Bury, Bolton, the remarkably durable English game

443

I have heard a lot of nonsense as to why Bury are this morning expelled from the Football League and Bolton Wanderers are two weeks away from a similar fate.  There are not ‘too many teams’, in fact, attendances across all levels of the game in England are at historical highs and compare favourably to those in mainland Europe.  More choice has led to more attendees.

Inadequate ‘fit and proper tests’ are not to blame either.  None of those responsible for the plight of these two clubs had red flags in their backgrounds.  The suggestion that supporter representation on the board would have inhibited clubs spending their way into trouble is perhaps the most laughable suggestion.  Can you imagine a fans’ rep. at a board meeting saying, “Hang on, we can’t sign him, that’s going to push our wage levels to unsustainable levels”?

Football clubs are remarkably durable.  Most of the senior club formed in the 19th century are still in business.  The failure rate is incredibly low comparable to any industry.

The grass roots game, which Bury is a part of, is healthier in England than in anywhere in the world.  Bury over-spent, securitised their stadium and had multi-year commitments they could no longer service.  They failed because they are the worst crop in the field.

Bolton were a fixture in the Premier League when the late Phil Gartside was in charge, but the loss of revenue from that source following relegation is like nothing else in world sport.  I’m amazed we see so few failures of this nature, but by any reasonable expectation, failures like Bury and Bolton should be more common than they are.

There are those in the game who think ‘the model’ of English football is broken.  I have been reading the tea leaves of English football finances for decades.  The model looked broken before Financial Fair Play brought a correction to the market, but we will need to see a lot more Bolton and Burys fall down before that theory stands up.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

443 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 5
  5. 6
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. 12

  1. I think it is important for NL to pick every team on performance level.

     

    For example it all looks laid out for big Fraser to be the goalie for Ibrox on Sunday.

     

    However IF Craig Gordan has a really good performance in the goal he should keep the jersey.

     

    The motivation of performance and reward needs to be there for every position.

     

    I said on here after the Motherwell game [before Cluj] that Scott Bain should be dropped and Gordan back in to set a high standard.

     

    Obviously signing a player like Fraser is a bit of a game changer to the keeper situation and clearly with what earns he is ‘likely’ to be number one.

     

    I just want to see the best goalie in the net with a very high standard set..drop below that standard and the other guy comes in…this obviously applies to Scott Bain when he returns too.

  2. The list of UEFA punishments for the Rangers makes good reading.

     

     

    1 – Partial closure of a stand

     

     

    2. No away tickets

     

     

    3, Clousre of the ground

     

     

    4. A full rosary said in the blue room.

  3. Cognitive dissonance down Ibrox way…

     

     

    European participation money or beautifully exploited Orange bigot pound money……

     

     

    Who wins?

  4. Good evening friends.

     

    By this time tomorrow evening I hope that the votes are starting to flood in for your 3 best performers in the game (in no particular order). Hopefully our performance is such that the votes are wide and varied following a memorable performance where just about everyone played to their capabilities. Remember to email your votes AFTER the final whistle to CQNPOTY@GMAIL.COM .

     

    Thank you your kind attention.

  5. Lazy dynamite

     

    Keep shining the light on those perpetrating

     

    Their racism.their sectarianism.they own it.i

     

    Is my preferred choice

     

    Why not lol

     

    HH

  6. glendalystonsils on

    Cluj giving a good account of themselves in Prague . Commentator mentioning them beating us every few seconds.

  7. Racist rainjurz……………………………..

     

     

     

    Scotland’s Shame right enough.

     

    Hope our Bhoys screw the nut and ensure the spotlight remains on thems.

     

     

    Surely the Blazers and Brogues brigade will be forced to come ooot and properly kondemn the huns now?

     

     

    Fix Fitba’ Empty Hampden.

  8. Is young Bauer able to play tomorrow night ?

     

    Did he travel?

     

     

    Far away from playing…like Sunday?

     

     

    Any of this come out today…

  9. in thin is to stop crosses into box.. then you could play anyone at CH and it wouldn’t matter

  10. Watching Slavia with Dutch commentator –

     

     

    “Slavia have a corner.

     

    It’s going to be an inswinger.

     

    It’s to the far post.

     

    There is no one there.”

     

     

    Repeats the same mantra at the next corner. I used to think we were the only Club in world football who couldn’t take a decent corner. Well, now there are two.

     

     

    On another topic, if ElHamed and Jozo are still unfit on Sunday, what will be our back four?

     

    IniquitousIV

  11. So poor old Jozo is back in the doctor’s surgery once again when he is needed for the big game tomorrow night. The new Israeli lad also caught the Celtic injury curse and barely a wet day in the place.

  12. No lingerin’ interrogative searching questions from the meeja abooooot racist rainjurz…….

     

     

    naw????

     

     

    Chic, Dick or Awwy………………wots up Lads?

  13. glendalystonsils on

    HANKRAY

     

     

    Aye , it’s a bit of a worry . Maybe need to bring in another CB as Jozo is only part-time.

  14. BANKIEBHOY1 on 28TH AUGUST 2019 8:00 PM

     

     

    That’s very kind of you squire. I’m well thank you but very busy with a few things. Coincidentally we had a Trust meeting last night and we were compiling a list of all the issues which we’d been involved in because of an article we’ve been asked to contribute to. It’s an impressive list.

     

     

    I hope all is well in the deep south!

  15. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    If fit, I think Jozo is the best centre back at the club. Have we done enough to address what must be an underlying problem? Broonie, Wee Jimmy and I’m sure others have overcome recurrent injury problems to become game-in game-out stalwarts. What’s the story with Big Jozo?

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  16. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    Hi HT

     

     

     

    They’ve still no’ came back lookin’ fur me yit 👍🙏😎

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  17. Delaneys Dunky on

    Hearing that many Glasgow based Poles will be in Ibrox tomorrow night. Wearing Celtic tops and waving Irish Tricolour flag. A couple of hundred Celtic supporters Polska Celts giving Celtic songs laldy in their crowd too. Wonder how der hun will react? 😊👍🍀🇮🇪🇵🇱

  18. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    DELANEYS DUNKY on 28TH AUGUST 2019 9:13 PM

     

    ————-

     

     

    Don’t worry – I’m sure the vast majority of Berz will behave impeccably as usual (now they have managed to employ the backing of their EUFA friends to help them finally root out those 3,000 pat-time ‘sectarian’ infiltrators from within their midst).

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  19. HT……………………..

     

     

    Good on yer. my missus is similarly busy at the mo’…………back to the chalk face!

     

     

    KTF

     

     

    HH.

  20. Cluj go 1 down on 66 (2 – 0 agg) in what’s been a poor game – lots of long punts and bad passes

  21. Big Georges Fanj Club…………..If memory serves me correctly the club sent Broonie to America to have his recurring ankle problem successfully sorted.

  22. Surprised to see no new article on site or from P67

     

     

    Let me use my crystal ball on this one…

     

     

    No signing, no good enough, penny pinching, haggling – bore bore

     

     

    We’ve signed someone?

     

     

    He’s not good enough. Basement buy, so much for 3 we get that – ad nauseum

     

     

    Do I win a prize?

     

     

    Hail Hail 💚🍀

  23. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    HANKRAY on 28TH AUGUST 2019 9:23 PM

     

    Big Georges Fanj Club…………

     

     

    ———————-

     

     

    “…Fanj Club…” – is it just my dirty mind, but does that sound somehow…well…rude ??? :-))

     

     

    HT/DD :-))))))

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  24. Big Georges Fan Club - Hail, Hail, Wee Oscar on

    HANKRAY on 28TH AUGUST 2019 9:23 PM

     

    Big Georges Fanj Club…………..If memory serves me correctly the club sent Broonie to America to have his recurring ankle problem successfully sorted.

     

    —————————-

     

     

    Notwithstanding my mucky mind – that does strike a bell with me now you mention it.

     

     

    Just wonder if there is something to be done that can similarly aid Jozo’s career – I’d hope so.

     

     

    With the new right back in place today, ElHamed can also give us a bit more centre-back cover, so now would be a good time (during closed-season would have been better, but lack of cover means it wouldn’t have been possible).

  25. Cluj out to Slavia Prague and drop into Europa League. Apoel and Lask drop down also.

     

    Slavia might struggle to pick up many points with an average group draw

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 5
  5. 6
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. 12