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Opinion

The Haves and the Have Nots

8 years ago
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In times gone by, a club like Bournemouth would have been seen as cannon fodder, but all they need to potentially transform their club forever, is to survive one season.

In the past, the economics of football would have meant that a club such as Bournemouth, might have fluked their way into staying in the top division for a season, but would have been nailed on for relegation the next one.

With a capacity of around 10,000 it would have meant curtains, now though it is almost immaterial.

Their gate receipts might only be around £5m or so this season but when you consider from next season they would be guaranteed close to £100m from TV, you could let everybody in for free and it would make next to no impact on the ability to compete.

Swansea City have already shown on only a slightly larger scale what is possible, on gates of twenty thousand or less, the Welsh club have grown sustainably and have frequently attracted players by outbidding Newcastle on wages and transfer fees, with the likes of Ayew, Bony and Gomis.

They are desperate to increase their stadium capacity to help them continue to grow organically but for say Bournemouth, it might even make more sense for them to keep things as they are in terms of the ground.

Unless they feel they want to do the right thing and allow more fans to get in to watch them play Premier League football, they could well see having a small stadium of passionate fans as a plus when it comes to trying to compete.

In the transfer market they have already paid out £10m for a player in Tyrone Mings from Ipswich, if they survive this season then just what will they do with their £100m or so next year?

Football continues to be a case of the haves and the have nots but the rules have changed. Clubs with great tradition and large fanbases such as Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday are now easy prey when the likes of Bournemouth and Swansea come after their players.

Next season’s rise in TV income will only accelerate the process and whether it is Celtic and Rangers or big clubs in Holland, Belgium, France or wherever, only if they are regulars in the Champions League will they be able to brush off any and all of the Premier League.

The same with whichever clubs end up getting relegated from the Premier League this season….including Newcastle United of course if the worst happened.

On the surface it looks surely a positive that a Bournemouth can come from nowhere and compete with all except the ‘elite’ but the have nots will now just be left ever further behind.

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