And Whats More

[fatman]

Lets be careful what we wish for. Premier League football? Cant afford to go anymore, watch the odd game on tv. Not sure thats affordable. Even if i could afford it the fixtures would be all over the place. Can we compete with the 125 million man city have spent? I doubt it. Champions league? When were Bolton or Blackburn there. Cannon fodder? probably. Promised land? Personally, i'd rather meet mates in the pub before a game and enjoy watching city. Day out watching city or Man U , no contest. See you in the Robins.

[Barrs Court Red]

Yeah lets stay in a league thats costing the club MILLIONS in debt each year. Never mind, SL will pay for the shortfall eh?????

Most premier league tickets are no more than those at City, who can compete with the spending of Man City? Blackburn have been in the Champions league. Cannon fodder? We already are. Promised land? Yes very much so, go see a game, you might realise what you're missing. Personally, I suspect pubs will continue to exist if City got promoted.

[Rob k]

Lets be careful what we wish for. Premier League football? Cant afford to go anymore, watch the odd game on tv. Not sure thats affordable. Even if i could afford it the fixtures would be all over the place. Can we compete with the 125 million man city have spent? I doubt it. Champions league? When were Bolton or Blackburn there. Cannon fodder? probably. Promised land? Personally, i'd rather meet mates in the pub before a game and enjoy watching city. Day out watching city or Man U , no contest. See you in the Robins.

My old man has seen City in the top division and i have not, not worried what we would spend i would just like to watch City play the likes of man u, liverpool and chelsea.

[fatman]

Yeah lets stay in a league thats costing the club MILLIONS in debt each year. Never mind, SL will pay for the shortfall eh?????

Most premier league tickets are no more than those at City, who can compete with the spending of Man City? Blackburn have been in the Champions league. Cannon fodder? We already are. Promised land? Yes very much so, go see a game, you might realise what you're missing. Personally, I suspect pubs will continue to exist if City got promoted.

Thank you. I take your points. Actually, I have seen many Premier League games live. I would still say....be careful what you wish for MLA.

[Barrs Court Red]

Indeed, but then if you'd only watched Bolton games for example, then you'd have a bad view of things!

Only today I was thinking what a curse the championship is. Not big enough to be a major draw and a money maker, but bloody expensive to survive in.

[fatman]

Indeed, but then if you'd only watched Bolton games for example, then you'd have a bad view of things!

Only today I was thinking what a curse the championship is. Not big enough to be a major draw and a money maker, but bloody expensive to survive in.

Fair enough and I wont bore you with detail, other than Spurs, Arsenal, Everton, Man u, Wolves, Aston VILLA and a number of others. Believe me, I'd love to see City challenging those teams at the top. I really really would.... and maybe someday.

In the meantime, I suggest the Premier League is rather more expensive to survive in than the championship!

[Barrs Court Red]

You need to take a trip to the Bridge .

[Andy082005]

Thank you. I take your points. Actually, I have seen many Premier League games live. I would still say....be careful what you wish for MLA.

As Moomin points out, its only a matter of time before something at City will HAVE to change. I get what your saying, the prem isnt all that its cracked up to be, some people have said how boring must it be being a Blackburn or Bolton fan......always sniffing around mid-table etc.

What you have to look at, is the financial side of things to this club. Ok, lets say for example we dont ever make the prem....then what?? we may still enjoy going to the pub and trips to places like Scunny, Sheffield, Coventry etc.....but who is going to finance this?? We used to lose on average £2m a year, last year we lost £6m....this year, its going to be £8m-£10m.....who is going to fund this?? Lansdown will do it this year.....but he certainly wont do it forever. At the end of the day, he is a business man....there is only so long he will put up with this.

With regards ticket prices in the Prem being to high.....regardless of whether we get to the Prem or not, ticket prices will continue to rise. SL will want the club to finance itself, and this will be our main source of income to help cover our losses.

We have to make the prem, whether its now, or over the next 3 years......but if this club wants to move forward, its something we have to achieve. If we dont, we will be back in League One within the next 8 years or so

[fatman]

As Moomin points out, its only a matter of time before something at City will HAVE to change. I get what your saying, the prem isnt all that its cracked up to be, some people have said how boring must it be being a Blackburn or Bolton fan......always sniffing around mid-table etc.

What you have to look at, is the financial side of things to this club. Ok, lets say for example we dont ever make the prem....then what?? we may still enjoy going to the pub and trips to places like Scunny, Sheffield, Coventry etc.....but who is going to finance this?? We used to lose on average £2m a year, last year we lost £6m....this year, its going to be £8m-£10m.....who is going to fund this?? Lansdown will do it this year.....but he certainly wont do it forever. At the end of the day, he is a business man....there is only so long he will put up with this.

With regards ticket prices in the Prem being to high.....regardless of whether we get to the Prem or not, ticket prices will continue to rise. SL will want the club to finance itself, and this will be our main source of income to help cover our losses.

We have to make the prem, whether its now, or over the next 3 years......but if this club wants to move forward, its something we have to achieve. If we dont, we will be back in League One within the next 8 years or so

Fair comment. I know what you say adds up. Just a shame, imo, it all comes back to such vast sums of money. No longer the beautiful game. Now the business game.

[Barrs Court Red]

I agree Fatman, and it's a crying shame that it's come to this.

[Robbored]

Burnley fan on Talksport this morning saying that despite coming straight down they had a fantastic time in the PL last season and now with parachute payments are in a great financial position to build again. He said the gulf in class was enormous, even when playing mediocre PL teams like Bolton and Blackburn but certainly had no regrets about their one season in the PL.

I'm sure thats how most City fans would feel should we reach the PL and come straight down after one season. That said, I reckon that if City reach the Promised Land, Steve Lansdown may well provide a bit extra for the war chest.

[Steve Watts]

Burnley fan on Talksport this morning saying that despite coming straight down they had a fantastic time in the PL last season and now with parachute payments are in a great financial position to build again. He said the gulf in class was enormous, even when playing mediocre PL teams like Bolton and Blackburn but certainly had no regrets about their one season in the PL.

I'm sure thats how most City fans would feel should we reach the PL and come straight down after one season. That said, I reckon that if City reach the Promised Land, Steve Lansdown may well provide a bit extra for the war chest.

I bloody hope he doesn't then. I should hope that we've learned from Hull and Burnely....one of which showed how to do it the right way - the other the wrong way. Go up, take the money, and run. If we fluke survival, then great. If we don't, then we're financially sound and debt free for many years to come - also great. Baggies, Baggies have been boing boinging it for years, are financially sound and always have something to play for every year, whether its winning promotion or avoiding relegation. I'll have a bit of that, thanks very much!

[Barrs Court Red]

I think the best aim would be to make sure we stay at least a midtable championship club and get in on any Premier league 2. It's surely going to happen, especially if the prem does shink to 18 teams.

[fatman]

I think the best aim would be to make sure we stay at least a midtable championship club and get in on any Premier league 2. It's surely going to happen, especially if the prem does shink to 18 teams.

Achievable, sustainable and, in the short term, realistic. Totally agree.

[daisybcfc]

Lets be careful what we wish for. Premier League football? Cant afford to go anymore, watch the odd game on tv. Not sure thats affordable. Even if i could afford it the fixtures would be all over the place. Can we compete with the 125 million man city have spent? I doubt it. Champions league? When were Bolton or Blackburn there. Cannon fodder? probably. Promised land? Personally, i'd rather meet mates in the pub before a game and enjoy watching city. Day out watching city or Man U , no contest. See you in the Robins.

Stop moaning!! This sums up this message board, even if we got promoted people would still complain about it! Cheer up.

[Pezo]

Burnley fan on Talksport this morning saying that despite coming straight down they had a fantastic time in the PL last season and now with parachute payments are in a great financial position to build again. He said the gulf in class was enormous, even when playing mediocre PL teams like Bolton and Blackburn but certainly had no regrets about their one season in the PL.

I'm sure thats how most City fans would feel should we reach the PL and come straight down after one season. That said, I reckon that if City reach the Promised Land, Steve Lansdown may well provide a bit extra for the war chest.

I would like to see more teams do it the Blackpool way, i.e. maximum wage of 10k, bring in players that want to play in the premier league that don't think more and more money is the be all and end all.

It will get them relegated for sure but with a team of relatively young, Premier League experienced players that are on contracts that can paid for when they get relegated and a tone of money in the bank to ensure that they can build when they come down.

I think we also have to look at who went down when we go up, if your replacing a relatively big team i.e. Newcastle then you know when they (most likely) come back up that they are not going to be a team scrapping around the bottom making it more likely you will go down, i.e. trying to weaken the pool of teams at the bottom of the prem so you have a better chance of staying there or at least preparing for when there isn't going to be such a weak pool.

[Midge]

I would like to see more teams do it the Blackpool way, i.e. maximum wage of 10k, bring in players that want to play in the premier league that don't think more and more money is the be all and end all.

It will get them relegated for sure but with a team of relatively young, Premier League experienced players that are on contracts that can paid for when they get relegated and a tone of money in the bank to ensure that they can build when they come down.

I think we also have to look at who went down when we go up, if your replacing a relatively big team i.e. Newcastle then you know when they (most likely) come back up that they are not going to be a team scrapping around the bottom making it more likely you will go down, i.e. trying to weaken the pool of teams at the bottom of the prem so you have a better chance of staying there or at least preparing for when there isn't going to be such a weak pool.

I tell you what though, wouldn't it be great to see them survive by doing it this way, like you said I can't see it however it might just change the attitude of some top flight clubs and how they are run, if Blackpool can pull off the miracle of the century then I think only positive effects will happen.

Also as another post said, I'd like to be in West Brom's position, things change every year, one being the best and the other avoiding the drop,whilst having a chance of claiming a big scalp.