Gretna F.C. and Others: A Way to Combat Administration
By on April 8, 2008
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The recent scare surrounding the case of the Gretna Football Club is one being faced by many fans around the country. The now all too familiar 10-point deduction is leaving many clubs with a bleak and somewhat uncertain future.
What has caused so many clubs to have such extreme reactions?
The collapse of ITV Digital in 2002 started the downfall.
Can this event still be to blame? Or is it, as some think, down to other teams trying to get on board the Premier League gravy train to share in the billions, then ending up ridiculously short and in trouble?
Look at Leagues one and two, including teams such as Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, and MK Dons (Wimbledon). All of these clubs have Premier League histories, but are now fighting for survival.
What can be done to save English Football and maintain a league with 92 operating clubs?
The answer might be closer to home than we think: feeder clubs.
Arsenal and Manchester United already have feeder clubs. These squads, however, are sent abroad where their promising youth gain first team experience without the pressure of Premier League football.
Why should these teams be based abroad? Why can't it be Barnet and Bury, for example?
In Spain, there are no reserve leagues. Barcelona B play in our equivalent of League one and Castilla is the reserve team of Real Madrid. Why can't we introduce that here?
I use Barnet merely as an example. They are the closest lower league side to Arsenal.
Imagine what it would be like for Barnet fans to see the likes of Fabregas and Kolo Toure mature into world class talent while wearing the colors of Barnet.
I am sure hard-core Barnet fans would feel they would lose their club's identity, but they would rather be known as Arsenal's feeder club, or as "Barnet, use to be a league side once."
I know what I would choose. There's too much money in the Premier League and not enough going into the grass roots level.
This is a way that the Premier League sides can put something back into the beautiful game before it’s too late.
What has caused so many clubs to have such extreme reactions?
The collapse of ITV Digital in 2002 started the downfall.
Can this event still be to blame? Or is it, as some think, down to other teams trying to get on board the Premier League gravy train to share in the billions, then ending up ridiculously short and in trouble?
Look at Leagues one and two, including teams such as Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, and MK Dons (Wimbledon). All of these clubs have Premier League histories, but are now fighting for survival.
What can be done to save English Football and maintain a league with 92 operating clubs?
The answer might be closer to home than we think: feeder clubs.
Arsenal and Manchester United already have feeder clubs. These squads, however, are sent abroad where their promising youth gain first team experience without the pressure of Premier League football.
Why should these teams be based abroad? Why can't it be Barnet and Bury, for example?
In Spain, there are no reserve leagues. Barcelona B play in our equivalent of League one and Castilla is the reserve team of Real Madrid. Why can't we introduce that here?
I use Barnet merely as an example. They are the closest lower league side to Arsenal.
Imagine what it would be like for Barnet fans to see the likes of Fabregas and Kolo Toure mature into world class talent while wearing the colors of Barnet.
I am sure hard-core Barnet fans would feel they would lose their club's identity, but they would rather be known as Arsenal's feeder club, or as "Barnet, use to be a league side once."
I know what I would choose. There's too much money in the Premier League and not enough going into the grass roots level.
This is a way that the Premier League sides can put something back into the beautiful game before it’s too late.
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