Subject: Luton Vs. Liverpool

That was unfortunate. I guess neither team deserved it.

You are wrong, both teams deserved it.

It really was a game of two halves. Both sides really wanted to win it and in the end they both did.

Well I'd argue luton did actually win, an away trip to anfield is likely to bring in more money than almost any tie they could get in the 4th round.

I hope pool lose the replay though.

Nobody talking about the Stoke v Newcastle match? Game and a half!

If the England set up put the effort and agression in that Stoke did i'd be happy!

I'm here. I just had better things to do last night like losing 2-0 to Phil.

Not embarassed in the slightest. I do remember saying I'd ditch Sky Sports after Liverpool lose to Luton.


The Liverpool players weren't up for it, and Luton were playing for a draw. That's the only way to explain their poor finishing.

Liverpool aren't the only team that was out fought by non league opposition.

Everton rotated their team (even though Moyes said he never would) and were found out.

Hopefully the classless Luton go to the wall today to avoid having to play them ever again.

Coventry are hard up, but you didn't see them asking Blackburn to hand over all the money.

Giving Luton any money would have been totally unfair on the teams run properly in League 1.

Kevin Blackwell is a knob head of the highest order. Bleating on about giving his wages over at Christmas to the youth players. Easy to do when you got a huge payout from Leeds.

Hopefully the classless Luton go to the wall today to avoid having to play them ever again.

In any other business they would. In football, they'll lose 10 points, a local businessman will buy them for a tenner and anyone who was owed any money by them will lose it.

They would be the 44th football league club since 1992 (formation of the Premiership, Sky money) to go into administration if they do so.

They would blame Sky for creating a system that's impossible to compete in and break even. Norwich are just about breaking even, and that's with several other businesses (catering, renting out office space, club shop, travel agency) running under the guise of NCFC. There's no danger of us troubling the Premiership these days either. Meanwhile Ipswich get taken over by a debt collector / arms dealer, having previously been in administration, get their 32 million debts wiped out / owned by the new chariman, and have a stab at the Premiership. It's almost impossible to run a football club as a business. They are either run as toys or they go broke.

Edit : Oh, and Coventry have just been taken over, so they are probably slightly less hard up now.
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I preferred the good old days, Footballers got sensible wages, the atmosphere at grounds was fantastic, and it was normal to have the same player see his contract out at the same club.

I am a West Ham fan and I was brought into footbal by the Trevor Brookings, Billy Bonds of this world.....its a shame that this will never be the case ever again.

I think the way Leeds behaved is a disgrace. The players still got their money (Danny Mills), yet the suppliers that supplied in good faith got a pittence.

The Liverpool board sold out to the highest bidder, the fans rejoiced and it's backfired. Liverpool are probably just as skint as most

What everybody saw yesterday is a manager trying to carry on as normal when the players think he's had it.
It's like watching Chelsea before Maureen left or Newcastle under fat Sam.
Only one player willing to fight for the club.

I disagree on the running of a club, if run properly, and properly being the oh so important word, a club can stay financially stable, while still competing.

Crewe are a decent example.

Thing is, it isn't skys fault, it's the owners/chairman, who see a big pay-off waiting if they get to the prem.

I do though think, that having a decent manager helps immensely in running a club properly, and a strict financial controller.

Crewe will never compete for the Premiership, the difference between Crewe and Luton is that Crewe realise this, and don't try to. Most 2nd tier clubs ( as Luton were when they got into difficulties ) live hand-to-mouth, gamble on success, and treat administration as an occupational hazard when it goes wrong, which it invariably does.

you would have said wigan, reading and fulham would never had competed either, good management allows this, though the infrastructure is needed first, and that mainly includes having a nice new stadium, with corporate space, and additional extras.

They are the usual 3 that get dug up in these arguments, and of them I'd say that only Reading did it and balanced the books. Madejski (their chairman, and owner of auto-trader magazine) has been looking for a buyer since they promoted, as he believes that it's impossible to stay in the Premiership and break even.

Wigan are owned by the JJB chairman, Fulham owned by Al-Fayed. Expect QPR to join them if not this season, then next, unless Bernie and Flavio get bored.
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But i think Al Fayed stopped investing when he realised they weren't going to win the thing, he just owns it now. Thing is though, none of the 3 are heavily backed, it's not like they plough millions into the clubs year after year.

And I think that's where the success is, run a club well, break even, and amybe try to make a small profit, that will probably include selling your best player/prospect every other year, and hope a backer comes in, who is willing to put just enough into the club.

Reading are the best example, but clubs in the championship and below, who average over 20k a home match, could all easily, if run properly get into the prem and stay there

The Reading chairman is absolutely minted mate.

I know that, but he doesn't splash millions into the club.