28-08-2019, 12:27
The truth is that football itself is based on an unsustainable model. The club I've supported all my life is tied by debt to an owner who'd drown it in the canal if it weren't for the fact he would then certainly lose the millions he's owed. As we can only ever pay off the interest on our debt we are locked in a death spiral with him. Our existence has become a form of illusion - he'd like to sell us, but he wouldn't get far on Dragon's Den when he "drilled down into the numbers." He'd very quickly be asked whether his successful enterprises were part of the package and when they weren't, he'd be back in the lift.
We are sustained by our fans' belief we really exist. Clubs from the Championship down sustain their fans on this gruel of lies. It's zombie football. I feel terrible for the Bury fans. Their owner is a crook, but no one should be able to buy a club and set about destroying part of a community for £1. But the hierarchy of the FA and EFL are plucky amateurs who sometimes find themselves swimming with sharks. Their procedures, rules and punishments are inadequate. Why must Bury be condemned to death? Why couldn't they be suspended for the season and relegated if they are capable of re-forming next season? The EFL could work with them (the fans and whoever remains) to examine efforts to sell and re-form the club and, though they'd be coming back from scratch, at least they wouldn't be coming back from the dead. As things stand the football authorities allow a serial prick to become a club owner and eventually are forced to put to death the club's twitching and drained remains because they have no other option.
Blackpool somehow rode out the Oystons, Notts County have just about managed to save their Danish bacon, Bolton is looking bleak and Oldham is looking even bleaker than in real life. I hate what has happened to Bury but there are plenty of dead men walking out there.
We are sustained by our fans' belief we really exist. Clubs from the Championship down sustain their fans on this gruel of lies. It's zombie football. I feel terrible for the Bury fans. Their owner is a crook, but no one should be able to buy a club and set about destroying part of a community for £1. But the hierarchy of the FA and EFL are plucky amateurs who sometimes find themselves swimming with sharks. Their procedures, rules and punishments are inadequate. Why must Bury be condemned to death? Why couldn't they be suspended for the season and relegated if they are capable of re-forming next season? The EFL could work with them (the fans and whoever remains) to examine efforts to sell and re-form the club and, though they'd be coming back from scratch, at least they wouldn't be coming back from the dead. As things stand the football authorities allow a serial prick to become a club owner and eventually are forced to put to death the club's twitching and drained remains because they have no other option.
Blackpool somehow rode out the Oystons, Notts County have just about managed to save their Danish bacon, Bolton is looking bleak and Oldham is looking even bleaker than in real life. I hate what has happened to Bury but there are plenty of dead men walking out there.