SHA's euro trips in doubt

[Hillbilly]

The Grauniad is reporting that Blues might not be granted a licence to play in the Euro Vase next season. The reason is their dodgy financials.

I'm a bit torn on this. While it's always heartening to see bad stuff happen to them, it seems unfair to deny the players and fans because of the dodgy owners. The fans are first and far away the custodians of the club. The players who put in the effort a distant second and the owners an unfortunate fact of life like herpes or George Osbourne.

Any thoughts?

[nico2708]

europe is a better place without Small Heath

[cdbearsfan]

While it would be quite amusing, are their finances really much dodgier than most of the qualifiers from Eastern Europe/Italy etc?

[JJ-AV]

Meh, it'd be funny, but Europe will have a detrimental affect on their season.

TBH I'm not particularly bothered either way, we'll finish above 'em this season and we'll do the same again next season. They aren't a worry of mine unless we're playing them.

[The Left Side]

I would love it if they weren't allowed in Europe.

[eamonn]

The gift that keeps on giving?

[Salsa Party Animal]

They should do it otherwise their fans will wreck the host city.

[willywombat]

 The fans are first and far away the custodians of the club.

That's precisely why it would be so enjoyable

[villan1975]

They have to be allowed otherwise they may protest again and all twelve of them could end up getting lost again which altough funny is a bit embarrassing.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Put yourself in the position of the travelling supporters from the other European teams faced with the prospect of having to visit St Andrews.

A freezing cold Thursday night in December thousands of miles away against Lokomotive Backendofnowhere or Small Heath ?

Penned in a corner of the ground surrounded by 60,000 fanatical flare throwing kebab wielding Turks who are just getting restless as they have all been in the ground for 18 hours waiting for kick off or Small Heath ?

A trip to an Iceleandic village team where on the day of the game you cant even go to the cashpoint anymore when you want a pint of lager because all the banks have been closed down or Small Heath ?

Yes, if I was them I would rather be beaten up by Russian gangsters/Istanbul prison guards/angry cod fishermen than accept the hand of international friendship from a bunch of knuckle draggers who probably still think its called the Inter Cities Fairs Cup.

On the positive side if they stay in, we will shift a few extra items at the souvenir shop. Any fans from visiting European teams are sure to pay a visit to B6 during their daytime itinery before going there for the game in the evening.

[flybo]

europe is a better place without Small Heath

And so is Birmingham

[SashasGrandad]

europe is a better place without Small Heath

And so is Birmingham

I think they should bulldozer all of Small Heath to make way for the HIgh Speed Trains

Can't agree with Iceland comment above - it was a very pleasant trip a couple of years ago. The locals were very friendly - especially as they were spending our money from their failed banks!

[Lambert and Payne]

I don't want them to get the revenue from it, i don't want them in there enjoying it and would love to see them all gutted that they got there hopes up. Although it would be funny if they lost alot of players left to make some money back and got embaressed by the likes of TNS

[WikiVilla]

They will be thrown out of Europe after their first away game anyway due to crowd trouble

[SashasGrandad]

I bet the bindippers are going to get involved as they might see it as a way to get a European place. It looks like only 5th place will get a Europa spot.

When they get out of bed (about lunchtime) and see this they will start bleating about how they have some right to European football as they invented it etc.