Wednesday 14 November 2012

Without You I'm Nothing....



Stepping onto Swiss Ramble's turf with using Music Lyrics/Album Titles but I find that quote very apt this morning as It should be Football Club's mantra to fans, but it isn't.

Twitter feed was full of tweets and pictures and re-tweets last night of tickets for the NLD which instantly makes me jealous, I love that fixture, I can even remember being on the North Bank as a boy for a boring 0-0 in 96 (Platt scored a disallowed header) on a Monday night but the buzz was amazing, ticket was £12.00 for North Bank Lower, Saturday's game tickets are going for £94.50. People are being priced out of football and it's the salt of the earth, core fan that's suffering.

I simply can't afford it anymore, I've been Arsenal for 25 years now, sure I watch European Football but if St-Etienne lose then meh, I follow them because I have an affinity for the place and some good friends there. But if Arsenal lose, it affects my whole weekend and forthcoming week, and I and you know hundreds of people the same, and they're suffering too.

I started going to football because of my Dad. That's the main reason I love going, the people, the tension, the atmosphere, the anticipation, the last minute goals that have you leaving the stadium talking and not stopping till you get home, only to watch the match again, I have favourite players but they come and go, the shirt, the foundations and the support stay the same but recently in "Modern Football" it doesn't - more and more corporate people are finding their way into football which is squeezing the average fan out.

Now I don't mind the prices going up if the end result is more investment to the team leading to success, but I do mind when it's going to some guy with a really bad wig or dyejob's holding company in Delaware who has no clue about football and never to be seen again. And I really mind when said people have the cheek to look so offended when points like these are written.

It's not just Premier League though, on the weekends when Arsenal were away in the early 90's - me and Dalton Senior used to go and watch my home-town team Wycombe Wanderers (I'm born 30 miles from the Emirates so I'm not sure I'm proper Arsenal, and the Irish thing comes from the fact I have an Irish Passport and 96% Irish Family) - Used to be £6 for Dad and £4 for me - A day out came to no more than £20 - You'd be lucky to get one ticket for £20 now even in the lower leagues - hence the massive problem with attendances and fanbase.


Without You I'm Nothing - Football clubs should listen - But carry on losing their identities.


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