JS on Sports Talk

He might be whistling in the wind but I'm proud to say that my football club is being looked after by people with the right principles.

Those will count for something in the long run.

Hopefully his positive attitude and willingness to raise the skills and aspirations of the town inspire others to think like that, and do more for each other. The whole 'greater together' mantra in full swing.

One of two people pushing for change is one thing. But if he can get an entire fanbase and an entire town united and pushing for positive change then it's more likely to happen.

Who knows where this Fair Game initiative will go, too? Galvanise clubs and get them organised to turn up the pressure...

If you don't ask, you don't get.

Quoted from RichMariner

He might be whistling in the wind but I'm proud to say that my football club is being looked after by people with the right principles.

Those will count for something in the long run.

Hopefully his positive attitude and willingness to raise the skills and aspirations of the town inspire others to think like that, and do more for each other. The whole 'greater together' mantra in full swing.

One of two people pushing for change is one thing. But if he can get an entire fanbase and an entire town united and pushing for positive change then it's more likely to happen.

Who knows where this Fair Game initiative will go, too? Galvanise clubs and get them organised to turn up the pressure...

If you don't ask, you don't get.

It is certainly an interesting discussion point.

I have read the aims and aspirations of the Fair Game initiative which is online.

It bemoans the loss of Bury and Macclesfield and laments the fact that the great Bolton dropped into the basement division. There is an awful lot of talk about fairness, and responsibility and community which is fair enough, but how on earth can you stop some clubs from being run badly? Bury overspent and went out of business. Macclesfield did well to get into the league at all, and Bolton may or may not have been badly run, but suffered the fate of having a pyramid system which in theory means no club is immune from relegations  - even those with past glories which are just a distant dream. It is not nice for the fans but it is good when a giant of the game comes unstuck and gets a reality check.

Those clubs that are well run and well-financed will tend to do well; those that are badly run and overspend will suffer the consequences.

GTFC have been shockingly badly run under the former regime, but not particularly on the financial side so what would Fair Game be able to do about that?

Every club is unique. Each club will have its good and bad points, and at any given time be doing well, or not so well, or having a stinker. Isn't that part of the joy?

Some fans do suffer terribly, which must be very upsetting. If Town went bust I would be mortified, but I would be determined to help in any way I could to get us back.

I just think the whole idea of a fairer game is too abstract to be meaningful. I would rather try hard to do a Brentford than try to impose some top-down level playing field which in any even would soon be circumvented by ambitious clubs.

There is no mention anywhere of a top-down level playing field Lew. They’re talking about better governance, which is a different thing.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

There is no mention anywhere of a top-down level playing field Lew. They’re talking about better governance, which is a different thing.

They do talk a lot about better governance that is true, but their manifesto talks about salary caps across "all divisions" which is surely an attempt to level up the playing field.

Their intentions are no doubt good, but I don't think it would ever work in practice.

We will just have to see as the years roll by.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

There is no mention anywhere of a top-down level playing field Lew. They’re talking about better governance, which is a different thing.

This is why I'm interested to hear how he thinks it should be structured. A flat cap will only increase transfer fees as clubs like ourselves with bigger attendances have surplus cash to spend so, in my opinion, it should be an enforced percentage of income with loopholes like having a hotel you own 100 miles away buying the stadium naming rights closed off.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

This is why I'm interested to hear how he thinks it should be structured. A flat cap will only increase transfer fees as clubs like ourselves with bigger attendances have surplus cash to spend so, in my opinion, it should be an enforced percentage of income with loopholes like having a hotel you own 100 miles away buying the stadium naming rights closed off.

I don’t think Holloway spent that much on transfers.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

This is why I'm interested to hear how he thinks it should be structured. A flat cap will only increase transfer fees as clubs like ourselves with bigger attendances have surplus cash to spend so, in my opinion, it should be an enforced percentage of income with loopholes like having a hotel you own 100 miles away buying the stadium naming rights closed off.

They haven’t mentioned a flat cap either. So I don’t know where you’ve got that one from.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

They haven’t mentioned a flat cap either. So I don’t know where you’ve got that one from.

Stockwood hasn't but I believe the salary cap due to come in next season is a flat £900k. I don't think that is the way forward but I do think regulations are required.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Stockwood hasn't but I believe the salary cap due to come in next season is a flat £900k. I don't think that is the way forward but I do think regulations are required.

Yeah, but that's the whole point. People are inferring that Stockwood/Fair Game have suggested it. It's just balderdash conjured up out of thin air.

I agree with you on a flat cap. Unless it applies to every league right up to the top. Which it isn't. It's no good having equality only for the poor!

A salary cap is a race to the bottom.

We can't come up to your level, so you must drop to ours. All feels very..... non league.

League clubs gave it short shrift and soon rejected the idea.