Thorpe Groyney
Open your mind
Just bear in mind this BBC News report from 29 November 2004: -
Large and financially successful football clubs should not be concerned about those struggling at the lower end of the industry, according to Freddy Shepherd, chairman of Newcastle United.
Speaking at the Soccerex international football business forum in Dubai, Mr Shepherd said executives of Premiership clubs striving for success did not have time to worry about lower division outfits.
"I think it is dog-eat-dog," he said. "The big fight will be for the Premier League to take over the running of the other leagues.
"The others can't hold us back, the time will come, I think, when it is the Premier League running the whole show. "Many of these other clubs will have to go part-time. When we have got 52,000 fans at each home game, the last thing we are worried about is clubs in the third division."
'No sympathy'
In the past five years, Newcastle has bought players such as Kieron Dyer and Jermaine Jenas from lower division sides. But, responding to claims Premiership clubs needed 72 clubs thriving under them in a solid Football League pyramid, Mr Shepherd said: "There is no sympathy here."
Go on Villa. Do the decent thing and win on Sunday.
Large and financially successful football clubs should not be concerned about those struggling at the lower end of the industry, according to Freddy Shepherd, chairman of Newcastle United.
Speaking at the Soccerex international football business forum in Dubai, Mr Shepherd said executives of Premiership clubs striving for success did not have time to worry about lower division outfits.
"I think it is dog-eat-dog," he said. "The big fight will be for the Premier League to take over the running of the other leagues.
"The others can't hold us back, the time will come, I think, when it is the Premier League running the whole show. "Many of these other clubs will have to go part-time. When we have got 52,000 fans at each home game, the last thing we are worried about is clubs in the third division."
'No sympathy'
In the past five years, Newcastle has bought players such as Kieron Dyer and Jermaine Jenas from lower division sides. But, responding to claims Premiership clubs needed 72 clubs thriving under them in a solid Football League pyramid, Mr Shepherd said: "There is no sympathy here."
Go on Villa. Do the decent thing and win on Sunday.