If true then then football certainly dead...

[stripes39]

Can't help on that one Stripes.

I don't use the officials so absolutely no idea chap.

I used to use the away coaches once upon a time. A quick look on Google tells me it was them. They used to sell that fanzine at all of the matches and it was Terry Wills who used to give them a hand. I remember reading someone's copy and she used to write a blo*dy diary that went on and on and on..... You could start the article at the Hawthorns and if you were lucky have finished it by the time you got to Manchester or London. Terry Mr Albion Wills phones Paul Franks's football phone-in nearly every night on WM to deliver his state of the nation address on all things WBA.

[Q165]

I used to use the away coaches once upon a time. A quick look on Google tells me it was them. They used to sell that fanzine at all of the matches and it was Terry Wills who used to give them a hand. I remember reading someone's copy and she used to write a blo*dy diary that went on and on and on..... You could start the article at the Hawthorns and if you were lucky have finished it by the time you got to Manchester or London. Terry Mr Albion Wills phones Paul Franks's football phone-in nearly every night on WM to deliver his state of the nation address on all things WBA.

There were some decent articles in GD.

[Albionic68]

Results from the Football Supporters Federation (FSF) National Supporters Survey for 2017 linked below for anyone with an interest.

"Earlier this year, we surveyed almost 8,500 football supporters to get their thoughts on the state of the game - the biggest survey of fans by fans since our last census in 2012".

http://www.fsf.org.uk/blog/view/nati...7-full-results

[holmleighchris]

My thoughts exactly 68. Part of my disillusionment with all things Premier League is the fact that so much is given over to the top 4 or 5 teams so I can quite happily live without them when the circus rolls in to town. I had to check the price of membership as a mate of mine paid £5 last year for adult membership and now (as you say) its gone to £20. That's sweet of them.

As if categorised matches aren't enough, I'm told that its £265.00 for a kid to be a mascot but if it's Man U or Liverpool its £350.00. They're getting us every which way. It all seems quite petty really when you think that the recent Sky increase in revenue was big enough to in theory remove the cost of entrance for every spectator and they still would have made more than they did the year before this new deal such was the increase. I'm not advocating it should be free either but Premiership clubs really can't get enough cash can they? A little concession to the fans would be nice but as we no longer count I'm not holding my breath.

So the total amount of money made from mascots is about 30% of what the average first teamer makes in a week. Why bother charging?

[WBA1955]

In'the'70's'there'was'an'old'chap'named'Bill'where 'we'worked.He'had'supported'Wolves'all'his'life'un til'1964'when'they'sacked'Cullis.
He'never'set'foot'in'the'ground'again,instead'he'f ollowed'Bilston'Town'home'and'away.
As'a'youngster'in'my'early'20's,and'fanatically'Al bion'i'couldn't'understand'how'he'could'turn'his'b ack'on'the'club'had'followed'all'his'life.
I'have'been'falling'out'of'love'with'the'pro'game' for'the'last'5'or'6'years.
Albion'was'a'family'club.The'chairman'was'a'Black' Countryman'the'players'always'had'time'for'the'fan s.
The'fans'were'down'to'earth,rough,loud'and'the'wit tiest'in'the'land.The'football'win'or'lose'was'spa rkling'and'out'of'the'ordinary.
I'don't'recognise'the'club'i'loved'anymore.Mercena ry'players,a'distant'owner'turgid'boring'football' and'whingeing'fans.
The'love'affair'for'me'began'to'end'when'Olsson'sp at'and'swore'at'his'own'fans.I'liked'him'as'a'play er'but'lost'respect'for'him'as'a'person
after'that.Could'you'imagine'Graham'Williams,Jeff' Astle'or'John'Wile'doing'that
Next'week'i'hope'to'attend'my'first'game'at'Stourb ridge
I'am'hoping'that'football'in'the'real'world'will'r eignite'my'love'of'the'game

[talkSAFT]

In'the'70's'there'was'an'old'chap'named'Bill'where 'we'worked.He'had'supported'Wolves'all'his'life'un til'1964'when'they'sacked'Cullis.
He'never'set'foot'in'the'ground'again,instead'he'f ollowed'Bilston'Town'home'and'away.
As'a'youngster'in'my'early'20's,and'fanatically'Al bion'i'couldn't'understand'how'he'could'turn'his'b ack'on'the'club'had'followed'all'his'life.
I'have'been'falling'out'of'love'with'the'pro'game' for'the'last'5'or'6'years.
Albion'was'a'family'club.The'chairman'was'a'Black' Countryman'the'players'always'had'time'for'the'fan s.
The'fans'were'down'to'earth,rough,loud'and'the'wit tiest'in'the'land.The'football'win'or'lose'was'spa rkling'and'out'of'the'ordinary.
I'don't'recognise'the'club'i'loved'anymore.Mercena ry'players,a'distant'owner'turgid'boring'football' and'whingeing'fans.
The'love'affair'for'me'began'to'end'when'Olsson'sp at'and'swore'at'his'own'fans.I'liked'him'as'a'play er'but'lost'respect'for'him'as'a'person
after'that.Could'you'imagine'Graham'Williams,Jeff' Astle'or'John'Wile'doing'that
Next'week'i'hope'to'attend'my'first'game'at'Stourb ridge
I'am'hoping'that'football'in'the'real'world'will'r eignite'my'love'of'the'game

Cheerio then. You're one of the whingeing fans you mention above.
I'm no happy clapper by any means, but I came on here because I now live 250 miles away from the ground, and have enjoyed 'talking' to like-minded Albion-till-I-die fans. So many on here are starting to whinge, and I'm afraid it's catching, so goodbye cruel "fans".

[WBA1955]

I'take'exception'to'seeing'people'spat'on'by'milli onaires
Sooner'give'my'money'to'a'working'class'club

[Albionic68]

Cheerio then. You're one of the whingeing fans you mention above.
I'm no happy clapper by any means, but I came on here because I now live 250 miles away from the ground, and have enjoyed 'talking' to like-minded Albion-till-I-die fans. So many on here are starting to whinge, and I'm afraid it's catching, so goodbye cruel "fans".

Crikey, where do you live then?

Truro? Berwick-upon-Tweed?

That's some bloody commute if so.

[holmleighchris]

It's not the Albion that's the problem, it's the game. Too much TV exposure, too much money, too many cheating players.
Back in the day there were villains. Ron Harris, Billy Bremner, Ian Ure, Tommy Smith, Ron Yeats, and more would cynically chop opponents down regularly. There were the odd divers. Frannie Lee was the main one. Chippy Clark wasn't immune from this. However now so many players go down at the slightest touch, roll around in "agony" then get up as if nothing has happened. This includes so called"hard men" of today's game. Our very own Claudio Yacob is one who regularly does it. Referees give the free kick for fear of getting it wrong. "Expert pundits" analyse the "foul" to the enth degree and decide "Yes there was contact, therefore it must be a foul". All this and more detracts from what was the greatest sport in the world.
My passion for Albion still exists, my passion for the game doesn't.

[WBA1955]

Spot'on'Chris,i'feel'exactly'the'same.Albion'til'i 'die,but'the'game'that'gave'me'so'much'pleasure'no w'bores'me'to'tears.
Years'ago'you'had'football'just'once'or'twice'a'we ek,and'just'two'games'on'MOTD
Now'we'are'getting'3'or'4'games'a'DAY'on'tele.Foot ball'is'not'a'treat'any'more