Rotherham United

[C-man]

Deducted 17 points. When Are these bastards at the FA and Football League going to realise that these point penalties are just killing clubs further?

[Asha]

Deducted 17 points. When Are these bastards at the FA and Football League going to realise that these point penalties are just killing clubs further?

League Two will be very exciting. We know the two relegated teams already.

[Guest Bilo]

League Two will be very exciting. We know the two relegated teams already.

Bournemouth might be in for similar punishment. I agree though, it's absolutely ridiculous. The Football League seem to enjoy kicking teams when they're down.

[act smiley]

It's pretty random to be honest. I just can't see how they can come up with these penalties almost at random (I mean, -15, -17 and -20 for exactly the same thing? Come on...), and fail to sort out the problem. They came up with the extra points as a temporary thing because of issues getting CVA's approved, but are doing nothing to actually make it possible to get them through again. Its stupid.

[Corky]

Well done to Brian Mawhinney again.

Get out you Tosser.

[davieG]

Professional Football is fooked at one end clubs awash with money and wasting it like there's no tomorrow with the top four places as good as guaranteed at the other end clubs clinging on for existence let down by poor fiscal management, the most uneven playing field existing in any type of sport you could mention and the fools running it all, FIFA, UEFA, The FA and the FL either burying their heads in the sand or punishing the wrong people as they line their pockets with the loose change dropped by greedy players and unscupulous agents.

From a Hotel in Glasgow.

[Manwell Pablo]

I agree with the view that professional football has serious problems, and I hate to see clubs going under.

But at the same time, these point deductions we're craved by football fans the country over after we got promoted. After all, nobody wanted to see "another Leicester". Can't have it both ways I'm afraid. Either you do or you don't.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I agree with the view that professional football has serious problems, and I hate to see clubs going under.

But at the same time, these point deductions we're craved by football fans the country over after we got promoted. After all, nobody wanted to see "another Leicester". Can't have it both ways I'm afraid. Either you do or you don't.

Yeah and they'll have to admit they were wrong. At the time it was the big-spending league clubs who were in trouble because of the OnDigital fiasco but now it's the smallest clubs - who won't attract rich investors to bail them out.

If the FA are going to let money continue to dictate the game, they need to take a firmer grip on monitoring the actions of those in charge of these clubs, not punish the fans instead.

[Corky]

Yeah and they'll have to admit they were wrong. At the time it was the big-spending league clubs who were in trouble because of the OnDigital fiasco but now it's the smallest clubs - who won't attract rich investors to bail them out.

If the FA are going to let money continue to dictate the game, they need to take a firmer grip on monitoring the actions of those in charge of these clubs, not punish the fans instead.

Exactly, a lot of the problems that lower-league clubs find themselves in is because of the ITV Digital collapse, and the Football League did bugger all to help them.

[act smiley]

I agree with the view that professional football has serious problems, and I hate to see clubs going under.

But at the same time, these point deductions we're craved by football fans the country over after we got promoted. After all, nobody wanted to see "another Leicester". Can't have it both ways I'm afraid. Either you do or you don't.

The -10 and the -15/17/20 are a different set of deductions. While a case can be argued for the first as a deterrent, for the second its not all that possible.

[Daggers]

Yeah and they'll have to admit they were wrong. At the time it was the big-spending league clubs who were in trouble because of the OnDigital fiasco but now it's the smallest clubs - who won't attract rich investors to bail them out.

If the FA are going to let money continue to dictate the game, they need to take a firmer grip on monitoring the actions of those in charge of these clubs, not punish the fans instead.

It's a non-starter though isn't it?

No one is going to turn around to...err, let's say someone accused of torturing and killing and say 'Hang on a min - you shouldn't be running Manchester City a club in Britain!'

Or tell a Russian oligarch billionaire that his ill-gotten gains aren't welcome in the game.

Hell no - let's continue to fook over the little guy.

[Manwell Pablo]

Yeah and they'll have to admit they were wrong. At the time it was the big-spending league clubs who were in trouble because of the OnDigital fiasco but now it's the smallest clubs - who won't attract rich investors to bail them out.

If the FA are going to let money continue to dictate the game, they need to take a firmer grip on monitoring the actions of those in charge of these clubs, not punish the fans instead.

I can remember the attitude clubs like Rotherham took to our plight and it's a similar story to how people viewed Leeds situation, it seems that as long as your an small inoffensive club then every one has to take pity on you. Where as when it happens to clubs like us and Leeds people can't wait to put the boot in.

Obviously these rulings should of been thought about at the time and I admit they're killing alot of clubs but I can't help but find the whole thing pretty ironic.

It's a nice theory, but I can't see how the FA could implement a way of punishing the owners of the clubs without that punishment having a knock on effect on the club and therefore the fans.

[Fez of Mahrez]

It's a non-starter though isn't it?

No one is going to turn around to...err, let's say someone accused of torturing and killing and say 'Hang on a min - you shouldn't be running Manchester City a club in Britain!'

Or tell a Russian oligarch billionaire that his ill-gotten gains aren't welcome in the game.

Hell no - let's continue to fook over the little guy.

I guess that's a separate issue to a large extent. The big clubs can still sustain themselves eventually. Look at the mess Leeds are slowly but surely getting out of. We'd be the same if Mandaric left us up the swannee. We've got the fanbase to recover. The smaller clubs haven't got that. When you go to Kenilworth Road you can quite easily picture it being a non-league ground.

Watford could be next from what my Orns-supporting mate tells me. They need to raise £10million and they've done £3.5m so far off their two best players. God knows how they'll get the rest.

[Manwell Pablo]

The -10 and the -15/17/20 are a different set of deductions. While a case can be argued for the first as a deterrent, for the second its not all that possible.

It's knock on effect from going into admin though, I believe (not sure) they're all pretty new rulings.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I can remember the attitude clubs like Rotherham took to our plight and it's a similar story to how people viewed Leeds situation, it seems that as long as your an small inoffensive club then every one has to take pity on you. Where as when it happens to clubs like us and Leeds people can't wait to put the boot in.

Obviously these rulings should of been thought about at the time and I admit they're killing alot of clubs but I can't help but find the whole thing pretty ironic.

It's a nice theory, but I can't see how the FA could implement a way of punishing the owners of the clubs without that punishment having a knock on effect on the club and therefore the fans.

I was talking more about trying to nip it in the bud before it happens. Once a football club has an unsustainable debt, especially when it only pulls in about 4,000 fans every other weekend, it's only heading one way. The FA need to acknowledge the huge role that money is playing in the game these days and have people monitoring more closely the way clubs are run.

Whether they care enough is another thing. I'm sure if they end up with an NFL-style system with 32 super clubs and nothing underneath, they'll be quite happy as long as people are still subscribing to Sky Sports and the cash is still rolling in.

[Daggers]

I ought ot hand up at this moment: I am very drunk an any opinons I have are not necessarily mine or anyone elses.

I have nothing positive to contribute to this threswad or any other at the moment and am bored bollocksed rigid of correcting my posts when ty

[Floating Fox]

Have you seen the circumstances they've been granted this -17 points on?

They have to move back to Rotherham in the next 4 years or else they'll get more penalties...WHY?!

Really can't see where the FA are coming from!??

[davieG]

Have you seen the circumstances they've been granted this -17 points on?

They have to move back to Rotherham in the next 4 years or else they'll get more penalties...WHY?!

Really can't see where the FA are coming from!??

Football League

[Fez of Mahrez]

It'd be nice if the locals rallied round and they filled the Don Valley every home game. It holds 25,000. Can't see it though.

[Manwell Pablo]

I was talking more about trying to nip it in the bud before it happens. Once a football club has an unsustainable debt, especially when it only pulls in about 4,000 fans every other weekend, it's only heading one way. The FA need to acknowledge the huge role that money is playing in the game these days and have people monitoring more closely the way clubs are run.

Whether they care enough is another thing. I'm sure if they end up with an NFL-style system with 32 super clubs and nothing underneath, they'll be quite happy as long as people are still subscribing to Sky Sports and the cash is still rolling in.

Well again, stopping it before it happens is a nice theory but again, it wont happen (as you've said) if they filter more money down the leagues, they'll have to give it to all the teams in the football league not just those in trouble, and as you pointed out, the FA's priority is the Premier League unfortunatley.

[Corky]

It'd be nice if the locals rallied round and they filled the Don Valley every home game. It holds 25,000. Can't see it though.

Apparently, according to FourFourTwo, they've sold 3,500 season tickets.

[davieG]

I don't think the FA's priority is the Premier League the problem is the the PL is a separate functioning body that now has more influence/money than the FA.

The FA are a fairly toothless institution over ruled on one hand by FIFA and UEFA and outmuscled on the domestic scene by the PL, all they're are good for is the England Team and non-league football.

The FL another separate functioning body are paupers in the game and have little or no influence, but with an ex MP running the show giving it the big all I am and flexing his muscles but attacking the wrong targets.

Let's see them ban the likes of Ken Bates and anyone else who runns a club into the ground from running FL clubs.

One thing they all have in common is their treatment of the match attending fan who is just a fooking inconvenience who's only usefull function is to pay over the odds in order to perform the role of being the back drop for televised football.