1961-12-14 — Page 9

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