THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1961,
Club mergers won't solve English soccer's financial problems
Most English Football League clubs are finding their financial problems
becoming more and more pressing.
Last season, over 60 of the 92 clubs failed to show a profit, At the end of this season, with its falling gates and rising cost of wages, morė clubs than ever will be in the red.
What is the answer?
Once again, the possibility of amalgamation is being discussed following the proposal by Mr Harry Dolman, chairman of Bristol City, to merge his clubs with Bristol Rovers
Quite frankly, I think this is just a "pipe dream" with very little chance of success ---especially in larger cities like Manchester and Liver- pool.
Bigger gates
Can you imagine Manchester United and Cly forming ane club for the city of Manchester?
Finan It is fine-in theory. cially, amalgamation of twe clubs in a city or district would seem very attractive for There the newly-formed club.
2
would be the possibility of an increased average gate and the pooling of financial resources.
ON THEI
BALL
with Stan Cullis
In Milan, the two big League clubs use the same stadiem un
ir other
alternate Saturdays. There are similar arrangements Italian cities,
Expenses cut
Reserve matches are in mid- week and clubs avoid clashing for training sessions at the This scheme But while there are always shared stadium.
a real possibility for may be "fringe" supporters of a club- fans who will watch whichever the future in British football. club may
currently be most
The advantages are obvious in the area - one successful
in overhead ex- - big cut must consider the faithful sup-
pensis and the chance to spend porters who follow their club in
on stands, Rood- good or bad times.
rinte money
specti-tur lighting and various comforts.
They might have mixed feri- ings about transferring their allegiance to a combination of two clubs.
Spectators first
TAVO
. Among clubs suggested for stach a scheme are the Fristol clubs, Bradford and
·Bradford City. Brentford and Queen's Park Rangers. and Charlton and Millwall.
recreation centres such as exist In parts of South America and Europe.
Barcelona, for example, has tens of thousands of members. There are facilities for kindred sports such as fencing.. hockey. athlents, basket-ball and hand- ball.
It would be excellent if We could develop such giant ceh- tres from the proceeds gained by two neighbouring clubs selling their existing grounds. But the biggest snag in such il scheme is the limited amount of space for building great stadiums.
Not enough room
development,
There's no thrill like
the Soccer big-time
London.
The more I see of the contemporary Soccer scene, the more I be- gin to believe that the Borgias had nothing on some of the char- acters who run our League clubs.
If you don't believe me, just consider the conniving and scheming, the intrigue and back-stabbing which so often goes on in camera when some manager is due for the boot.
By
ALAN HOBY
UCANINA
Often, too, they are expected to be little more than glorified yes-men-office slaves with no more impact that a duormat.
Indeed, I know of no other business in the world-and don't. tell me professional Soccer is a sport--where working conditions can be so vile.
But, before that last blow fell, Freddie Cox was fired. Last February he walked out of in Fratton Park, his career
Frank Hill back...what brings nearly all of them back.
"THE GAME...
Despite its chronic insecurity Its insidious effect on health and nervous systems, it still exercises a fire few in football can resist.
Look at some of the personalities who left League football, depressed and worried; only tc return like an opium smoker to his pipe.
IMMORTAL
top
There is RAICH "CARTER,
who after
ruins, his dreams in ashes. Cox
Today at 40, however, has beguif a new life frons England immortal, scratch. He has sunk his savings being sacked by Leeds United... in a shop. Net far from the he had won them promotion Boscombe ground where he was only two years before went once the idol, Freddie deals in back to work behind the counter Sweets instead of Soccer deals, of his newsagent shop in Hull. tobacco instead of training And where is silver-haired Raich stints, "Business is very
he today?
He
is the go-ahead told me. "I am also
manager of Mansfield Town. established as +1
There is ANDY BEATTIE. who, after 2 term at Hudders- field, became a sub-postmaster in a Lancashire village. He said that he could not face the mental flogging of a nine-month season. Today the canny Andy is firmly in the driving seat at Nottingham Forest.
There is ARTHUR
ROWE. who, after two breakdowns and a spell as a shoe salesman, left Spurs only to return with his old spell-binding magic as besy of Crystal Palace.
it's hard work. Wise,
and I do a seven-day My week, starting at 5.30 am and never finishing before 6.80 in the evening. But it's interesting and it means security."
ENLIGHTENED Don't misunderstand me. I'm. I don't want to bore you not saying that ALL managers with dust-dry statistics, but are heaven-sent saints with a since the war at least 350 man- surfeit
of grey matter and agers have been axed, while ability. Nor that ALL football another 150 simply quit their directors are boardroom bares and bullies who couldn't dis- jobs.
Some
went
footballer froma -a to new clubs. tinguish a Others
packed up and left fociman. because they couldn't stomach There are still a few ELL- the frustration and interference lightened boards which let the å second longer. And others, managers manage. Clubs like like Neil Dougall, who last Charlton, Ipswich, Spurs, Leyton month stepped down to be Orient, Manchester United, "Yes" in reply. come coach and chief scout at Wolves, and Southampton. But Plymouth, just wanted to get these with a few others--are some sleep at night,
the exceptions,
It is easy to see why this is the most precarious profession in Britain.
白
is
that
In the circumstances, what is amazing to me managers fike Frank Hill--now start with struggling Chariton the weeks after
by being sacked
Notts County have taken the worst football can offer. the buffet
the bitter ings, the bad luck, disappointments-yet still yearn to come back.
"Have you finished with foot- ball for good?" I asked, half- expecting an uncompromising
And there is VIC BUCKING- HAM, the ex-West Bromwich Albion chief who went quietly away to direct Ajax of Holland, only to come racing home to one of the plum jobs in foot- ball with Sheffield Wednesday. You can call 'em mad, fools, or just dedicated. But you can't keep 'em away from the game
TOO HASTY "Certainly not," was the answer, Freddie's voice growing suddenly warm. Despite what happened,
I don't feel down- harted or a failure. Besides, I the miss football. I've been in
since
I was 15. It gets in garne your blood. Mind
ind you, I can afford to be more choosey now. I acted too hastily when I went to mouth. Take that forgotten man
But I would definitely
they worship. Bert football FREDDIE COX. In go back if the right offer came
years Frederick along." five jet-paced James Arthur Cox ran the whole see-saw gamut of delight and disaster.
HIS HALO Altogether, of the 92 League SEVEN clubs, only
managers have survived 10 years or more. They are Stan Cullis (Wolves), They
Unit must be centrally Matt Bushy (Manchester situated in cilias and towns ifed, Bill Ridding (Bolton), Les they are to be successfully sup- McDowall (Manchester City),
few Lea-Bill Anderson (Lincoln), ported. And only a gue clubs have grounds large Tann (Bristol Rovers), and Eric enough to allow for such a Webber (Torquay
Why is it that the run-of-the- manager so seldom wins? In a sense, we are now han-mili
we The answer lies in that old devil dicapped the fact that by the
developing who rides us all-human nature. led the world in
When his club is on top the League football. Many of our you
constructed
manager is a hero with a halo. grounds,
When it hits a losing streak days of the bansom cab,
is a has-been who's had it. he now that so unsuitable quite
With most of the managers I many fans drive their own Cars.
There is space for develop know, if they're not worrying ment. Often here is inadequate how
off relegation how
for car parks, training they're thrashing their brains room would be in
and easily-accessible how to stay out in front. quarters
Time and again, over entrances and exits. not for sup-
So, until the days of a Super years, I have seen these League, which may bring giant treated in the most contemptible gates, it is difficult to visualise manner.
Often they have being
no guaran- the money
raised to New Deal tees, no contracts, ne security, finance a
general
as and no safeguards whatsoever
But again, tradition is like- ly to stand firm against such meves. Meanwhile the finan- cial problem of many clubs
bad will surely go from worse.
Recreation centres
Tradition dies hard in Bri- tain. Although the passage of
might ilme
the accustom supporters to the new set-up and revive interest, could conceivably lose many Lans in the transitional stage. Club officials, concerned with- their domestic affairs, must act in the way they think best for the club. At the same time
One studders to think spectators
The first con- are
many more clubs sideration because they are the the red if it were people who
the keep
game
porters' going.
An alternative suggestion to amalgamation is for two rjuhs in the same area to keep their
separate identities
the same ground.
to
in the
are
donations pools and from supporters' clubs whose contributions are said to amount to half a million pounds a year. Ideally, of course, one would like to see many League clubs for the spectators as well but
become part of multi-purpose for the players.
share
Four D. Jones THE JONES BOYS HOOP COMES TO
BY MADDOCKS
REST ACROSS THE CHEST OF THE
TROLLEY MAN
IT CAME
FROM OUT OF
THE SKY,
WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE,
CHIEF
GET THE THING
OFF ME
WE MADE IT.
to stave
for the futare.
STACK ME!
THE BLOW HAS
OKAY, OKAY, GO AFFECTED MY
AND FETCH IT
WE HAVE COMPANY, I
SEE
MIND. I'M SEEING TWIN
THINGS
NEW LIFE
of
Five seasons ago, as boss of Bournemouth in the Third Divi sion, Cox, ex-battering-ranı Spurs and Arsenal winger, ex wartime pilol, was being halled as football's "miracle man"; as the bright manager whose
young
bad blasted team of nobodies world-famous Wolves and Spurs out of the the
Cup.
Ports- mouth. And from that black mornent onwards his career took a nose-dive to catastrophe. Setback followed setback Porn pey reeled into Division Two and then lurched into Third Division.
rucn
Then
went to
SHEAFFER'S
IMPERIAL DE
Sheaffer quality features
moderatę
prices
at
Poris-
HEARTBREAK
50
Another famous member of this indiarubber breed a man who would love to bounce right The last word, however, o11 from back into the managerial "hot this cruel calling comes
BILL DODGIN. Re- that ever-bubbling seat" is
crucible of Bill? Не
DO- repeatedly nervous
energy, PETER member
South HERTY, ex-inside forward of conjured headlines at
genius, ex-manager of Doncaster ampton, Fulham and Brentford.
of Bristol Rovers and Now chief scout
and Bristol City, Rovers - he also owns a con- team manager of the Northern fectioner's
West Byfleet Ireland XI which shop at
drew Dodgin
was once forced to splendidly with that shabby transfer his own son from England side recently.
lo Arsenal Fulham
"because some of the crowd were making his life miserable trying to get at me through him."
Yet
senior Dodgin
is
not soured by his experiences. "Not in the least bit," he told me." My sint is now back doing well with Fathom. and I would become a manager again tomor row - provided it was the right club.
Says Peter his wife Jessica uns a betting shop in Bristol: "Yes. I
**Yes, would go back just for one more go. But struggling They're too are out. heartbreaking."
clubs
Thea Peter Doherty delivered this
"There are too warning: meny business tycoons gien who are first-class at their own jobs but who know little about football-trying to run it.
"That's why managers must get together for the good of the gaine before it is too late-and
O PHILIPS / PHILIPS DO
PHILIPS
T.L.
light as day!
GILMANS
PHILPS: LIGHTING. DEST
SAVE A LIFE BECOME A BLOOD DONOR
"There's nothing like being boss, he went on nostalgically "There is a thrill I can't describe in bringing on young before there are по more
Johmy stars like
Haynes, managers of talent left." Bobby Robson, and Roy And that, surely, is the an- Dwight as I did at Fulham."
A Mutual
Protection The British Red Cross Blood Then
he paused
before adding Society for football managers. A
Collecting Centra quietly know things are nim which demand--and getting worse for managers. Bui get-decent working conditions. you might as well be dead as out of the game.
And that's it. That in the end analysis. is what brought
swer.
Only then will managers--as well as the footballers they con- trol-get a fair deal.
London Express Service.
8th Fbor, Fung House Connaught Rood, Central Tel. 27698
FERDINAND
THE FLUTTERS
YOU GO HOME AN! KEEP THIS BLOOMIN' CHALLENGE GOIN' SMEECHY/WEZZ SEE YOU'RE OKAYS
ONLY MAKE SURE MASTERMAN HAS A BASH FIRST, SEE? THEN, WELL KNOW HOW. WE STAND FOR BEATİN”,
HIS TIME,
AN' THIS ONE'LL
DO- IT'S GOT TWO NERDS,
BRICK BRADFORD
WELL BIGN
BRING, THE OTHER
*TWO PRISONERS.
THIS WAY!
YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT BY TOSSIN'
A COIN
ARE PLACE:
By Mik
SWISSAIR
Europe in a day by SWISSAIR Convair Jet
AN' CONT
WORRY YOURE
IN GOOD HANDS,
HAVE A BREAK.
Make a
BIG
Success of
Your Christmas Celebration with
CHERRY HEERING
IF I HEAR ONE MORE WORD, SWEA
YOU I'M GOING TO CLOSE THAT MO
AND TIGHT
By Paul Norris
HAVE A Kit Kat
You care be SURE
if its..
CHERRY HEERING
FTER Y KEERING
EOPE
HERRY BRANDY