The 39th Game

[Rancid custard]

Me 3

Ill follow lower league, Cheltenhams a good day out..

I know I shouldn't have 2 teams but Cheltenham is my choice too.

[UK Redsox]

In response to TopDeck, football sold out to TV a long time ago. You appear to be longing for a return to an era that's gone forever.

We need to accept that those of us who actually go to matches are the minority of football fans. Its the tv viewers that are footing most of the bill for the high quality product we all clamour for. Game 39 is about attracting new tv audiences.

Whilst individual clubs may be the playthings of billionaires, the overall setup is a business. The people running the game need to seek out new markets. If that involves clubs playing an extra league game abroad, then I'm fine with that.

Most clubs travel abroad for preseason games, so why not have overseas games count?


Does anyone else on here support Game 39 or am I on my own?

[Legion]

It's UKRedsox against H&V!

[The Man With A Stick]

It's a ridiculous concept, it has been since the day it was first brought up.

[TopDeck113]

You appear to be longing for a return to an era that's gone forever.

I don't deny it.  The past may, indeed, be a foreign country, but whilst they do things differently there, it doesn't necessarily mean that all progress is good.

The people running the game need to seek out new markets.

And its talk like that which rather proves my point.   

If Premier League cut their cloth according to the great wealth that they already enjoy - and more to the point, ensured that their competition was not distorted by the wealth of individual owners, there would be no need for seeking out new markets.

[Pete3206]

Game 39

I could weep.

[Karlos96]

It will probably happen eventually for those running the game they are never happy it's never enough money they always want more.  If it happens i'm done with football it's an absolutely ridiculous idea.  How on earth can you have a fair league when you play one team three times?  It completely goes against the concept of league football. 

[usav]

Does anyone else on here support Game 39 or am I on my own?

I think on game 39 you are. 

However, I'm interested in hearing ideas for seeing competetive games played abroad, but I'm not sure in what format yet.   I could see the Champion's League final being played outside of Europe before too much longer.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Does anyone else on here support Game 39 or am I on my own?

Your probably on your own. More importantly you are completely and utterly wrong.
Theres nothing wrong with change but some things are going too far.
Rest assured many of us would stop attending any league games if the competition was tainted by just one game  behing played abroad.
Check your history, check who started up the original concept of a group of clubs playing each other home and away over the course of a season.

THE SONS OF MCGREGOR

[pablopicasso_10]

if it happens, then i am done with football...

[timeoutbigbar]

Me 3

Ill follow lower league, Cheltenhams a good day out..

Is it?

[greenwichvilla]

Does anyone else on here support Game 39 or am I on my own?

Your probably on your own. More importantly you are completely and utterly wrong.
Theres nothing wrong with change but some things are going too far.
Rest assured many of us would stop attending any league games if the competition was tainted by just one game  behing played abroad.
Check your history, check who started up the original concept of a group of clubs playing each other home and away over the course of a season.

THE SONS OF MCGREGOR

You should start an Ultra group. That's a good name. I'm sure you can drum up lots of support. I can see the banner in the Holte now.

[PeterWithesShin]

Much as I hate the idea, I reckon it will happen at some stage. Might be 2 years, might be 20, but it will happen.

Let's say for arguments sake there are 500K people who attend top flight football weekly. 20% of them don't mind or want the the extra game. Leaves 400K against it. And x amount of billion world wide in favour. We all know, deep down, who is more important to football these days.

Football will continue to sell it's soul for every £ it can get up until the moment the bubble bursts.

And the vast majority of us will continue to go down the Villa regardless, and "they" know that.

[TheSandman]

It'll be the day I give up watching professional football.

Why ?

I don't understand why this suggestion meets with such opposition.

1. We all support our club and want to see them play. Most of us have the option to travel to matches as it is a relatively short distance. For sure an away day at Newcastle or Portsmouth is a bitch to get to but if we have to go to say Moscow or Los Angeles for it it is even more of a faff.

2.Aston Villa play in Birmingham because it is our spiritual home and it is not too far from the majority of our fans. Why should this majority be put out for a glorified exhibition match?

3. If the match counts competitively it really will destroy the game. Lets say Blackpool have to play Man Utd in Sydney. Blackpool may be immediately disadvantaged by the fact that they can only afford economy class and Man United fly by private jet. Blackpool are disadvantaged by this and probably by the fact that they will have absolutely no support present. It is unfair on them.

4. What if Chelsea have to play say Newcastle instead? Newcastle are a much harder opponent than Blackpool. Why is it fair that one team get an easier match than others? What if Newcastle beating Chelsea and Blackpool losing 6-0 to Man Utd in the 39th game affects the outcome of the title? What if Ian Holloway decides not to take several of his first choice team on a long grueling flight to rest them for the next weeks relegation six pointer against Wigan at Bloomfield Road? It is completely unfair and ruins competitive spirit in the league.

In sum it is an arse-clenchingly awful travesty of a bad idea. As bad as new Coke, the decision to appoint Tommy Doc and Graham Turner combined. The game is fucked up enough without this.

[CJ]

No domestic competitive league game should ever be played outside the confines of the country. Not one single game, no experiment, no compromise, not now, not ever. We should not give an inch in any debate when anybody gives the merest suggestion that it should be considered. It should be made clear by all fans that if the competition is tainted in this way, there will be a full and complete boycott of attendance of all league games immediately.

The basic principles of the league competition were laid down in 1888.
Fans of all clubs should make it clear that we totally oppose this.
Fans of the original twelve founding members should be more vociferous in opposing this.
Fans of Aston Villa should be the most vociferous in opposing this.

THE SONS OF  MCGREGOR.

My feelings in a nutshell.  If and when this happens I think fans should show their contempt by boycotting their team's next home game (hard I know) and go to a lower/non-league game instead (I'll be at Kidderminster Harriers).  See how PL teams like playing in front of a handful of people - don't think they'll like it at all and the lost income will go some small way to redressing the balance of what they make by playing abroad. 

Scudamore isn't going to go away with this especially as he now has the backing of an owner.  Wonder whether Sepp Blatter will do the right thing for once and blow this idea completely out of the water