Season points trading on Manchester United August 14, 2014 IT IS possible bookmakers have over-reacted to the appointment of Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford and his new club’s pre-season form. Sporting Index traders have made Manchester United joint-third favourites with Arsenal on the Championship 60 Index and have pitched their season points at 75.5-77 – despite the team picking up just 64 last [...]
170,000 seats left empty at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium last season August 14, 2014 A total of 170,000 seats were left empty at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium during last season, an average of 6,550 empty seats per game. Arsenal announced an average attendance last season of 59,786. However data released by the Metropolitan Police Service states that the actual attendance was 5,998 lower at 53,788. As is [...]
Why are football fans marching in London today? Analysis of the increase in ticket prices August 14, 2014 Football fans from all corners of the country have flocked to London to march on the Premier League and Football League headquarters in a demand for “Affordable Football for All”. The march, organised by the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF), comes after a number of Premier League clubs – including Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester [...]
Premier League games to stay on TalkSport until 2019 August 14, 2014 TalkSport has extended its international broadcast deal with the Premier League to 2019. The radio station, owned by Belfast-based UTV media, will broadcast Premier League games to audiences in the UK and abroad for the next five years. A previous deal between the two parties had been due to expire at the end of [...]
Tottenham Hotspur pushed to top of House Price Premier League by spunky property market August 13, 2014 For those of you chomping at the bit for the Premier League to start this weekend, Nationwide has got a present for you. It’s an especially good gift if you’re also obsessed with house prices (come on, most of us are). Yes, it’s the House Price Premier League! The league is based on percentage [...]
39th game sure to happen, says Premier League chief Richard Scudamore August 13, 2014 Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has breathed fresh life into plans for top flight fixtures to be played overseas, insisting it is a matter of when, not if, the so-called 39th game is introduced. The Football Association on Sunday lent fresh momentum to an idea pilloried when first floated, hinting that the Community Shield [...]
Pellegrini frustration at City’s spending cap as Kompany commits August 13, 2014 MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini admits he is unlikely to make any more signings this summer because financial fair play (FFP) sanctions have curtailed the Premier League champions’ spending power. City are limited to spending £49m net during this accounting year, and have already neared that threshold with deals for defender Eliaquim Mangala, midfielder Fernando [...]
Premier League 2014-15 Preview: Part three August 13, 2014 LAST SEASON: Defied doomsayers and opening-day defeat to spend more days at top of table than any other team, without ever really looking like winning the title. Embarrassed by top four rivals, but overall a year of improvement crowned by FA Cup win TRANSFERS: Key ins: Alexis Sanchez, Calum Chambers, Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina. Key [...]
The power of our top football clubs is making the Premier League predictable August 13, 2014 The Premier League kicks off again this weekend. And given the abysmal showing of our boys in the recent World Cup, a falling off of interest might be expected. But increasingly, our domestic football league attracts many of the best players from around the world. A self-reinforcing process has been set up on a global [...]
Defiant Roy: I did not think of quitting job August 12, 2014 STEADFAST England manager Roy Hodgson has insisted the thought of quitting never entered his head despite the Three Lions enduring their most miserable World Cup for half a century in Brazil. Hodgson oversaw the national team’s worst World Cup campaign since 1958 with defeats to Italy and Uruguay preceding a goalless draw with Costa Rica [...]