EFL Investigate Three Clubs, Abhorrent FA Fines and Mangerial Media Snub – Talk the Football L
- Sam Greasley-Machin
- Sep 6, 2019
- 4 min read
Madejski Stadium, credit; Flickr (John Fielding )
Controversy hit the Championship this week when the EFL decided to launch an independent stadium valuation enquiry following three clubs sales of their grounds to their owners as a way of pumping cash into the sides. One manager decided to break precedent, EFL rules and go against common courtesy in refusing to meet the media and the FA showed just how abhorrent and inconsistent their fine system is. All of this and more in the Talk the Football League weekly column.
EFL launch investigation into three clubs
Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and Reading have all this week come under fire from the EFL following the sale of their stadium to their owners to boost finances. The fact of the matter is that this investigation would not have come about if other clubs hadn’t complained to the league and the EFL need to look like they are seen to be doing something in response.
Ultimately the problem other sides in the division have is that it is a way of injecting money into the club without impacting FFP and is almost off book, had the same level of finances as the stadium sales been put in via normal funding each side would very much be looking at a least a points deduction similar to Birmingham’s last season.
However, no club has actually done anything wrong there are no rules against it and if anything it is the EFL’s fault to blame, a common theme in recent weeks, for both approving the sales to go through and having such a ‘loophole’ available in the first place. None of the trio of sides should be punished, none the least Reading who sold the Madejski Stadium for £25m compared to the £80m of Pride Park and £75m for Hillsborough – as much as it is considered a lifeless bowl by many it’s not that much worse off than the other two.
Managerial Media Snub
The post match meeting with the media isn’t always fun, none less so than after another loss, but it is part of football, part of the highs and the lows and not to mention part of official EFL rules. That isn’t the case in the mind of Kevin Bond at Southend United who opted to snub the media following his eight loss in nine.
It is nothing short of disgusting this behaviour not because it breaks the rules, but because it is an integral way with communicating with the fans who use their hard earned cash week in week out to watch the team they love. It is utterly disrespectful to them who still turn up in numbers, despite the poor form, and the very least they deserve is a few words on the performance. Perhaps even an apology or a prospective promise for a change in form. To avoid them is awful behaviour made worse by the fact it would have been only a local journalist and the local BBC team – hardly going to be the biggest grilling in the world. Bond is likely to face the chop after an abysmal start to the season, but after this stunt he should already be gone.
(As of producing and publishing this column Bond has no rightly gone, as he handed in his resignation on Friday)
FA logo on Wembley Stadium, credit WikiCommons (Reubentg)
The abhorrent FA fine system
Huddersfield this week were on the receiving end of a £50,000 fine following their Paddy Power marketing stunt which saw the Terriers wear a shirt with a slash across the front. This was £40,000 more than Millwall were fined for racist chanting in January. Mental.
How can racist abuse be seen as worse than an advertisement being bigger than it should, which was a mock gesture anyway and a one off making the case even worse. This hardly sends out a good perspective on the priorities of the FA, but it isn’t just the UK’s governing board at it.
There have been many instances in the past where FIFA have issued heavier fines, such as the one on England for wearing Poppies, than the governing board have for racism. It is nothing short of disgusting and perhaps is an indication of how much these bodies are really interested in the punishment and ultimately the termination of racism in football, especially in times where racist abuse has been very much been in the headlines in recent weeks and at times where abuse (according to Kick it Out) is rising.
International Break
Two horrid words for many football fans – international break. Just as the season starts to get going it it stops again and while for clubs like Charlton it comes at a bad time where they just want to continue playing and continue with the impressive form, it comes at great time for teams like Huddersfield who haven’t got going yet. Either way ‘proper’ football stops, right? Wrong.
Just because the Premier League and Championship (along with a few League One games) comes to a sudden halt doesn’t mean ‘proper’ football does, despite what top six fans post on Twitter. The majority of League One and the whole of League Two are in all action. But it doesn’t stop there with the National League all playing, as are the divisions below in the FA Cup first round. So if you’re not already and have a local lower league side why not go and support them – they need it more.
You can catch arch rivals Wimbledon v MK Dons face off or high flyers Lincoln take on Wycombe who have also started well in League One. Or League Two leaders Exeter look to maintain top spot as they play away to Carlisle. Not to mention the vast amounts of Non-League teams in action in the FA Cup. There is plenty of action and bound to be some nearby.
Why not check out last weeks column here discussing the failures of the EFL surrounding Bury, Bolton’s survival and the Carabao cup draw. Also don’t forget to follow TalktheFootballleague on Twitter to hear all the latest Football League news and join in on the discussions @TalktheFL.
By Sam Greasley-Machin
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