#13571
For those who read The Times or those who can read the article from Owen Slot today its a great read and very thought provoking.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/spor ... -23hczv3jw

It is hard to disagree with his thoughts that amateur clubs could have spent money better on facilities to entice the community in rather than on players. It could be said for mist grass roots sports to be honest
#13590
"Less money for amateur players" tickled me!

Couldn't read the article but John Inverdale who has just been elected as Chairman of the NCA which represents the National League clubs at levels 3 & 4 has made exactly the same point about the need for their clubs to ensure they have welcoming facilities to attract spectators.
#13598
The basis of the argument was that its estimated since the 1995 World Cup amateur clubs in the UK have paid £250 million to players and the argument is that the money could have been better spent on upgrading clubhouse facilities and providing covered stands to attract more supporters when it rains making them community assets.
#13599
west brom warrior wrote:
Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:35 pm
... it is estimated since the 1995 World Cup amateur clubs in the UK have paid £250 million to players
That's gobsmacking if true, but - and forgive me for this - I always question phrases such as "surveys have shown" and "it is estimated". Not disbelieving you WBW, I would just like to know who did the estimating?
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#13620
patgadd wrote:
Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:52 pm
west brom warrior wrote:
Tue Jun 30, 2020 12:35 pm
... it is estimated since the 1995 World Cup amateur clubs in the UK have paid £250 million to players
That's gobsmacking if true, but - and forgive me for this - I always question phrases such as "surveys have shown" and "it is estimated". Not disbelieving you WBW, I would just like to know who did the estimating?
It was the journalist Owen Slot who did the estimating. National One clubs are estimated to have spent £80 million of that which is staggering.
#13672
Paying players is a daft practice in the lower tiers. My eldest has just finished at LSE who previously had some issues meaning they were required to use an external coach. He used to turn out for Hampstead who are decent standard, but well down the pyramid. They used to pay, not a huge amount but suspect the outgoing would have been at least a grand a week across the whole squad...
#13677
Neiljk wrote:
Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:11 pm
Paying players is a daft practice in the lower tiers.
Neiljk, I have disagreed with your opinions many times in the past, but this time I couldn't agree more. "Daft" is the bon mot; I suspect a thorough search for the reasons for the practice might dig up treasures such as greed, glory-seeking, snobbery and blind ambition, as opposed to the higher tiers, where - er - hang on...
#13680
Neiljk totally agree it is daft it’s usually some rich benefactor showing of wealth at the lower levels but they won’t give the money to the club to improve facilities just to pay players. It’s the same in every sport, a few years back when I played cricket the club I had played for since I was 8 announced everyone in the first team squad would be paid £45 a match. The reality was only 1 or 2 players in that squad would have left if they hadn’t paid anyone as many had played at the club for years it was total madness but it’s what the club thought they needed to do to compete.
#13681
You want to fill your team with lads and lasses who want to play at the club and in practice if you have an enthusiastic player base who are invested in the club then you will thrive and frankly it doesn’t really matter what level the club plays at. If you have paid players there because they are paid then you are going to attract people not invested in the club and displace those that are. Ludicrous.

Level doesn’t matter, at all. It amazes me that club committees are concerned at all about what league they play in.
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