john68 wrote:How football seems to have changed. Not omly that, how the way supporters view it has changed too.
There is almost as much talk on here these days about money, profit, income, expenditure, and debt, as there is about the game played on the field. In 1970, having won the League and FA Cup in the previous 12 months, City went to Vienna in the final of the Europesn Cup Winners Cup. We won, we celebrated. We'd won a European trophy...and we were as proud as fuck!!!
I don't suppose any of us considered how much City had earned from it. I don't suppose it even crossed our minds. We were too busy beiing happy at picking up another pot and considering ourselves as a major successful European Club. I still consider it to be the greatest success City have ever gained.
Now we look at the Europa League and think of the money it doesn't bring in and consider it beneath us.
As I said...How football seems to have changed....For the better?????
I don't think the money issue comes into it mate, especially with me. The whole problem with the competition is the format itself, having to start early and then being dragged through hoards of rounds (how many games did we have to play just to get to the last 16 with another 5 games to win it) and I think the club probably took the same view, especially considering our priorities. Then there's the monetary issue and with crowds down to less than half a stadium, due to the format, then it's no wonder people can't take it serious.
And what competition gives teams a second chance who have failed in their original competition, which then makes the cup even more ludicrous as these teams are far more advanced with money and player availability.
Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy going to the matches as I can't help myself, but in truth the Europa League is a farce that no-one can take seriously. If it wasn't for the discounted tickets how many people would still go and watch it? There's a reason it's so
cheap, and that's because the competition is,
cheap.