Beyond the Debt

[spursphil]

The link provides a video of a supporters meeting of FC United fans discussing the present day crisis involving our clubs and the level of debt in the game.

http://www.vimeo.com/9942643

Guests at the meeting include a member of fan owned club Schalke 04, someone from the pompeytrust and also someone from AFC Wimbledon.
I can honestly say that i have been disillusioned with the premier league since its formation, the model is not sustainable and the younger generation cannot afford to attend games like my generation did.
The Germans seem to have so much more social responcibilty its untrue, their model is one i would love to see us adopt, if only the fans would stand up and be counted.

Schalke ticket prices

http://www.schalke04.com/tickets/ticket-prices.html

Maybe its why i have so much admiration for the fans of FC United, they had the balls to break away from old trafford when Glazer took over as the bastard priced them out.
I went to a pre season game between AFC Wimbledon & FC United and chatted to both sets of fans, they are an inspiration.

enjoy the video.

 

[Real_madyidd]

AFC Wimbledon are in no way inspirational. They are just normal football fans. It's a nice story, but hardly that amazing given the amount of fans that were suddenly left without a club.

 

[Blockbuster]

Yeah AFC is slightly different from FC United, Wimbledon's team got taken out of London and renamed. Effectively ending that club and all its history.

I Can only hope AFC make it into the League at some point and Merton Council grow a set of balls and be proud to have a Football team in its borough and NEVER let a club be forced out.
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While Manchester United are having success FC United will never take off, if they was having a shitter and going down then yes fans would leave because they are fickle and would rather THEN make a statement.

 

[myhartlane]

Haven't looked at the video yet but yes, I agree with your assessment of the way that German clubs are run.

A friend of mine is an 1860 Munich fan and yes, the club is a sort of cooperative, held in trust by the members. Unlike at our club, membership just means permission to be able to buy (inflated) tickets.

Also agree that the Premier League is scandalously self serving, seemingly benefiting only those directly owning or employed by the 'clubs'.

I think that we in the UK (not just regarding football) could learn a lot from our European neighbours rather than constantly aping the rampant commercialism of the U$A.

 

[fieryjack]

A lot of German grounds still have standing, which would surely make a difference to prices. I dont see why, with season tickets and memberships, why we cant have standing areas. Football prices, as probably with a lot things, across europe seem to be cheaper than here.
£5 for a seat at Shakhtar last year. Happy days.

 

[SpunkyBackpack]

Its always nice as an Exeter City fan to be able to chant 'we own our football club' at other teams, made the defeat at Elland Road in the summer a bit more bearable to see the Leeds fans faces, they went through such crap cos of their owners and the ECFC Supprters Trust had to buy our own club just to keep it alive, and the fact they hate Man Utd so much and it was the FA Cup games against Man Utd thjat effectively saved us.



Tickets are still bloody expensive though, even to stand up.