I have been watching football, Manchester United who won the European Cup in 1968, since the late 1960s early 70s. In fact, my first game at Old Trafford was a 1-1 draw with Coventry City in March 1970. I was privileged to watch the Holy Trinity of Best, Charlton and Law play, Best being the greatest player even to this day I have seen play, not on the television but live. The nearest to Best I have seen is probably Ryan Giggs. But nearest is about it, not equal. And those I have seen live includes Maradona, Christiano Ronaldo, Cruyff but never Pele.
The game then was all we lived for and as I sat in the main stand at Old Trafford listening to the Stretford Enders in full cry, I determined that in not too many years that would be the terracing, the end, I would be frequenting. While I sat, mesmerised by the crowd, a sea of red and white swaying from side to side and an electric atmosphere. My dad would be drinking Double Diamond ale in the bar while mam accosted Matt Busby for his autograph.
As a nine-year old I was too young by a mile to stand on the Stretford End, would have been crushed to death without a doubt. The culture of football then was all encompassing, it belonged to us, the working-class, and would always do so. At the other end of the East Lancs. Road no doubt some young scouser would have been sat in the Kemlyn Road stand at Anfield taking in the atmosphere generated by the Kop. Those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end as the Mary Hopkins song went: or in football terms at United, Those were the days my friend, we are the Stretford End. And to put those experiences into words is difficult to say the least. At Liverpool their song was you’ll never walk alone, and at Old Trafford we sang; you’ll never walk again so as not to be accused of nicking Liverpool’s [though some say Celtic sang it first] song.
During the late 60s and early 1970s song sheets were given out at the Stretford End before games with the latest imaginative make up or alteration of words from a popular hit parade song of the day. A similar scene was enacted on Merseyside, especially with the “Merseybeat” of the day.
During the late 60s and early 1970s song sheets were given out at the Stretford End before games with the latest imaginative make up or alteration of words from a popular hit parade song of the day. A similar scene was enacted on Merseyside, especially with the “Merseybeat” of the day.
By 1974 I had gravitated to the Stretford End terracing and what an experience. My first game was against Bristol City when we were in the second division, maintaining the highest average attendance in all four divisions. We lost 1-0 our only home league defeat of the season.
Back in the 70s Saturday was the only day of the week which mattered, unless we had a mid-week game, League Cup, FA Cup replay or, later in the decade a European game. Some of us, after about the fourth year of so-called schooling would jig off and go to the match instead, getting the train from York to Manchester, just over an hour travelling taking a carryout of alcohol with us. These were the days of the Red Army and so-called hooliganism which, for all our faults, we did in the firm belief we were fighting for United and they’d thank us for it.
When Tommy Docherty took the reins as the manager he said, along the lines of; for all the trouble these fans cause away from home, I would not swap them for the world. This gave credence to our misguided belief the club appreciated all we did for them and, as Matt Busby once said, ‘Football is nothing without fans’ echoed by something similar by Jock Stein at Celtic. The great managers of the sixties were, Matt Busby, the eldest and original post war modern manager, Bill Shankly at Liverpool and Jock Stein at Celtic. All three were born and grew up within twenty miles of each other, and all were proudly working-class.
As the seventies gave way to the eighties various utterings, which nobody gave much thought to could be heard. In 1989 for example a man called Michael Knighton was rumoured to be attempting to buy Man Utd, I thought it was earlier but maybe my memories are masked by so many events, but looking back this was a new-phenomena, we had all got used to the Edwards family owning United.
As the seventies gave way to the eighties various utterings, which nobody gave much thought to could be heard. In 1989 for example a man called Michael Knighton was rumoured to be attempting to buy Man Utd, I thought it was earlier but maybe my memories are masked by so many events, but looking back this was a new-phenomena, we had all got used to the Edwards family owning United.
Also, in 1989 the terrible events at Hillsborough occurred resulting in ninety-six Liverpool fans being crushed to death. I firmly believe the establishment had a hand in this, possible murder because for years they had been looking for a credible excuse to push up prices and increase profits. Despite the Taylor report into the events at the 1989 FA Cup Semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest absorbing any blame from the terraces - ‘terracing was not the cause’ I believe were the findings - clubs with government backing introduced all seater stadia. Prices rocketed and profits soared on the backs of the deceased Liverpool fans. Call that a cynical analysis but it is one which I have held for many years and nothing has happened since to change my mind, even though Liverpool are our enemy in football terms I would be with them on this one. It was cold blooded murder, because if it was planned an incident would occur, whether the outcome was worse than intended it was still deliberate!
As the eighties surrendered to the nineties, and on top of the all-seater stadia which many working-class people could/cannot afford, the powers that be in football scrapped the old four division format, replacing the old First Division with the FA Premier League for the 1992/93 season. As part of the overall deal came lucrative television rights for the bigger clubs once again increasing profits. Whether fans could afford to attend games any longer was of no significance to the clubs or the powers that be in football. The writing was on the wall then but we couldn’t see it, though some of us cast a concerning eye at this direction our game was taking. Recently this direction has culminated with many bizarre new ideas, which will almost exclude supporters below a certain income from attending. Many years ago, a man named Bob Lord the Chairman of Burnley FC, said he could envisage a day when fans at games would not be needed!
A few years ago, ideas were floating around about the formation of a European Super League, involving the top Premier League clubs and Spanish giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona along with Juventus, AC Milan and International from Italy. The idea appeared to die away after a deal was struck with the Premier League, and other countries equivalents, and UEFA securing more money for the big clubs – greedy bastards all of them – but in recent days news has been coming through that this idea has been resurrected!
A few years ago, ideas were floating around about the formation of a European Super League, involving the top Premier League clubs and Spanish giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona along with Juventus, AC Milan and International from Italy. The idea appeared to die away after a deal was struck with the Premier League, and other countries equivalents, and UEFA securing more money for the big clubs – greedy bastards all of them – but in recent days news has been coming through that this idea has been resurrected!
Early on Sunday afternoon I received an email from MUST (Manchester United Supporters Trust) informing me and other members that the club, Man Utd, was again with others trying to engage in a “European Super League: Five clubs sign up to breakaway league in challenge to UEFA plans” was the email. These plans of UEFAs are the new thirty-six team so-called Champions League next term which, in itself is bad enough but this super league is something else. Since Sunday the five clubs have become six with Man City also signalling their intent to join this breakaway league.
The six organisations from the English Premier League involved in this even further betrayal of the fans are; Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. They are arguing the money received from the Premier League and UEFA, along with television rights are insufficient, therefore they are intent on forming a European Super League. The Spanish and Italian giants will also be involved in this new money grabbing [fuck the fans] venture. Of course, it could be another attempt at forcing the Premier League, and television companies, along with UEFA into giving them even more money. If this ploy works, for a second time, then bet your house every five years or so they will come back with more threats unless more cash is forthcoming. These football clubs today are not so much sporting organisations with a business side, they are transnational corporations which happen to have a football team!
UEFA, it could be reasonably argued, started this when in 1992/93 they introduced the UEFA Champions League, which is a contradiction, replacing the European Champions Cup. The difference being entry into this misleadingly called Champions League, unlike the European Champions Cup a team does not have to be the domestic champions. For example, a few years ago, Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspurs in the final, yet neither Liverpool or Spurs were champions of England, a clear contradiction. How can a team be champions of Europe if they are not even champions of England?
UEFA, it could be reasonably argued, started this when in 1992/93 they introduced the UEFA Champions League, which is a contradiction, replacing the European Champions Cup. The difference being entry into this misleadingly called Champions League, unlike the European Champions Cup a team does not have to be the domestic champions. For example, a few years ago, Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspurs in the final, yet neither Liverpool or Spurs were champions of England, a clear contradiction. How can a team be champions of Europe if they are not even champions of England?
But it is not important whether teams are champions or not, what matters is more clubs taking part increasing profits. Now UEFA want to expand the Champions League again to increase the numbers and revenue again, but this has given the even greedier [if that is possible] clubs and idea of resurrecting their old plot. They will take all the money, not just the already sizable cut they receive from UEFA and TV rights, in their own mega rich super league they take the lot. UEFA, for their part are opposed to this, not out of loyalty to football or the supporters, but because they have lost control of the purse strings. The monster they created back in 1992 is now out of control, and will continue to be so! Dr Frankenstein, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, has lost control of the monster created by his predecessors!! The villagers, football fans, are running around terrified of the monster, the European Super league.
Back in 1961 the £20 per week maximum wage a footballer could earn was abolished. The players trade union, the PFA (Professional Footballers Association) had campaigned for years, rightly so, to get this barrier removed. PFA Chairman, Jimmy Hill of Fulham, succeeded in this quest and not long after fellow Fulham player, Johnny Haynes, became the first £100 per week player. This interjection by the PFA was nothing more than any trade union, on behalf of their members, should have done. Wages, again rightly so, continued to rise steadily and in the late sixties or early seventies George Best justified his £20,000 per year quite simply; "I am an entertainer, I turn up and entertain every week [which he did in those days] and am worth the money." He went on to liken himself, as an entertainer, to the Rolling Stones who "get £4,000,000 for one concert’ they are entertainers as am I but I play nine months of the year week in week out." A fair argument Georgie, very well put and even today footballers as far as the entertainment wages go are nowhere near the top, even the best paid. Boyzone get, like the Rolling Stones before them, more for a couple of concerts, plus record royalties, than say Paul Pogba gets in a season. Players wages are not the problem, it is greedy owners like the Glazers at Man United or John Henry and Tom Werner of Fenway Sports who own Liverpool. Remember the highest paid players are few by comparison with the number who do not receive the mega bucks. All these people, the owners, see football as is a business, to make money profit on profit year on year like all capitalist institutions. And if you ask them, they’ll tell you so.
Back in 2005 an aggressive takeover of Manchester United was launched by US billionaire, Malcom Glazer. He had business interests in the USA and, like Tom Werner, owned sporting interests in the US, interests which bore no resemblance to football. The object appears to have been, and still is, is to Americanise football. To these people football clubs, which they have no feelings for, are mere toys to be bought and sold at a whim. They have no understanding of the supporters, the culture, the hearts and souls of football. They only understand how much money can be made for themselves and sod everything else.
Back in 1961 the £20 per week maximum wage a footballer could earn was abolished. The players trade union, the PFA (Professional Footballers Association) had campaigned for years, rightly so, to get this barrier removed. PFA Chairman, Jimmy Hill of Fulham, succeeded in this quest and not long after fellow Fulham player, Johnny Haynes, became the first £100 per week player. This interjection by the PFA was nothing more than any trade union, on behalf of their members, should have done. Wages, again rightly so, continued to rise steadily and in the late sixties or early seventies George Best justified his £20,000 per year quite simply; "I am an entertainer, I turn up and entertain every week [which he did in those days] and am worth the money." He went on to liken himself, as an entertainer, to the Rolling Stones who "get £4,000,000 for one concert’ they are entertainers as am I but I play nine months of the year week in week out." A fair argument Georgie, very well put and even today footballers as far as the entertainment wages go are nowhere near the top, even the best paid. Boyzone get, like the Rolling Stones before them, more for a couple of concerts, plus record royalties, than say Paul Pogba gets in a season. Players wages are not the problem, it is greedy owners like the Glazers at Man United or John Henry and Tom Werner of Fenway Sports who own Liverpool. Remember the highest paid players are few by comparison with the number who do not receive the mega bucks. All these people, the owners, see football as is a business, to make money profit on profit year on year like all capitalist institutions. And if you ask them, they’ll tell you so.
Back in 2005 an aggressive takeover of Manchester United was launched by US billionaire, Malcom Glazer. He had business interests in the USA and, like Tom Werner, owned sporting interests in the US, interests which bore no resemblance to football. The object appears to have been, and still is, is to Americanise football. To these people football clubs, which they have no feelings for, are mere toys to be bought and sold at a whim. They have no understanding of the supporters, the culture, the hearts and souls of football. They only understand how much money can be made for themselves and sod everything else.
A group of disillusioned Manchester United fans did the once unthinkable. They formed their own Man Utd, FC United of Manchester, essentially Manchester United Football Club almost in reverse, was born. FCUM which I have been a member since 2005 are Manchester United’s cultural soul and conscience. Built on democratic principles of one member one vote and operating on a not-for-profit basis we are still around, despite the higher echelons at Old Trafford writing us off and calling us “self-publicists” – Mr Ferguson!
Let us now be clear, the only way football fans of the so-called Big Six are going to put the break on this madness is through direct action. I know it cannot be done as we did in the seventies, calling for boycotts at Old Trafford until the owner, Louis Edwards, removed his threat to increase prices. By placing pickets on turnstiles, the crowds dipped and Edwards thought again. Today things are not that simple. Tickets or 90% of them are bought before the season starts which is why a half empty Emirates stadium, modern home to Arsenal, claimed the crowd was almost 60,000 one night when it was clear if they had reached 40,000 they would have been doing well. The tickets had already been sold and whether fans turned up or not was of little if any consequence to the club’s owners.
Let us now be clear, the only way football fans of the so-called Big Six are going to put the break on this madness is through direct action. I know it cannot be done as we did in the seventies, calling for boycotts at Old Trafford until the owner, Louis Edwards, removed his threat to increase prices. By placing pickets on turnstiles, the crowds dipped and Edwards thought again. Today things are not that simple. Tickets or 90% of them are bought before the season starts which is why a half empty Emirates stadium, modern home to Arsenal, claimed the crowd was almost 60,000 one night when it was clear if they had reached 40,000 they would have been doing well. The tickets had already been sold and whether fans turned up or not was of little if any consequence to the club’s owners.
What fans must do is not purchase season tickets [many FCUM fans threw theirs in a skip in 2005 never to renew them] not give any money to Sky or any other cable or satellite broadcasters and this must be done in all countries involved in this money grabbing theft of what was once our game. The problem is, how many fans will do this? Very few of todays what Roy Keane correctly termed the ‘prawn sandwich brigade’ would be prepared to take any action against the brigands who are ruining our game. This makes them almost complicit by handing over their money, for merchandise and tickets at inflated prices, to these bandits calling themselves businessmen. Businessmen they may be but their knowledge of football, or interest in the game is zero.
Just to remind people, football is a game, a sport, not a business and despite all the narratives we hear constantly telling us that “it is a business now” we must not listen to this clap-trap. In American sports, which are not really sports at all moreover they are businesses with a sporting edge, such matters as promotion and relegation do not exist. This is to ensure the business owners get a constant return, no lower than the previous year in terms of profits, on their investments. Football is not like this model, relegation and promotion, winning and losing are part and parcel of the game. If a team gets relegated then obviously within the capitalist world financial returns will be lower.
Just to remind people, football is a game, a sport, not a business and despite all the narratives we hear constantly telling us that “it is a business now” we must not listen to this clap-trap. In American sports, which are not really sports at all moreover they are businesses with a sporting edge, such matters as promotion and relegation do not exist. This is to ensure the business owners get a constant return, no lower than the previous year in terms of profits, on their investments. Football is not like this model, relegation and promotion, winning and losing are part and parcel of the game. If a team gets relegated then obviously within the capitalist world financial returns will be lower.
There have been exceptions to the rule and one would have been when Manchester United were relegated back in 1974 to the second division their crowds held and even increased as did turnstile receipts. If this European Super League goes ahead the twelve or fifteen founding clubs cannot be relegated and are guaranteed top level football each year thus maintaining the owner’s profits. This is of course foreign to the game and, therefore in real terms, it ceases to be a game. Football is a game and when a game becomes primarily a business it is the beginning of the end.
The logical conclusion to such folly is the events of the past few days, whether the Super league goes ahead or not it is about money. If it does not go ahead the clubs will have squeezed more money out of UEFA and in England the Premier League, a monster waiting to pounce for the last three decades. Obviously under capitalist conditions a business edge has to be present, but secondary to the game itself. Events over the last three decades have culminated in what is happening now and, for what it is worth, if this continues unfettered things will deteriorate further, fact!
What Manchester United, and others, are doing now [I am using United primarily as an example because that is the team I was brought up with and followed everywhere, home, away and abroad] is besmirching the memory of Sir Matt Busby, the man who built United - remember ‘Football Without Fans is Nothing’. Well today, and with this proposed Super League fans count for nothing. Imagine having to travel to an away game in say, Milan, every other week. Who could afford that apart from the millionaire class? Could this be a precursor to an even greater money grabbing scheme, as the UEFA Champions league was to the proposed increases in the number of clubs involved in that league has obviously had some bearing on this racket, the next logical step could be a World Super Soccer League. This hypothetical league could involve all the South American teams, Santos, Bocca Juniors etc. take action now before it is too late, if it is not already.
What Manchester United, and others, are doing now [I am using United primarily as an example because that is the team I was brought up with and followed everywhere, home, away and abroad] is besmirching the memory of Sir Matt Busby, the man who built United - remember ‘Football Without Fans is Nothing’. Well today, and with this proposed Super League fans count for nothing. Imagine having to travel to an away game in say, Milan, every other week. Who could afford that apart from the millionaire class? Could this be a precursor to an even greater money grabbing scheme, as the UEFA Champions league was to the proposed increases in the number of clubs involved in that league has obviously had some bearing on this racket, the next logical step could be a World Super Soccer League. This hypothetical league could involve all the South American teams, Santos, Bocca Juniors etc. take action now before it is too late, if it is not already.
Caoimhin - The Workers' Party has criticised the plans for a European Super League as stealing football from working class communities.
ReplyDeleteDavid Gardiner, Workers' Party representative for Palmerstown-Fonthill in Dublin, said:
"The plan for a European Super League is an attempt by greedy billionaires to rob working class communities of our own game."
Gardiner, a St Patrick's Athletic supporter, continued:
"As far as the owners are concerned, football clubs are just brands. They don't care one bit about the impact this will have on football so long as they can profit from it."
"Irish clubs like Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers, based in their respective local communities, have benefited from European qualification in recent years, but this plan would see a significant chunk of the money in football already ring fenced for the biggest clubs rather than being earned fairly."
Chris Bailie, Workers' Party representative for Oldpark in Belfast, said:
"It's football supporters who make a football club what it is and, despite our almost universal opposition to the plan, the billionaires owners will go ahead with it anyway.
Bailie, a Cliftonville supporter, also said:
"The supporters of the clubs involved hardly benefit either. It already costs enough to support football, but this plan would mean that to follow your team you could be paying for weekly trips around Europe as well as an increased Sky Sports subscription, who can afford that? We're being priced out of our game."
"Once again, billionaires in suits are trying to make money off of the back of ordinary working people."
If we're going to say the problem isn't players' wages, because they are "entertainers [who] turn up and entertain every week and [are] worth the money"… if we’re going to compare them to rock stars who play concerts for colossal sums of money... isn't this pretty similar to the arguments that the soulless mercenary owners of the 12 ESL clubs would use?
ReplyDeleteBoth arguments basically represent the view that “you’re worth what you can pick up in any market”.
Soulless mercenaries (known as promoters) make fancy money out of concerts, in much the same way as the ESL owner-bastards want to.
The ESL proposals were horrific, appalling, apocalyptic…. Strange days when the actions of Chelsea fans produce respect from a Celtic supporter, but fair play to them this week.
We all want football to remain the people’s game.
However, if “the people” don’t consider the astronomical sums paid to some entertainers (or “players”, as they’re sometimes called) to be problematic, then the logic of history is probably against us.
In considering the ESL, as with many aspects of neo-liberalism, we would do well to look at ourselves.
AM
ReplyDeleteThe Workers Party (Sticks) are correct on this one. The capitalist elite may be licking their wounds from this battle, but they will be back. It has been a great victory for the fans, action not seen since 2005 at Old Trafford against the Glazer takeover. Chelsea sent down their former keeper, Peter Czech (hope the spellings right, sorry if not) to pacify their protesting fans. At Old Trafford back in 2005 the board, who had just sold out to Glazer, sent Bobby Charlton down to pacify the angry supporters. In both cases club legends who the board knew would not be assaulted.
This fans victory reminds me a little of the trade union victories in the workplace during the post war political consensus. During the 50s, 60s and early to mid 70's the unions scored great victories. Then i 1979 the right-wing government (for want of a better description) came to power, she was determined to finally get rid of the consensus. The capitalist class rubbed tgeir hands with glee and took back all and more the unions had won. Now, the fans have scored a great victory but the elite will be back, and back with a vengance. The only way to prevent this is for the common ownership, by the fans, of all clubs. Similar to FC United of Manchester, born out of the events at Old Trafford in 2005.
Caoimhin - somehow I messed up posting the signed comment you sent through. Anyway, while many think it is a tactical ploy to squeeze out more money rather than a real intent to break, they will be back at it. Every way I look at this, it seems greed driven. Not much to disagree with on the Workers' Party take.
DeleteI'm lucky enough to have seen Best, Ronaldo (Madrid) and Messi (Argentina) play in the flesh and all three were far beyond the rest on the pitch.
ReplyDeleteDoubt any of them would play for free.
Steve R
DeleteI too was lucky enough to see Best, before he went of the rails, and to this day he is the greatest player, including Law and Charlton who were brilliant, I have ever seen. I saw Maradona three times in one year, twice at the Nou Camp where he failed to impress and once at Old Trafford on that famous night back in 1984 when we overcame a 2-0 deficit to win 3-0. Maradona failed again to impress, but do not take that to mean he was a bad player, he was not he was brilliant on his day. I struck unlucky, or lucky depending on your point of view and was glad he played shite at Old Trafford making United's job easier.
I saw Ronaldo and, yes he was a cut above those around him bay far, but not a George Best. As I suggested, Ryan Giggs was perhaps the nearest I have seen to best but nearest doeas not equal as god as!
I agree none of them would "play for free"
Caoimhin O'Muraile
Ramon the Wolf
ReplyDeletePlayers are employees selling their "labour power" for a monetary wage. under capitalist conditions work becomes a form of prostitution, selling to the highest bidder. Footballers are no exception and, compared to the club owners who provide not even entertainment, they do provide a serivice. As long as it is accepted that "football is a business", which I do not, then such things as this misleadingly called European Super League is the logical shameful conclusion. How can it be a super league? It involves seven cities and a dozen teams hardly super.
The parasites who formed, or attempted to form (and they'll be back, perhaps with Celtic and Rangers on board) this ESL are employers, exploiters of labour, including the players, and supporters alike are the sould beneficiaries of this league. It is not correct to equate players who, despite their many faults, are not in the same bracket as the club owners.
These people, the owners, Glazers and the like of, do not need or want the football fan. The fan who attends every game and follows away and, where applicable abroad, are not the kind of people these parasites want. They want what are becoming known as "legacy fans" who are not fans at all really. These are people who turn up a few times a season, using the same season ticket, and buy various mega stores out of regalia spending a fortune. Whether they attend the game or not is irrelevant the tickets are sold before the season. The Glazers have never regarded supporters at Old Trafford as fans, but customers and that is official. If anybody had told me back in the seventies, when we were the most vocal ground in England, things would end up like this I'd have had them certified.
I did notice one thing, the players who claimed they opposed this venture and I believe they did, never mentioned industrial action to back up their opposition!!!!
Caoimhin O'Muraile
Makes one think, what a wonderful organisation the GAA, warts and all,is.
ReplyDeleteWould have thought Falcao would have been the player you mentioned lol
DeleteWhy I will never give up on football
ReplyDelete