The Barclays Premier League Thread 2014/2015

[Ant]

Actually they kinda are. Well not billionaires but clubs are being bought more frequently now.

Me and brens point stands. Its not difficult to comprehend to be honest

[Lineker]

Being a big city doesn't mean too much. Otherwise someone would have taken a punt on Bristol.

[Colly]

Maybe it wouldn't be if I could work out what it was, Brenchill said investors would rather go to Hull or Manchester. Now unless I've missed a Hull takeover bid they're owned by a local businessman, and if you can't see why you'd pick a club in the North West, historically the most successful area for English football, then I'm really not sure what the argument is.

[stokeriño]

Villa ought to get one of those really dodgy investors, like Notts County did. You know, just for kicks.

[Ant]

The point is we are one of the most successful clubs (historically anyway) in England and we haven't had a single takeover approach since being put up for sale.

[EddieG]

Man U can sell out a 75.000 seater stadium in a city smaller than Birmingham, size really doesn't matter.

[stokeriño]

Man U can sell out a 75.000 seater stadium in a city smaller than Birmingham, size really doesn't matter.

Not when the West Coast Main Line can ferry your fanbase in from Surrey, sure.

[Ant]

I love you stok

[EddieG]

Touche, but isn't Birmingham accessible from most train stations in the country as well?

[stokeriño]

If it were an issue of accessibility, then all these Man Utd fans would be supporting Watford...

[MDK]

Wait...

There are cities outside of London?

[Cymbols]

Touche, but isn't Birmingham accessible from most train stations in the country as well?

It took me 4 hours to get out of Birmingham by train tonight, so accessible yeah, convenient not as much.

[The Lusophone]

Of course it is in terms of football. Bigger city, more population, more potential fans etc.

It's a global frigging game and it's the clubs who make themselves marketable in the big emerging markets - China, Japan, South Korea, India, the US etc, that do well. It's why United (and others) travel for their pre-season tours. This year it was the US, last year to Europe, Asia and Australia, the year before South Africa, Norway, China and Germany, the US for the two years before that, Malaysia, South Korea and Germany before that and so on and so forth.

[The Lusophone]

Man U can sell out a 75.000 seater stadium in a city smaller than Birmingham, size really doesn't matter.

Not when the West Coast Main Line can ferry your fanbase in from Surrey, sure.

I'm sure all Chelsea fans live within spitting distance of Stamford Bridge amirite?

[9 to 5]

It is not a "who has the best city" argument really, because that is fucking shit. Manchester and the surrounding area is very attractive to investors, especially if they have billions. The Chinese takeover of Birmingham didn't go too well. Nor did ours.

It is about what clubs are attractive to investors, and if you think Villa going down will help, then you are clearly mental.

[DavidMarrio]

Can we just agree that Birmingham is a shithole and no one wants to buy Villa.

There is literally hundreds of different reasons as to why clubs are taken over. I'm sure Lerners asking price may be putting people off.

Edited November 29, 2014 by DavidMarrio

[MDK]

Lol, a Scouser slagging off Brumland.

I've seen it all now!

[DavidMarrio]

Pipe down you.

Pipe down you.

[stokeriño]

Man U can sell out a 75.000 seater stadium in a city smaller than Birmingham, size really doesn't matter.

Not when the West Coast Main Line can ferry your fanbase in from Surrey, sure.

I'm sure all Chelsea fans live within spitting distance of Stamford Bridge amirite?

Fans come from all over, of course they do. Even the ones born locally will move house etc. (Example A: a Stockport County fan I know who now lives in Milton Keynes...)

The particular needling of Man Utd fans is a trope, but it's one I feel entitled to keep up after having suffered London-Manchester trains over-fucking-flowing with United fans, both before and on the return from an Old Trafford game. I had obviously made the joke before, but was frankly staggered by the reality of it.

[Colly]

Why else are they building HS2?