Have we become a feeder club ?

[phantom limb]

Everyone is a "feeder club" if the price is right. It's a nonsense. Sell high and buy low, unfortunately we failed to replace players such as Barry, Young, Milner and that's why we've struggled. I hope that we won't make the same mistakes again.

[sendô WHU]

Every club is a "feeder club" for want of a better term these days. The gulf in money, the mercenary movement of players and the want everything now at any price generation is so great that even clubs like Arsenal cannot hold onto their top stars, with the likes of RVP moving to Man Utd, Fabregas going to Barcelona or Ashley Cole going to Chelsea.

Even Man Utd couldn't stop Ronaldo going to Real Madrid. Long gone are the days when middle sized clubs could build a decent side, hold onto the core players and supplement the side to make a push for the title. It's now an endless cycle of the lofty heights of mid table, followed by a fire sale of the best players, their being replaced with mediocrity and subsequent relegation battles.

[olaftab]

We are a feeder club like Arsenal etc etc

[midnite]

Every club is a "feeder club" for want of a better term these days. The gulf in money, the mercenary movement of players and the want everything now at any price generation is so great that even clubs like Arsenal cannot hold onto their top stars, with the likes of RVP moving to Man Utd, Fabregas going to Barcelona or Ashley Cole going to Chelsea.

Even Man Utd couldn't stop Ronaldo going to Real Madrid. Long gone are the days when middle sized clubs could build a decent side, hold onto the core players and supplement the side to make a push for the title. It's now an endless cycle of the lofty heights of mid table, followed by a fire sale of the best players, their being replaced with mediocrity and subsequent relegation battles.

So very true.

The only way not to be a feeder club is to owned by the richest people on the planet.

[Karl Bridges]

Anyone outside of the Champs League is a sitting duck.

[5ft811st2 Durham]

Irrelevant really that Man U sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid , that's the only player they've lost against their will that I can think of for a quarter of a century.

On the other hand if Ferguson wants any of our players he only has to click his fingers. 
 
The only other clubs that currently can't be pilfered are Man City and Chelsea.

All other clubs in the prem are definitely to a lesser or greater extent feeder clubs.

[Percy McCarthy]

Arsenal are in the Champions League, and they're still a sitting duck.

Being in the Premier League is still a huge draw for players in most European leagues though, even if their teams are in the Champions League. We need to get the scouting right (and stay up, obviously).

[old man villa fan]

The reality is that there are not enough quality players to go aroung to match the money in the game today, both in the UK and Europe (and it is also stretching worldwide now).

Until there is a relative parity in playing strength of those clubs that want to and have the ability to spend money, football will never be competitive again.  Is now the time for the super rich clubs to go away and play in a league on their own and leave the national leagues to the rest.

[danlanza]

The reality is that there are not enough quality players to go aroung to match the money in the game today, both in the UK and Europe (and it is also stretching worldwide now).

Until there is a relative parity in playing strength of those clubs that want to and have the ability to spend money, football will never be competitive again.  Is now the time for the super rich clubs to go away and play in a league on their own and leave the national leagues to the rest.

Now that could be very interesting. All the top clubs from around the world playing in one league together. Maybe it would take to much revenue away from the Prem though ?

[Percy McCarthy]

Hmm, not sure. Be interesting to see how a truly competitive league with away fans and local rivalries would compare to a league with the best players but no promotion/relegation and lots of meaningless games.

[martin o`who??]

We`ve been a Feeder club since the day we sold Bruce Rioch to Arsenal.

[Percy McCarthy]

It was Derby. And way before that, Trevor Ford, Danny Blanchflower, Gerry Hitchens.....

Maybe it started with Frank Barson.

[Quiet Lion]

The question is are we immune from the universal law of football that states: At any point in time the richest and most successful clubs can buy players from poorer and less successful clubs.

The answer is No

[danlanza]

The question is are we immune from the universal law of football that states: At any point in time the richest and most successful clubs can buy players from poorer and less successful clubs.

The answer is No

That was my original point. We are nothing but a club that brings on and nurtures young talent, then we sell for a profit to the highest bidder, feeding the bigger clubs. A bloody feeder club. Sad when you look at it.