Saints should make a stand for smaller clubs (From Daily Echo)

Dan- suggest you do as I have done, take in other parts of the ground and other stadia. You will realise how jaundiced and out of step your views sound against the background of the not so quiet revolution that is going on around you.
Whilst we share your views on the Prem and it's all-consuming power suggest the best way is to get both your feet firmly on the bus and feel the momentum, that's the only way we can make a difference.

Without the likes of Bolton or Stoke e.t.c you end up with the SPL and only a complete idiot or mercinary city fan would vote for that

lowe esteem wrote:
Dan- suggest you do as I have done, take in other parts of the ground and other stadia. You will realise how jaundiced and out of step your views sound against the background of the not so quiet revolution that is going on around you.
Whilst we share your views on the Prem and it's all-consuming power suggest the best way is to get both your feet firmly on the bus and feel the momentum, that's the only way we can make a difference.

Sorry, LE, but what are you talking about? I'm a bit confused as to what you're referring.

Am I wrong in thinking it would be good if Saints were able to make a stand against the Premier League's endless pursuit of cash, regardless of how it affects other clubs? Because that's all I've said here.

Unless of course, you think Saints are as attractive commercially across the world as the likes of Man Utd.

I totally agree with your sentiments. The Premier League (owners & players (who are legends in their own minds)) are on a par with city bankers as far as greed and self-interest goes. They will try to do to football what the bankers have to the economy.
The problem is where do we pitch our tents - I suggest Wembley Stadium!

LOVE them as we do, Saints will "never" be considered one of the most attractive of football clubs.

Only a fool predicts the future and uses the word "never"

Footballfootballandm
orefootball wrote:
LOVE them as we do, Saints will "never" be considered one of the most attractive of football clubs.

Only a fool predicts the future and uses the word "never"

And bigger fools ignore reality.

Do you really think Saints will be as attractive as the likes as Man U, Liverpool, Barcelona, Real, Juve, etc?

We're a provincial club in a small city. Even if we were to fluke a Champions League win (like Porto, say) we'd never make it into the same stratosphere as the true giants.

It just ain't going to happen.

I think with the current set up we are on our way!

If or when we go up playing like we are playing and causing an upset or two World wide we could gather a following or at least become peoples second team.

From that point on with a chairman with as much nous as NC we could capitalize on the situation exponentially.

Have to agree though about the self imposed shafting the FL clubs voted for when it came to academy's

Why should the Saints be loyal to Blackool FC, who are sponsored by Wonga, who give out loans to football fans at loan shark rates. The Saints' FB page has 30,000 followerrs but Wonga's gimmick at Blackpool has 50,000. There is a meeting on these chancers coming up, details are here:
Is Vulture Lending Good for Britain?
6 pm, Friday 18 November 2011
University of Southampton,
Highfield Campus, Room 3001,
Building 46, (Physics)
The Vultures: The £7.5 bn a year informal lending industry comprises illegal loan sharks, the pay day companies which are proliferating on our high streets, online loan companies such as Wonga and persistent door knockers such as Prudential. They are all characterised by astonishingly high annualised interest rates. The illegal loan sharks, amazingly, do not always charge the highest rates.
The Vultures’ Interest Rates: Interest rates of more than 4,000 per cent a year are very common in the legal section of this area.
The Target Customers: The Gullible. Struggling students, single parents, those least able to access normal credit markets and least able to shoulder these high charges. The number of people running into debt through payday loans has quadrupled in the last two years alone. These high-cost credit companies abuse the fact that its customers lack access to other forms of mainstream credit. A quarter of the customers of these companies cannot access any other form of credit. Because the industry makes it so easy for these sub prime borrowers not only to obtain credit, but also to get trapped in debt, Stella Creasy argues that the entire informal sector need to be more tightly regulated and the interest rates that they charge should be capped. Many MPs from all political parties agree with her.
The Speakers
Dr Stella Creasy: Labour and Co-operative MP for Walthamstow. A graduate of Magdalene College, Cambridge, her PhD won the 2005 Richard Titmuss Prize at the London School of Economics. She has been at the forefront of campaigning for reform of the lending sector. Her Private Members’ Bill to cap the interest rates these companies charge has received broad cross party support with local Conservative MPs Damian Hinds and Mark Hoban both speaking in favour of controlling this industry.
Professor Simon Wolfe, who lectures at the University of Southampton on banking and finance, has researched, published and lectured widely on all aspects of banking and finance. He will explain how commercial lenders determine the rates they charge their customers and will give us the necessary academic tools to show if, in fact, vulture lending is good for Britain.
To reserve your place or for further information please contact:
Joanne Hazell | 023 8059 4858 | J.L.Hazell@soton.ac.
uk
Hosted by Southampton Management School.

DeclanHH wrote:
Why should the Saints be loyal to Blackool FC, who are sponsored by Wonga, who give out loans to football fans at loan shark rates. The Saints' FB page has 30,000 followerrs but Wonga's gimmick at Blackpool has 50,000. There is a meeting on these chancers coming up, details are here:
Is Vulture Lending Good for Britain?
6 pm, Friday 18 November 2011
University of Southampton,
Highfield Campus, Room 3001,
Building 46, (Physics)
The Vultures: The £7.5 bn a year informal lending industry comprises illegal loan sharks, the pay day companies which are proliferating on our high streets, online loan companies such as Wonga and persistent door knockers such as Prudential. They are all characterised by astonishingly high annualised interest rates. The illegal loan sharks, amazingly, do not always charge the highest rates.
The Vultures’ Interest Rates: Interest rates of more than 4,000 per cent a year are very common in the legal section of this area.
The Speakers
Dr Stella Creasy: Labour and Co-operative MP for Walthamstow. A graduate of Magdalene College, Cambridge, her PhD won the 2005 Richard Titmuss Prize at the London School of Economics. She has been at the forefront of campaigning for reform of the lending sector. Her Private Members’ Bill to cap the interest rates these companies charge has received broad cross party support with local Conservative MPs Damian Hinds and Mark Hoban both speaking in favour of controlling this industry.
Professor Simon Wolfe, who lectures at the University of Southampton on banking and finance, has researched, published and lectured widely on all aspects of banking and finance. He will explain how commercial lenders determine the rates they charge their customers and will give us the necessary academic tools to show if, in fact, vulture lending is good for Britain.
To reserve your place or for further information please contact:
Joanne Hazell | 023 8059 4858 | J.L.Hazell@soton.ac.

uk
Hosted by Southampton Management School.

Ahem, I think you're getting confused with the stated issue, just what in hell does the above have to do with how the Saints are viewed by the so-called elite and media.
Anyway, back to the point in question. SFC as well as many, many others are not looked upon with any real empathy from the much lorded Permier League giants, and we all know who they are! We also very rarely receive the plaudits we deserve regarding our results and even style in play, read the Mail to see what I mean. But does it really matter, if we are successful and are entertaing "our" supporters what the rest think is somewhat irrevalent. In many ways we can use this to our advantage, less intense media coverage can mean less pressure under the spotlight.
All I want is for us to continue as we are because the club is heading in the right direction, may I also add that some if not all of the "big" clubs have a tendancy to be too remote from their supporters and needs. This is something I feel will never happen to our own great club and others like it!
As to Blackpools shirt sponsor, who cares. If you bother to look at the loan conditions any sane person can see they are regulated loan sharks and if you use them then you deserve all that comes your way!......COYR's!

Saints are going up and we should not put a roof on what is possibl!

Dan Kerins wrote:

lowe esteem wrote: Dan- suggest you do as I have done, take in other parts of the ground and other stadia. You will realise how jaundiced and out of step your views sound against the background of the not so quiet revolution that is going on around you. Whilst we share your views on the Prem and it's all-consuming power suggest the best way is to get both your feet firmly on the bus and feel the momentum, that's the only way we can make a difference.

Sorry, LE, but what are you talking about? I'm a bit confused as to what you're referring. Am I wrong in thinking it would be good if Saints were able to make a stand against the Premier League's endless pursuit of cash, regardless of how it affects other clubs? Because that's all I've said here. Unless of course, you think Saints are as attractive commercially across the world as the likes of Man Utd.

Spelling it out then...
We will be best placed to show our excellent business model when the bus arrives at the Prem.
Our fan base is growing, as witness the away take-up and figures available from SFC-you must visit and communicate there too.
Because we are not (the likes of-sic)Man U-who is?-doesn't mean we should limit our expectations and align ourselves with less successful or basket-case outfits surely?
Hope your eyes and ears are slowly opening Dan.

Sorry, LE, but you seem to have missed my point entirely.

Football is inherently unfair in it's structure. Having sunk quite quickly in recent years, Saints fans know better than most what it is like when everything is against you.

With that in mind, the club has a duty to make a stand for the little man rather than trying to grab as much cash and forgetting about the rest, like many Premier League clubs do (Phil Gartside's chairmanship of Bolton is a prime example).

There's no satisfaction to be had in shafting smaller clubs financially.

Dan Kerins wrote:
Sorry, LE, but you seem to have missed my point entirely.

Football is inherently unfair in it's structure. Having sunk quite quickly in recent years, Saints fans know better than most what it is like when everything is against you.

With that in mind, the club has a duty to make a stand for the little man rather than trying to grab as much cash and forgetting about the rest, like many Premier League clubs do (Phil Gartside's chairmanship of Bolton is a prime example).

There's no satisfaction to be had in shafting smaller clubs financially.

Could not be more right. I dont want SFC to bully little clubs like the current Prem teams do

I want us to have a bit of class and to do things fairly unlike so many others

Dan Kerins wrote:
Sorry, LE, but you seem to have missed my point entirely.

Football is inherently unfair in it's structure. Having sunk quite quickly in recent years, Saints fans know better than most what it is like when everything is against you.

With that in mind, the club has a duty to make a stand for the little man rather than trying to grab as much cash and forgetting about the rest, like many Premier League clubs do (Phil Gartside's chairmanship of Bolton is a prime example).

There's no satisfaction to be had in shafting smaller clubs financially.

Could not be more right. I dont want SFC to bully little clubs like the current Prem teams do

I want us to have a bit of class and to do things fairly unlike so many others

Football is circular its within memory that Saints were a top 6 club with European football until heysel stopped us in our tracks.

City not so long ago were hardly considered fashionable. I was at Wembley when Man City were 2-0 down to Gillingham in the League one playoff when the ref added on about 12 mins stoppage time and it went to penalties. If it had gone against them that day it could be a very different story today at the top of the Premier league.

You can't say we'll NEVER be a top club. With a big, expandable stadium, large catchment area and wealthy owners, there's no reason we can't become one of the big boys. All right, maybe becoming a Man Utd/Chelsea/Arsenal sized club is too optimistic, but there's no reason we can't get level with, say, Villa or Spurs at some point in the future. You only have to look at Man City to see how quickly the perception of a club can change.

"we have to hope the club does not get carried away with the hype of ‘The Greatest League in the World’ (The Guardian wrote a superb piece questioning the validity of this claim just over a week ago)."

Why are people so insistent on putting a downer on our national league? You only have to look at the UEFA coefficient table to see that the Premier League is officially recognised as the best league in the world. Or you could simply look at how our clubs are doing in Europe (8/8 likely to qualify from their groups.)

You can't say we'll NEVER be a top club. With a big, expandable stadium, large catchment area and wealthy owners, there's no reason we can't become one of the big boys. All right, maybe becoming a Man Utd/Chelsea/Arsenal sized club is too optimistic, but there's no reason we can't get level with, say, Villa or Spurs at some point in the future. You only have to look at Man City to see how quickly the perception of a club can change.

"we have to hope the club does not get carried away with the hype of ‘The Greatest League in the World’ (The Guardian wrote a superb piece questioning the validity of this claim just over a week ago)."

Why are people so insistent on putting a downer on our national league? You only have to look at the UEFA coefficient table to see that the Premier League is officially recognised as the best league in the world. Or you could simply look at how our clubs are doing in Europe (8/8 likely to qualify from their groups.)