Finally a level playing field...

[rushscored4]

Good read, very optimistic but **** can he spell VORONIN right.

Yeah, that ruined it for me too...

[REDSCOUSER]

Yeah, that ruined it for me too...

good am not alone then, get on me wick man
why can't people spell the name of OUR players correctly, I'd inderstand if it was some Wzkelczyen from Uzbikstan or something but our players ffs.

[dom9]

I have seen too many false dawns come and go.

I'm almost dreading yet more disapointment after the big build up to the season.

[Guest]

I have seen too many false dawns come and go.

I'm almost dreading yet more disapointment after the big build up to the season.

I don't expect anything these days ... If we genuinely are ready to mount a serious challenge, we will see it pretty quickly.

[rushscored4]

I have seen too many false dawns come and go. I'm almost dreading yet more disapointment after the big build up to the season.

I don't expect anything these days ... If we genuinely are ready to mount a serious challenge, we will see it pretty quickly.

If we don't beat Villa on the opening day I fear the usual doom'n'gloom merchants will be bombarding 606 and t'internet...

[dom9]

If we don't beat Villa on the opening day I fear the usual doom'n'gloom merchants will be bombarding 606 and t'internet...

Yes - that's guaranteed. Too many short sighted people overreacting.

I'm just not going overboard until we're still in the race at Xmas. Then you'll see me getting very excited.

We seem to make progress one year, then take a step back the next. It is time the cycle is broken, but who knows when that will happen.

[Rocket]

In my book, money is money and titles are titles, no matter where the cash comes from. In no history book does it say ‘Chelsea – Champions of England because they spent more.’ The mancs had all the dosh for 20 years, Chelsea have had it for 4. They’re the two huge spenders of the corporate era, and the only two able to effectively challenge for the Premier League Title over the last few years.

don't agree with this. i think eventually you will have all 20 premiership teams with rich owners, then what?

eventually you'll only be able to spend based on your turnover. Therefore, people like the Mancs that have a huge turnover from Sales etc will benefit most.

[rushscored4]

don't agree with this. i think eventually you will have all 20 premiership teams with rich owners, then what?

eventually you'll only be able to spend based on your turnover. Therefore, people like the Mancs that have a huge turnover from Sales etc will benefit most.

Of course the 'bubble' will burst sooner or later but hopefully with our fan base across the world our turnover - and therefore success - will be sustained long after Abramovich has lost interest or been arrested.

There has always been money in the game. The difference now is that it is overseas billionaires buying the clubs rather than local entrepreneurs like Jack Walker and the figures have a few more noughts on them. Football has become more global, more commercialised and more polarised, i.e. you can't imagine anyone outside the top four ever winning the Premiership with 'fairy stories' like Walker's Blackburn in 1995 unlikely to ever happen again.

However, the Yanks seem to be very much 'on the ball' and the appointment of a dedicated Commercial Director with knowledge of the Asian market and TV experience is a massive step forward to compete with the Mancs, Madrid and the other G14 cartel.

[Rocket]

Hknowledge of the Asian market.

they employed fredo

[rushscored4]

they employed fredo

No, Ian Ayre's been to that Wing Yip supermarket for some Kung Po sauce...

[Johnny]

good am not alone then, get on me wick man
why can't people spell the name of OUR players correctly, I'd inderstand if it was some Wzkelczyen from Uzbikstan or something but our players ffs.

He`s in Mellwood having a medical right now.You heard it here 1st.

[rushscored4]

He`s in Mellwood having a medical right now.You heard it here 1st.

With Snoogy Doogy?

[Catrin]

........i.e. you can't imagine anyone outside the top four ever winning the Premiership with 'fairy stories' like Walker's Blackburn in 1995 unlikely to ever happen again.

The fairy stories can continue, it is just that the success cannot be sustained.

Jack Walker bought Blackburn and threw money at it, paying British record fees for Sutton and (I think) Shearer. He started about 1992/1993 or so and by 1995 they were premiership champions.
Isn't that pretty much what Abramovic has done with Chelsea? It took him less time but he had a lot more money and Chelsea were already in the top four.

Blackburn didn't have a big enough fanbase for the success to be sustained without Jack continuing to put his hand in his pocket. He eventually had to stop and the fairytale ended. Chelsea are in the same position except that Abramovic has deep enough pockets to just carry on spending until either he gets bored or the Russians take their assets back. It is only a matter of time.

I'm optimistic about our future because our fanbase is huge and we have chairmen who know how to make that fanbase generate income for the club. We won't need Tom and George's money to sustain success. We can easily fill the new ground whereas Chelsea sometimes have to advertise on local radio that they have tickets available.

[Shaggy]

The fairy stories can continue, it is just that the success cannot be sustained.

Jack Walker bought Blackburn and threw money at it, paying British record fees for Sutton and (I think) Shearer. He started about 1992/1993 or so and by 1995 they were premiership champions.
Isn't that pretty much what Abramovic has done with Chelsea? It took him less time but he had a lot more money and Chelsea were already in the top four.

Blackburn didn't have a big enough fanbase for the success to be sustained without Jack continuing to put his hand in his pocket. He eventually had to stop and the fairytale ended.

Slightly off-topic, but I was told something a bit unsettling the other day by a Blackburn fan.

He reckoned Jack Walker was a completely racist *******, who refused to have any black players at the club during his time as owner/chairman. Apparently they only bought white players during his time there?

Can anyone verify this? Or preferably prove it to be a crock of horse-****?

[Catrin]

Slightly off-topic, but I was told something a bit unsettling the other day by a Blackburn fan.

He reckoned Jack Walker was a completely racist *******, who refused to have any black players at the club during his time as owner/chairman. Apparently they only bought white players during his time there?

Can anyone verify this? Or preferably prove it to be a crock of horse-****?

I can't think of any black players who signed for them during that time but it must be a coincidence. Seems unlikely to me that Kenny would have gone along with it.