feat to be pulled off, but it was clear to everyone that United had an ageing defence and midfield. With Scholes, Giggs, Evra, Ferdinand and Vidic getting long in the tooth, all should have been replaced by then, or at least have credible replacements lined up. Take that out of the League winning team and you don't have a team.

2. Bad succession planning in the business. It was clear that Fergie would go at some point. To lose the Chief Exec at the same time was catastrophic. All businesses need  a degree of continuity in their team. United lost the plot, by allowing themselves to get into this situation.

3. Flawed process for appointing a new manager. United are one of the worlds top brands. They could have their pick of managers. It seems the process was that they simply let Fergie pick a name out of the hat. Worse than that, they picked a manager with no trophies and no Champoins league experience.

4. Bad signings. We listed the five key players who were past their sell by date. They replaced none of them, instead indulging Moyes by signing Fellani, a player they didn't need and who doesn't fit in. It was clear what United needed, they left it too late and picked the wrong players.

5. Inept clearout of backroom staff. The first act of Moyes was a clearout of backroom staff such as Mike Phelan. As such he had no one around who could offer any insight into how to get the best out of the players, why things may not be working.

6. Ineptitude in conducting transfer business. The debacle of the attempt to sign Leighton Baines and Fellani showed the world that United were there for the taking. This has resulted in them paying top dollar for all subsequent signings such as Di Maria and Mata signings.

7. Panic buys in the transfer window. When it was clear that it was going wrong under Moyes, United made the classic mistake of a big name panic buy, bring Juan Mata to the club. Whilst it is true that you can't have enough great players, Mata addressed none of Uniteds problems and unsettled the existing attackers.

8. Showing a lack of class in sacking Moyes. United sacked Moyes the day after they technically couldn't qualify for the Champions League. This was done to save the compensation bill. This type of behaviour saves money in the short term, but in the long term sets down a marker which shows the club are more interested in bean counting than running a football club. Ryan Giggs was brought in as a temporary manager to get the club through to the end of the season. Whilst this may have given him a bit of experience and may assist him in his ongoing role at the club, the whole sorry episode tarnished United.

9. Lack of planning for managerial appointment. Whilst Louis Van Gaal is an excellent manager, with a great track record, given the mess United are in, I believe he was the wrong appointment. The reason is simple. United needed a root and branch rebuilding. the timing of the sacking of Moyes showed that they had clearly been planning the change. They chose someone who couldn't come in until almost the end of the Pre Season. With Van Gaal being totally wrapped up in the World Cup, the pre season was wasted. Had they brough a new manager in when Moyes was sacked, they could have gone into the pre season with somone who'd actually seen the players in action. Transfer targets would be identified and the players could be prepared. As it is, Van Gaal turned up and half the squad were missing. I believe his current predicament is caused by the fact that when the real business started, he hadn't got a clue what his squad could actually do. As such, by the time the transfer window reopens and he actually knows what he needs, United may again be out of the chase for a Champions league place.

10. Chosen the wrong man again? It is too early to say, but for me the signs are not good. In the first point, I listed the players United need to replace. You could argue that Di Maria may be a suitable replacement for Ryan Giggs. That still leaves the other four to replace. Not only that, but Van Gaal has tried to implement a 3-4-3 system with players who clearly are not up to it. Watching the first three games, it was clear to me that the players look terrified. Johnny Evans looked particularly uncomfortable against the mighty MK Dons. Van Gaal has a rep as a stern disciplinarian, to me it looked as if the United defence were scared stiff of making mistakes, so were nervous and jumpy. In the opening PL games, on numerous occasions defenders would receive the ball in space and simply look for a quick sideways pass. Under Fergie in their pomp, they would drive forward and create space elsewhere. Another disturbing feature of Van Gaal is the way he publicly attacked Luke Shaw. Shaw is a young player with a lot of expectation. His manager has put the boot in. How will this help build him up. I cannot imagine Ferguson making such a statement ever. I also think that Van Gaals statements about United not being fit for purpose don't help his cause. Other teams are losing their fear of facing United and these sort of statements don't help. It also undermines his existing players. How must they feel?

Of course, I'm a City fan so I find it hilarious, but that is really by the by. I don't think a single thing I've said hasn't been mentioned by friends who are on the dark side of the football divide.

As I watch the Champions Leage draw, I can't help but feel maybe a few Utd Board members should read The Barnet Eye occasionally. If I'd written a blog in 2009 about mismanagement of a football club, it would have been City. Funny how things change

Goodbye Gareth Southgate and thank you for everything

 It has just been announced that Gareth Southgate has resigned as England manager. What a rollercoaster it has been under his reign. Two finals, a semi final and a quarter final. A couple of dodgy penalties away from a win against Italy in the 2021 Euro's. A team that was favourites to win in Germany and which certainly had the players to bring the trophy home. The achievements on the field were way beyond most people's expectations when he took over after the debacle of Sam Allardyce's short reign.

For me though, the biggest success of Southgate's reign is to make me feel proud to be an England supporter. Whatever you think of his football record, the way he conducts his business is exemplary. He clearly had the respect and support of the team. He brought the best out of some of the players, supported players on the receiving end of racism, in a way no other National manager seems capable of. He managed to rebuild the confidence of the players such as Saka, to the extent that they took penalties in a shoot out, following all of the obnoxious racism they received when they missed against Italy in the last final. He has transformed Harry Kane into Englands most successful striker by some distance. He has had faith in younger players. He has built for the future. If you look at Englands ranking now, compared to when he took over, that tells you all you need to know. 

As an England fan, I hope that the next manager builds on the foundations Gareth has laid and takes us to the next level. As for the candidates? Jurgen Klopp and Graham Potter have been mentioned. I'd be delighted with either. But that is for another day. For today, all I want to say is Thank you Gareth, you've been a credit to England and you have made us all proud. Good luck in wherever life takes you now. 

- --

I had planned to retire this song, but here's one more blast for old time's sake!

Monday morning, feeling fragile.......

Today is my least favourite day of the year. It is the day after the League football season finishes. The whole thing started for me on August 11th (the day after I was discharged from hospital following a radical prostatectomy).  Burnley vs Manchester City saw the start of the season. Manchester City, not unexpectedly, won 3-0. City legend Vincent Kompany had his first game as Burnley manager in the Premiership. He announced that this was the hardest game of the season and things would improve. Sadly for Vinnie they didn't and they were relegated. As with last season, Arsenal emerged as the main challengers. Both teams played some phenominal football, but after the Gunners lost at home to Aston Villa, a City victory seemed inevitable. Perhaps the key end of season moment was the Spurs v City fixture last week. It was a strange event, with Spurs fans wanting City to win, to prevent their local rivals triumphing in the league. A brace from Haaland and an excellent save from sub Keeper Ortega fromn Son saw City come through.  The table doesn't lie

Position Team Played   Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points

Manchester City            38 28     7       3            96                   34                       62 91

Arsenal                          38 28         5       5     91                   29                       62 89

The devil is in the detail of the table. The teams won the same number of games, 28, however Arsenal lost two more. Their goal difference was the same, but City scored five more and Arsenal conceded five fewer. In the fnal recogning, in a couple of games, Arsenal let it slip. When they secured a 0-0 at the Etihad, by parking the bus, Arsenal fans took it as a victory. I felt that real Champions don't set up for a draw. City don't. If Arsenal had won, they'd have won the league. If they'd lost, it would have made no difference to the final standings. My view is that you have to try to put your rivals to the sword if you really want to be Champions. When you are in a title race against a team like City, hoping they will slip up and let you in is a very poor strategy.

Fans of many of City's rivals have bemoaned the fact that the club have 'cheated' and 'bought the title'. For me, all of this is simply excuses. All of the issues are pre 2018, hardly relevant to what happened this season. Over the last five years, City have been fifth in the net spending. You may not like the club, but they run a tight ship and in every aspect of the way they conduct their footballing business is an example to other clubs. The Academy is the best in the country, producing the player of the year Phil Foden, as well as Cole Palmer, now at Chelsea and carving out his own story (at a profit of £45 million for City). The transfer policy delivers players that simply fit in with little drama and often at a far lower cost than marque signings at other clubs. The backroom team is second to none (it is no coincidence that Arsenal's manager Arteta was an apprentice of Pep).

As for the rest? Well Arsenal fans are meditating on the might have beens. Liverpool fans are facing a post Klopp world, with trepidation. No one really knows how the new guy will shape up and Klopp had big boots to fill. Aston Villa under Unai Emery had a great season, notwithstanding yesterdays result. They were the surprise package. Man Utd and Chelsea both chronically under achieved given the cost of their respective squads. Chelsea had a strong finish to the season, largely lead by Cole Palmer, and should be feeling positive. United seem to have gone backwards. Spurs flattered to deceive. Ange got them playing good football, but there is a feeling that they fell short of what they should have done.

But now it's all over, bar the FA Cup. It won't start againg until August. We have the Euro's which should be good, but is not the same. It is also my wife's favourite time of the year. We can catch up on all the telly we've missed due to the wall to wall footie. 

As a City fan, I celebrated. I am suffering a bit today, but hey ho, it was worth it. I do find the close season dull though.

Football - Is it still "the beautiful game" or just one great big scam?

A 1967 Edgware Town programme
with MacMetals advert

Since 2019, I've been a season ticket holder at Hadley FC, in the Southern League Central Division 1, which is at the 8th tier of the football pyramid. It is totally different. You can have a beer when you watch the game. You don't have VAR. It's £50 for a seasons worth of games. At the end of the season, one lucky season ticket holder gets their name pulled out of the hat and wins £1,000. Crowds are around 150. Games are at 3pm. The clubhouse sells reasonably priced beers. The Gate is over the road, if you want lunch before or dinner after. The quality of football is surprisingly good. I also bought a small shareholding in the club, to help them fund ground improvements. The club were promoted from the Sparten league a couple of years ago. If they get another eight promotions, I'll be quids in when a rich investor buys them! But that is not why I did. In truth, it is an interest free loan from me to the club,which means I can have a better matchday experience. No one is in non league football for the cash. There are no Glazers ripping off fans for overpriced t-shirts. There are no prawn sandwiches. 

My affinity with non league football is equally deep routed, my Dad's company MacMetals used to sponsor Edgware Town. Several of his staff were players. I'd get taken to the Old White Lion ground as a kid, get a lemonade and a bag of crisps and watch the game, often in the company of the boys who worked for Dad. He didn't like football, so would sit in the clubhouse, chat, smoke cigarettes and drink beer. He always impressed on me the importance of supporting a proper local club like Edgware Town. He had no time at all for the big clubs, but liked the atmosphere around non league teams. Edgware Town would play at the Old White Lion ground, behind The White Lion Pub. It was a proper old school non league ground. Sadly like so many, it has long since been bulldozed and developed.

How different is supporting Hadley and Edgware Town, to the other club I follow. Since I could walk and talk, I've supported Manchester City.  As soon as I started ggoing to see City, in the 1970's, I was more drawn to glamour of what was the first division#. I liked going to watch Edgware, but when I started going with mates to watch matches at Highbury, Stamford Bridge, White Hart Lane, I was seduced by the bright lights and glamour. In my later teens, twenties and thirties, I rarely went to football. I played for many seasons for Hendon School old boys, even though I never went to that school. I had mates there and it worked for me. They played in the AFA League, which meant they played on a Saturday at 3pm.  I'd catch the odd game if Hendon were not playing, but I got very much out of the habit of going to games. I stopped playing 11 a side in around 1995, when my daughter was born as I couldn't justify writing off every Saturday with the family.  I started going to watch the odd City game again and also would watch Barnet FC at Underhill. I'd also get to see the odd Wrexham game with my mates from North Wales.

At the time, City were in the doldrums. I loved going to the games, but watching the repeating pattern of relegations, false dawns, promotions, then another relegation, as Manchester United got ever more successful was grating. I prided myself on the fact that as a City fan, at least no one could ever suggest I didn't have a real love of the club or was a glory hunter. Games at Barnet were always fun. A beer at The Red Lion before,  ninety minutes of mayhem, then a beer at Ye Olde Mitre and a curry, before making my way home. What was not to like? 

Over the years, things started to change. Following the Taylor report, segregation and all seater stadiums, it became almost impossible for me to get a ticket to see Manchester City in London in the City end. Teams had allocations and a big team like City had more than enough regulars to fill this. I stopped playing to spend time with the family, going to Manchester every weekend was not really feasable. I started going to more Barnet games. When my son was born in 2000 and started to take an interest in football, I took him to watch Watford play City. He decided that this was better than Barnet, so we went to Watford for a couple of season for the odd match. We also started making trips up to the Etihad. By the time he was taking a proper interest, City had been taken over by the current owners. They were no longer a Yoyo club, but one where a bad season was a mere place in the Champions league and an average season was 'just a cup'. I'd still catch the odd game at Barnet with mates, but then they decided to move to The Hive. It was a soulless ground, with no proper pubs nearby. I hated it. The only time I've enjoyed watching Barnet was with the Wrexham boys in the away end. Like City, Wrexham have been snapped up by rich owners. They have had two promotions, which meant this season, we couldn't get tickets. As City have become ever more successful, even getting tickets, as a member, for home games has become difficult. Champions League group games and FA Cup matches are usually OK. Midweek games are also available, but it is almost impossible to see a big game on a Saturday, if such a thing ever happens. 

If I was still playing for Hendon, the 3pm kickoff would hardly affect my watching City now. They hardly ever play on Saturday at 3pm. They have six home league games left. Not one is at 3pm on a Saturday. Although a convenient time for all fans, the TV companies deem it not suitable for big games. When you go to a game, you can't buyt a beer and take it with you to your seat. At half time, there is a desperate scramble to get a pint, then you quaff it as quickly as you can. You pay a small fortune for a seat, but you have no idea what is going on when the VAR signs come up. Sometimes it is obvious, but you never get to "see the lines" for offsides etc. When I saw Spurs knock City out of the Champions League at The Etihad, following an obscure offside that would never have been given pre VAR, I didn't know what was going on, until we started listening to the radio on the way home. Don't get me wrong, I love going to football. 

On Saturday, I went to Wembley to watch Manchester City FC beat Chelsea FC with my son and godson and had a wonderful day. Too much beer was consumed and so yesterday was a bit of a slow day. As Citys member, with a few match points, we got decent tickets without too much difficulty and left Wembley, after a tense game, with smiles on our faces. But the talk amongst the City fans was as much about how Semi Finals should not be at Wembley, as about the game prospects. Semi's were always at a relatively convenient neutral ground. Typically City Vs Chelsea would be at Villa Park, which was about an hour on the train for both. 

@rogertichborne Celebrating Bernardo Silva’s winner at #wembleystadium #mcfc #weallloveaparty #falsedots #football #mciche #facup #bluemoon #mancityfans @Manchester City #bluemoonrising ♬ We All Love a Party - The False Dots

Which brings us to the big talking point this week, FA Cup replays. The FA have agreed to abolish them from round one of the FA Cup. Why? The big boys get tired if they play too many games. Do they really? There was a proposal that the big boys in the UK all initially signed up to, to play in a European Super League. That would mean more games. So why does that not make the players tired? Could it be because they earn a shedload of money playing European teams.  Big clubs don't play their best players in the early rounds of the FA cup. If they come unstuck and get a draw, they often still play the kids. For a team struggling in League 1 or 2, it is a huge financial benefit. Sadly looking after the less well off teams is not part of the deal. For a team like Hadley, getting to the first round of the FA Cup proper would be a massive deal. A kind round of draws is probably the only way, it would happen. If they did and somehow managed to draw the game, it would be a massive thing for the club. The FA chiefs simply don't care. Clubs have been saved from bankruptcy in the past following such events. 

A friend asked if I thought football had lost it's soul? It certainly hasn't at Hadley. In truth, when I saw Kevin DeBruyne's reaction at the end of the Chelsea game, no one could say he's lost his soul. But the big TV companies, the offshore club owners, the gambling companies, the rip off replica kits, the corporate lounges, where people go and often only watch 20 mins of the game as they guzzle and booze, and the people in the FA, who should be defending the clubs who are on the brink, none of these has anything resembling a foot ball soul. None of them care for ordinary fans. Nothing would make me happier than if fans fought back, turned off the tellys, boycotted games and we got our game back. The sad truth though, is we are addicts. Most of us simpy couldn't bring ourselves to miss the game. The B*****rds know this.

Joey Barton, Matthew Le Tissier, football commentary and the art of talking complete bollox!

Ask anyone my age to name the greatest ever football commentator and they will hark back to the 'Golden Age' of football commentators. The names they mention will include Brian Moore, John Motson and of course the legendary Kenneth Woolstenhome who exclaimed "They think it's all over, it is now" as Geoff Hurst completed his hatrick and England won the World cup in 1966. There are plenty of others, perhaps not held in such high esteem, but loved none the less, such as David Coleman, who's mistakes prompted his own column in Private Eye called "Colemanballs". One feature all of these shared was that they were not footballers, they were media professionals. No one has ever stated that they were rubbish at their job because they had not played professional football at a high level. 

Then we have the pundits. My first recollection of "Expert pundits" was Jimmy Hill on match of the day. Hill had been a player, manager, chair of the PFA and was an excellent pundit. He would cast a professional eye over the weekends football and give informed views. His experience was second to none and he always had something interesting to say. I'd love to hear his views on VAR. Football punditry started to change with the Saint and Greavsie show. Both Ian St John and Jimmy Greaves had been top level footballers, but the show was as much about the banter and chemistry of the pair as it was about their expert views. They were both great on TV and the show was a classic. 

When Sky TV became a player, we had Richard Keys and Andy Gray. In some ways the Morecombe and Wise of football punditry. Keys, the professional broadcaster, was the straight man. Gray, a top level footballer, but also great on TV and an informative pundit. As Satellite and online coverage grew, more and more pundits were called upon. Sadly, the quality control did not really improve. Match Of the Day had Gary Lineker as lead. Lineker was a brilliant player, Englands second highest ever goal scorer when he retired. He comes across as an affable and pleasant presenter and adapted to broadcasting as easily as he'd scored goals. He has had a conveyor belt of pundits, until recently retired male footballers tow ork with. Some have been brilliant. The chemistry between Roy Keane and Micah Richards perhaps the best modern example. Some have been rather boring and uninformative, such as Paul Scholes, Alan Shearer, Michael Owen etc. 

With the advent of Twitter, we started to see a new trend. Footballing demagogues, who decide that a career kicking a football around qualifies them as social commentators. It's a free world, I'm a self appointed social commentator, so I have no problem with an ex footballer doing the same. What perhaps I do find a tad galling, is the sense of self importance that they develop. What is a tad strange is that the two biggest proponents of the art are players that I used to like in their playing days. Matthew Le Tissier was a brilliant player, one who I loved watching and one who should have been a guaranteed pick for England. His tweeting, is rather 'interesting'. Matt has carved out a career on Twitter as a bit of conspiracy theorist. He is one of the leading voices of the anti vax movement and has over half a million followers. Sky dispensed with his services after 15 years as a result of his tweeting. Le Tissier challenged the company and was told his tweeting risked bringing the brand into disrepute. Le Tissier countered asking why they still employed Jordan Henderson, who had been suspended for spitting at a young girl. He clearly felt aggrieved that he felt his activities were held to a different standard that certain other well known pundits. For me, the issue is a difficult one. I believe that Le Tissier is wrong and his tweets are dangerous, as vaccination has clearly worked in ridding the world of terrible diseases such as smallpox and diptheria (which nearly killed my mum in 1937). But if he's not spouting this on Sky, should he be allowed to hold and tweet about controversial views, if it is not illegal? The BBC is more tolerant of Gary Linaker's tweeting and I can understand why Le Tissier feels he has not been equitably treated. Then again, Sky was set up by the Murdoch empire and when has The Sun or The News of The World ever treated anyone fairly. They are a private company, unlike the BBC, so if they decide that Le Tissier is bad for the brand, then that is up to them. Matt really should have thought about who he was getting into bed with, when he started collecting the pay cheques.

The second of our fledging football demagogues is Joey Barton. Joey was a product of the Manchester City academy. At a time when the team was rubbish, I rather liked Joey. He always wore his heart on his sleeve. He would put a shift in. He had a poor disciplinary record, but from my own days playing pub football badly, I took the view that a player that never got booked or sent off was a player that didn't really care enough to get stuck in. I recall one rather dodgy manager berating me, after I got sent off, saying "If you are going to get sent off, at least do the b@st@rd properly!". Joey took that to heart. When Manchester City beat QPR with the last minute Aguero winner, Barton (who by now was at QPR) was sent off. As he went off he started punching and picking fights with City players, in an attempt to take a City player with him. Joey rather amused his many admirers during a loan spell at Marseille with a TV interview, where he spoke to French TV in English, but put on a fake French accident. 

When Joey finished playing, he had a couple of stints as a rather bad manager at Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers. His last job ended in October 2023. Joey has clearly been looking for a new outlet for his many talents. Sadly, it seems that the job offers have not rolled in. He has launched a campaign against female football commentators. Barton feels that as they have not played football at a proper standard, they are not qualified to be commentators or pundits. Barton feels that they spoil the whole thing and even called Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward as "the Fred and Rose West of football commentary" after they appeared as pundit and co-commentator on an ITV match broadcast.

I went up to the Etihad to watch Manchester City play Huddersfield on Sunday with my millennial son. On such trips, we spend a lot of time discussing football and the issues that surround it. The subject of Joey Bartons comments came up. I watch a lot of football with my son. One of the biggest gripes we have is that the commentary and punditry is rubbish. We refer to the talking head discussions at the end of the game as "the old b@ll@cks" and he refuses to watch it. He has a special dislike of BT sports commentary, which is invariably awful (now TNT Sports). Football is not science, almost every controversial issue in a game is to some degree subjective (apart from goal line technology). The number of times there is a red card, that an ex player will say "If ever you've played the game, you'd never give that". Oddly though, there are no ex players acting as refs of advising VAR. It is a long time since I played any sort of game with a manager, but they'd always tell me to "get stuck in". If you took out an opponent, in the act of winning a ball, that was always seen as a benefit, not something terrible. I've no idea whether this is now out of fashion, but I simply refuse to believe that managers like Revie, Clough, Shankly, Ferguson etc would not think along those lines. The likes Norman Hunter, Stuart Pearce, Roy Keane etc did not take care of opponents wellbeing in a tackle. Oddly no pundits ever really mention this in the modern game. As the rules have tightened, to prevent injuries, so the pundits have become less honest about what is expected of players by their managers. 

When we discussed Bartons comments, there were three main reasons we disagreed with him. The first and most obvious is that most pundits are as dull as dishwater. If dull female pundits were replacing sparkling experts, who astound us with their wit and knowledge, he'd have a point. But they don't, they either have nothing of interest to say, or are opinionated, biased and rather uninteresting (Robbie Savage is a fine example of this genre). The second is that, as mentioned at the start of this blog, some of the greatest commenators were not even footballers, they were excellent broadcasters, on top of their brief. Third, the level that a player played at has no correlation with their ability to commentate. Take for example Roy Keane and Micah Richards. Much as I loathe Keane as a Man City fan, I concede he is a far better player than Micah Richards. Not only that, he is far more knowledgeable about football. However Richards is far better TV. When he works with Keane, he elevates Keane's punditry. Often he does this by talking rubbish, which riles Keane and gets something interesting that he wouldn't say otherwise. Sometimes he flatters Keane to get a golden nugget. The bottom line is that Richards is a great TV performer, despite being a fairly average footballer. If you take Joey Bartons theory as to who should commentate to its logical conclusion, only Champions League winners should commentate on Champions League finals. I don't think a team of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes would do much for my enjoyment. As to the World Cup? We'd be stuck completely there. 

As far as I am concerned, Barton hasn't really thought this comments through. As female pundits are a fairly new phenomena, many are finding their feet as media professionals. As far as commercial broadcasters such as Sky are concerned, they act purely in their own commercial interests. When Sky started broadcasting football, the audience was largely male. With the rise of Womens football, this has changed and the female pundits help grow the audience. My daughters never watched football when they were small. The England womens team has changed that. The advertisers and subscribers, who ultimately pay the wages of the pundits and commentators, want as wide an audience as possible. They see female pundits as key to accessing their audience. 

It may be a useful experiment in socialogical research, given the red button technology, to give a Joey Barton option on Sky, where you have a commentary team picked by Joey Barton as an alternative option. I suspect that there would be an audience for it, but I'd be surprised if too many people under 40 years old would bother with it. 

The bottom line in all of this, is that as far as I am concerned, football punditry is pretty much the art of talking b@ll@x about football and no sane person would want to watch too much of it, except when they want to see replays of their chosen teams goal. I don't much care who is spouting it, so long as they are entertaining. I suspect that where Joey is going wrong is that he's taking the whole issue too seriously. Who would have thought that someone who puts on a fake French accent to do a TV interview in France,would fall into such a trap. 

Time for fans to take back football

 I have two great loves (outside of my family). These are music and football. Both are under threat as never before. Today I want to talk about the challenges facing football and how the fans are the most important factor, but also the ones who are least considered. 

I am a season ticket holder of Hadley FC, who are in the Isthmian first division. That is the eighth tier of English football. Yesterday, I watched Hadley collect their first three points of the season, beating Dunstable. I guess there were about 150 people in the crowd. After a terrible start to the season, compounded by the passing of manager Tony Clark's young son from cancer, it was a huge relief. I'd designated yesterday a non drinking day, one of my four a week, so I celebrated with a can of Sprite. But it was great to go back to the clubhouse and know we were no longer bottom of the league. I've supported Hadley for five years, since my nephew dragged me along to a game. I love the club. I used to support Barnet FC, but felt the club lost its soul when it moved to the Hive. I am also a supporter of Manchester City, treble winning champions. Until March this year, I played five a side football every week at Powerleague. I had to give up, aged sixty, due to a long term ankle injury. I miss it dearly.

I spent a decade watching my son play for Watling Youth FC from age 6-16. Watling was, at one point, the premiere local youth team. It was based on the Watling estate and had its own clubhouse, where local lads played table tennis, learned boxing and kept out of trouble. Lifelong friendships were forged, but sadly Matt's was the last team to go through from 6-16. The team folded. The council took the clubhouse for development. In recent months and years, we've seen terrible things occurring in the area. I cannot help but think that had the club still been there, thriving, providing constructive activities for young people, maybe things would be better. In fairness, Barnet Council has built a new youth centre in Montrose Park, but the support networks, built over generations, with willing volunteers built over generations, scattered to the wind. I was speaking to a friend at Hadley yesterday. He was telling me of a local football academy, where players are charged £170 a year in subs. I asked about the kids who's parents couldn't afford it. He said that he wasn't sure. To well off, middle class parents, such as mine, that is a small amount. However the kids that need it most, it is a huge amount. We had a few such kids at Watling and we waived the fees. What appalled me was that it fell on the parents to sort this out. The billions in football, never trickled down to support the kids in the parks who it would make a difference to.

I try and get to see City at The Etihad half a dozen times a season. The cost? About £45 for a matchday ticket, £8 for a pie and a pint. I love the experience, but the stadium does not have the working classes of Manchester packing the terraces, for next to nothing, as they did the first time I went in 1975. Games are announced, then moved, to fit TV schedules. Last year, I bought tickets for the derby against Man Utd. It was listed as 3pm on a Saturday. I snapped them up, only for the match to be moved to 4pm on a Sunday. Whilst this didn't really impact most fans (its two local teams), sometimes they do this to fans, leaving horrendous journetys. Whenever Newcastle fans are made to travel away on a Monday night, they are guaranteed a very late night. No consideration is given to fans at all. In the stadium, we know VAR decisions are being reviewed, but don't know why. Despite paying more than anyone to watch the game, we are left clueless. I usually only find out when I get to the car to drive home, or read the review on the train. We are not allowed to take beers onto the terraces. We are treated like infants. I understand that there were issues in the 80's, but I cannot see a justification for the rules in a segregated, seated stadium.  I'd allow beers to be taken to seats before kick off and at half time. With banning orders, there is a remedy for idiots.

The cost of satellite TV is prohibitive for those at the bottom of the pile. I am always irritated by those who scream to defund the BBC, but are happy for satellite channels to monopolise broadcasting and exclude the poorest. I'd have it written into contracts that every team must be shown live, home and away, once a season of free to view TV. I believe this would be good for everyone, even the pay per view channels, as it would open new audiences.

The Premier League has, for decades, been the global financial powerhouse league. This now appears to be under threat by the 'money no object' Saudi league. The best players are being tempted with ridiculous amounts of money. I find it hard to comprehend, why someone on £300,000 a week would treble that and miss out on playing in the Champions League, but I don't suppose I can blame them. I've left good jobs, for ones I didn't enjoy, to get more money. Having said that, I've always lived to regret it. As a fan of a team in the EPL, I want to watch the best players. I won't be watching Saudi football, just as I never watch Spanish League football. It may be good, but I simply am not invested in the teams.

At Hadley FC the fans feel part of the club. I have taken a small shareholding in the club. Fans act as stewards, step in behind the bar, etc. I helped lay the car park. I have thought long and hard about the state of football in the UK. My view is that, from a business point of view, Manchester City are the best run club in the world. The owners are hands off and have recruited a world class team. I am not blind to the issues with the owners. Much as fans of City (and Chelsea previously) decry City's ownership, few would not have jumped at the chance to have such owners. That doesn't make it right. 

In truth, the biggest problem in football is the ownership of premiership clubs and the practices associated with their business methods. I believe it is time for fans to have a statuatory role in the way football is run. I'd like each club to have a fans council that has several powers. 

1) The right to veto ground developments and sales.

2) The right to properly inspect accounts and refer them to the FA if there appears to be irregularities.

3) The right to challenge and veto excessive share dividend payouts from clubs

4) The right to veto schemes that saddle clubs with debts.

I would also like to see a 10% levy on all clubs profits, with the income being channelled into grassroots football. Clubs should be allowed to set up their own charitable schemes to support local clubs. There should be funds to support kit and subs for young people from low income families.

And finally, The False Dots have made a video, with guest sax from Lee Thompson of Madness and Allen Ashley on vocals, celebrating the dreaming of fans of football clubs at all levels.