Jack Collison has spoken of his duel with Wesley Sneijder as he relived a
memorable day with Wales
03.06.2008
Jack Collison is off on a well-deserved holiday after yet another week to
remember in a fantastic breakthrough season for club and country.
The 19-year-old midfielder signed off the 2007/08 season with a second-half
appearance for Wales in the 2-0 defeat by the Netherlands on Sunday
afternoon and found himself up against some of the world's best players
including Real Madrid trio Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Ruud van
Nistelrooy. Collison, 19, had already been "surprised" by making his senior
bow the previous Wednesday in the 1-0 win in Iceland but could not believe
it when manager John Toshack told him to get ready for a run-out in
Rotterdam.
"He told me after about half an hour that I was going on," said Collison,
who only made his first-team bow for West Ham United back on 1 January and
has also just a handful of Under-21 caps to his name. "He said 'have a
proper warm-up because you're going on at half-time' and made me watch Carl
Robinson in the first half to see what position he was playing as I was
going to replace him. He said 'just go on and do your best'."
Collison had been on cloud nine since arriving at the legendary De Kuip
stadium for a match which Marco van Basten's men were using to sign off on
their Euro 2008 preparations. "It was a great atmosphere. Walking out of the
tunnel and to see all the Dutch fans dressed in orange was something. It is
a lovely stadium. The pitch was top quality as well, a great surface for
playing football and it was a proper game. They have world-class players
throughout the team and it was really special experience."
It certainly was a true test of Toshack's youthful Wales team, with Collison
getting a close-up view of one of Europe's top players in their dynamic No10
Sneijder. "He's not a bad player, is he?," said Collison with a smile. "He
was playing in the hole and I was in a defensive midfield role and I was
just trying to get in and around him but he is such a clever player. I
probably learned as much in that 45 minutes playing up against him as I have
all season." He added that he did not get a chance to talk much with
club-mate Craig Bellamy as "I was so busy trying to get the ball back!
"To play against someone like that can only help me progress," Collison
continued, before going on to describe his first two caps as "what I have
been working hard for all season". He was also pleased to get time on the
pitch alongside Wales captain Bellamy, with his "inspiring" club-mate coming
on later in the half. The two both featured in Reykjavik last week but were
not on the pitch at the same time. "It was a bit of a shame I didn't get to
play with him on Wednesday especially as he got his 50th cap. That is
something I am going to be looking to myself one day. It was nice to play
alongside him and I am looking forward to doing it again in future for West
Ham and Wales."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Season ticket renewal reminder - WHUFC
The ticket office has reported renewals are going well with a month left for
season ticket holders to renew
03.06.2008
The West Ham United ticket office can confirm that season ticket renewals
are going well and ahead of schedule for the 2008/09 season.
With exactly a month left until the Tuesday 1 July renewal deadline,
supporters have been making use of the new West Ham United Box Office
website for online applications and the ticket office has reported more
people renewing than at this time last season. Supporters can also ensure
their seat again for the next campaign by using the renewal pack received
through the post or by ringing the ticket office on 0871 222 2700.
As the maximum number of 26,000 season tickets was sold in the 2007/08
season, until the 1 July renewal date has passed the club are unable to give
any information on availability for next season. Those already on the season
ticket waiting list will automatically receive information on how they can
apply for any seats that may become available.
Any seats not renewed for 2008/09 will be allocated in the following order:
* Existing season ticket holders wishing to change seat
* Supporters registered on the season ticket waiting list
Any possible information relating to a season ticket general sale will be
announced via whufc.com around 14 July after the above have been processed.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spector faces spell on sidelines - BBC
West Ham United defender Jonathan Spector faces up to six months on the
sidelines because of a hip injury. The American international was diagnosed
with a torn labrum while training with the US team and is likely to require
surgery. The 22-year-old is now almost certain to miss the Olympics as well
as the start of the Premier League season. Spector played 28 games for the
Hammers last season, scoring his first goal in the 5-0 rout of Derby County.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dean Cash-ton - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 4th June 2008
By: Staff Writer
Morning editions of Wednesday's Sun newspaper are reporting that Dean Ashton
is ready to sign a new five-year deal with West Ham United. Ashton, who has
been negotiating a new deal with the club is said to have agreed a new
contract worth around £2.5 million per year - putting him in line with the
club's tops earners. Initial talks between the club and Ashton had stalled,
but both parties were confident of reaching an agreement following a second
round of negotiations last week. Recent speculation had linked the
24-year-old striker with Manchester United and Newcastle United, both of
whom were said to be monitoring the situation closely. Ashton , who began
his career at Crewe under the tutelage of Dario Grady made his full England
debut in Sunday evening's 3-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago. Despite not
hitting the target he produced a solid if unspectacular performance.
Speaking after the game, he said: "It would have been nice to score. But
hopefully I've done enough to impress and get in the next squad."
* Congratulations to Hammers captain Lucas Neill and partner Lyndsay who are
the proud new parents of twins.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Virgin on the ridiculous - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 3rd June 2008
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United supporters have topped a survey of fans who have said they
will not be renewing their season ticket next season. According to the poll,
conducted by Virgin Money, up to one in four United season ticket holders do
not intent to renew for the forthcoming 2008/09 season. With West Ham
having sold around 26,000 annual tickets last season, that figure represents
around 6,500 supporters - and with the average season ticket costing around
£700 next year the club could stand to lose up to £5 million in lost
revenue. Season tickets for the Boleyn Ground rose by an average of 4% this
year despite supporters, already struggling to meet existing sky high prices
pleading with the club to defer price hikes during Fans Forums at the end of
last season. Although that figure is lower than the average rise of 7.2%
across all Premier League clubs it is significantly higher than London
rivals Chelsea who froze rises this term. However a few miles North at
Tottenham and prices have risen by an incredible 10% on average. A number of
supporters have backed the results of the survey; talking on KUMB.com's
forum this morning, one said: "We warned them that there was an undercurrent
running against renewal. That is why I, and others, suggested a freeze on
prices. I am not that surprised if there are 25% non-renewals as I have
never known such disillusion. "It is inevitable that eventually the Premier
League's bubble will burst as the level of price increase has run beyond
reason."
Whilst another added: "I'm beginning to find this whole situation loathsome
and I don't think fans should just accept this situation. I'm resigned to
being an armchair fan as a season ticket is completely out of the question."
The Virgin Money poll canvassed opinion from approximately 3,500 supporters
from all football league clubs. The top of the table, or those clubs likely
to be worst hit, was as follows:
1. West Ham Utd 25%
2. Reading 22%
3. Portsmouth 21%
4. Manchester City 20%
5. Manchester Utd 19%
6. Fulham 18%
7. Bolton 17%
8. Birmingham 16%
9. Everton 14%
10. Tottenham 12%
Responding to the results, Virgin Money's Scott Mowbray said: "The majority
of regular football fans are suffering and many are starting to vote with
their feet. Not only are they suffering as the economy takes a hit but
they're also suffering as their clubs put up prices."
Whilst Chairman of the Football Supporters Federation, Malcolm Clarke,
added: In the difficult financial climate we all face the football industry
must wake up and smell the coffee. The huge amount of money pouring into the
Premier League means there is absolutely no justification for any price
rises at all at the top of the game. For too long some Premier League clubs
have believed there is no limit to the extent to which they can exploit the
brand loyalty of their supporters. They may now find this greed will come
back to bite them on the backside."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Club dismiss report findings - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 4th June 2008
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have reported that season tickets sales are going well,
despite a survey claiming that up to 25% of season ticket holders would not
renew for the forthcoming season. The club, in a message posted on their
website on Tuesday afternoon said that 'season ticket renewals are going
well and ahead of schedule for the 2008/09 season'. The message followed a
Virgin survey, published on Tuesday morning that claimed a quarter of
United's 26,000 season ticket holders will not be renewing. The message
added further that 'the ticket office has reported more people renewing than
at this time last season', casting doubt on the report's claims which saw
the Hammers top a list of expected shortfalls in renewals. However a members
poll on KUMB.com has backed the reports findings. Of 120 supporters
surveyed so far 35 - or 29% - said that they would not be renewing next
season, whilst a further 17 (14%) were yet to make their minds up. That left
just 68 - or 56% - who said they either had or intended to renew their
season ticket ahead of the July 1 deadline.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ashton sweating over England - SSN
West Ham striker hopes to have impressed, while Defoe admits delight
Last updated: 3rd June 2008
Dean Ashton admits he faces an anxious wait to discover if he has done
enough to impress England manager Fabio Capello. The West Ham striker made
his long awaited international debut in Sunday's 3-0 victory over Trinidad &
Tobago as he was named in Capello's first XI in Port of Spain. Ashton was
robbed of his England debut in 2006 when he broke his ankle in training
ahead of a friendly with Greece, but having finally earned his first
international cap he admits he could have done better. The 24-year-old
failed to score and was replaced by Peter Crouch at half-time and he is now
living in hope that he did enough to earn another chance under Capello when
England take on Czech Republic at Wembley on 20th August. "I could have done
better," Ashton said in The Sun. "It would have been nice to score. "But
hopefully I've done enough to impress and get in the next squad."
However, Ashton faces competition from the likes of Crouch, Michael Owen and
Jermain Defoe in the battle to partner England's star forward Wayne Rooney.
And after scoring twice against Trinidad & Tobago in his second successive
start following his run-out against USA last Wednesday, Defoe believes he
should be England's first choice. "When a new manager comes in everyone is
equal and fights for their places. Players come in and fight for their
futures," the Portsmouth striker said in the Daily Star. "When you play
games you feel so much sharper. Obviously I hope I have done enough to keep
my place."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Veteran midfielder Solano released by West Ham - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 10:36 PM on 03rd June 2008
Nolberto Solano will leave West Ham this summer after the club decided
against renewing his contract. The Peru midfielder, who arrived at Upton
Park from Newcastle last summer, made 23 appearances and scored four times.
Meanwhile, American defender Jonathan Spector faces up to six months out
with a hip injury.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ashton Lands 5 Year Deal - The Sun
DEAN ASHTON is set to sign a new £13million contract with West Ham. The
striker is expected to OK a five-year deal worth around £50,000 a week.
It will help him get over a disappointing England debut in Trinidad and
catapult him into the ranks of Upton Park's top earners. Ashton, 24, is
finally ready to commit himself after lengthy negotiations and it will
confirm he has settled his differences with boss Alan Curbishley. The
player, who has battled back from a serious broken ankle, had two years left
on his current deal — worth around £13,000 a week. But that is being torn up
to make way for his new agreement. Curbishley got another major boost this
week with the return to action of club-record signing Craig Bellamy. The
£7.25m forward insists he will be fit for the start of pre-season training,
after making two recent sub appearances for Wales. Bellamy has not played
for the Hammers since February, in the wake of abdominal surgery. The former
Liverpool star said: "I am feeling great. I'll be keeping up with my fitness
and training regime during the summer and I'm looking forward to a full
pre-season." On the way out of Upton Park is 33-year-old Peru winger
Nolberto Solano. West Ham have decided against renewing his contract, after
he arrived on a short-term deal from Newcastle last summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Villa must pay big to land Sidwell - teamTalk
Aston Villa will have to pay around £6million if they want to beat eight
Premier League rivals to sign Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell. Sidwell is
one of Martin O'Neill's main summer targets and is a possible replacement
for Gareth Barry should he decide to move to Liverpool. But Chelsea are not
prepared to let Sidwell go on the cheap despite signing the 25-year-old on a
free transfer from Reading last summer. Several Premier League clubs are
thought to be expressing an interest in Sidwell including Middlesbrough,
Sunderland, Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham, Manchester City, Everton and
Blackburn. O'Neill is understood to want pay only around £4million for
Sidwell who made only 15 Premier League appearances during the 2007-2008
campaign - and none since January. The former Celtic boss is keen to add to
an already small squad which could be further depleted if Barry goes through
with his desire to play Champions League football via a switch to Anfield.
Villa have rejected a £10million players-plus-cash bid for the 27-year-old
who skippered England during the second half of Sunday's friendly
international with Trinidad and Tobago. But Reds boss Rafael Benitez is
expected to increase his bid for Barry who has been a Villa first team
regular for the past 10 years and clocked up nearly 400 appearances. And
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has admitted he is "desperate" for the
Merseysiders to sign his close friend and England midfield partner Barry.
O'Neill is thought to be keen to bring former Villa striker Peter Crouch
back to the Midlands club as part of what would effectively be a swap deal
involving Barry. But weekend reports claimed Crouch was prepared to see out
the final year of his Liverpool contract.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Farewell Nobby - West Ham Till I Die
I was sceptical about the signing of Nobby Solano last year, but he totally
won me over. His effort was tremendous and his deadball skills were
something we desperately needed after Tevez went to Man U. So I am sorry to
see the club let him go. However, I can see why. Assuming Dyer and Faubert
are fit, they would be the first choice down the right. There's also Lee
Bowyer who can play there too.
The Sun also reports that Dean Ashton will sign a five year deal this week.
I just hope that's true.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham fans unhappy with ticket price hike
tribalfooball.com - June 03, 2008
A quarter of disgruntled West Ham fans are refusing to renew their season
tickets after a hike in prices, a recent survey by Virgin Money revealed.
Of all the Hammers fans polled from a total of 3,567 supporters, one in four
said they would not be renewing their tickets for the upcoming season after
the club announced an average four per cent increase on last year's prices.
If the survey is to be believed, West Ham could stand to lose up to
£5million in revenue as the figures suggest 6,500 of the 26,000 current
season ticket holders may not be coming back to Upton Park next season.
Ironically, the Irons' prices - currently at around £700 for the next
campaign - compare favourably with some of their Premier League
counterparts, with local rivals Tottenham announcing an astonishing 10 per
cent average climb. The average top flight team have increased their prices
by 7.2 per cent but it is the Hammers fans who have threatened the biggest
backlash.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Solano leaving West Ham
tribalfooball.com - June 03, 2008
Nobby Solano is leaving West Ham United. The Daily Mail says Solano will
leave West Ham this summer after the club decided against renewing his
contract. The Peru midfielder, who arrived at Upton Park from Newcastle last
summer, made 23 appearances and scored four times.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Newcastle ready to bid for West Ham striker Ashton
tribalfooball.com - June 03, 2008
Newcastle United have made contact with West Ham for striker Dean Ashton.
The 24-year-old is unsettled at Upton Park despite having two years left to
run on the contract he signed two summers ago for the east Londoners. A
source close to the East End club told the Evening Chronicle: "We know that
Newcastle are interested in signing Dean. "And Alan Curbishley is aware of
this. "There have already been a couple of rounds of contract talks with
Dean before he went on international duty with England, but nothing is
decided. "We think that deep down Dean might want to stay but, like any
player, he wants to have a contract that reflects his performances."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Ljungberg slates Arsenal boss Wenger
tribalfooball.com - June 03, 2008
West Ham United midfielder Freddie Ljungberg has slammed Arsenal boss Arsene
Wenger. In an interview with Russian newspaper Sport Den Za Dnem, the Sweden
captain told of his frustration at Wenger's approach. He said: "It's all
about my injuries. Wenger simply doesn't like those who show a weakness.
With him, you generally feel as if you were in the army - it's only in
public that he may appear to be some sort of man of liberal views. In
reality, his belief is natural selection. The truth is I picked up a knock
doing my job and following Wenger's instructions. I always played like this
and, at some point, ran out of luck. "So while I was being treated for the
injury, they went out and found a different player for my position. "After I
recovered, I was given a chance in the typical Wenger way: I was expected to
run and intercept and score just the same as before. He just didn't give me
enough time to do it properly. I had no time."
Once Wenger had made up his mind, Ljungberg says he was put on the transfer
list without being told. He said: "I was offended when all of a sudden I
learned from the papers that Wenger was ready to consider offers for me from
other clubs. No-one had talked to me about that. "And also I still feel a
bit offended about Arsenal. They showed the door to too many people. Why did
they let Thierry Henry go? When I found out about his move, I realised that
the Arsenal I used to play for was finished. "So I went to West Ham in order
to play against Arsenal as often as possible. "I wanted to prove that
Freddie Ljungberg hadn't had his last word as a player. "And at West Ham, no
one gives you a puzzled look if you get called up for your national team and
players are never asked to play on injections. "I would like to stay there -
if they offer of course."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Man Utd keep tabs on West Ham's Ashton talks
tribalfootball.com - June 03, 2008
Manchester United are keeping tabs on West Ham's new contract talks with
Dean Ashton. The Evening Chronicle says United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has
Ashton on his wish-list should other targets fall through. Fergie has been
eyeing Lyon ace Karim Benzema and today was reportedly keen on signing
Blackburn's £15m-rated star Roque Santa Cruz.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Nobbled – Midfielder Solano on way out - Guardian Series
By Rob Pritchard
WEST Ham will release Peruvian playmaker Nobby Solano at the end of his
contract this month. The 33-year-old, who arrived on a short-term deal from
Newcastle United last August, will not be offered a new deal and will leave
Upton Park this summer. Solano, who has also played for Aston Villa during a
10-year stay in England, made 23 appearances for the Hammers, scoring four
times. The Callao-born midfielder signed off with a fine free-kick in what
turned out to be his final game for the club, ironically against former club
Villa, on the last day of the season. While Peru captain Solano, who played
in his country's 2-1 defeat to Spain in Madrid on Saturday, will leave,
newly-capped England striker Dean Ashton is expected to sign long-term deal
with the Irons this week. Ashton's representatives have held two rounds of
talks with chief executive Scott Duxbury and club officials and hope to
complete a deal once the 24-year-old has returned from international duty in
Trinidad and Tobago, where he made his debut on Sunday.
JAMES Tomkins and Freddie Sears could come up against West Ham team-mate
Marek Stech at this summer's European Under-19 Championship. Basildon-based
defender Tom-kins and striker Sears will hope to be part of the England side
drawn to take on goalkeeper Stech's Czech Republic in Liberec next month.
Brian Eastick's side, who qualified for the eight-team finals in Belarus on
Saturday, will also take on Italy and Greece in their group. The other group
will contain Germany, Spain, Bulgaria and Hungary, with the tournament
getting under way on July 14.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
No Ashton cash just yet
DAVID CUFFLEY, EVENING NEWS SPORT
03 June 2008 11:02
Norwich City will have to wait to cash in on Dean Ashton's call-up to the
full England side. The West Ham striker made his international debut in the
3-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday. As part of the terms of his
£7.25m move to Upton Park in 2006, the Canaries negotiated a £125,000
payment if Ashton plays for England while he is still with the Hammers - but
the agreement applied only to a competitive fixture, not to friendlies.
England's World Cup qualifying campaign starts in September.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers star eager for another England chance - Guardian Series
DEAN Ashton believes he "could have done better" after making his
long-awaited debut for England in their 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on
Sunday.
The West Ham striker started the friendly match in Port of Spain and
partnered former Hammer Jermain Defoe in the first half before being
replaced for Liverpool's Peter Crouch. Ashton enjoyed some intricate link-up
play with Defoe, but in terms of goalscoring chances he was restricted to
just two long-range efforts - both of which flew over the crossbar - while
his strike partner seized his chance with two well-taken goals. But, while
24-year-old was critical of his first appearance for his country, he hoped
that he had done enough to warrant a place in Fabio Capello's next squad,
which will be compiled for August's home friendly with the Czech Republic.
"Personally I probably could have done a little bit better," reflected
Ashton. "It would have been nice to get a goal, but it wasn't to be. I was
pleased with how it went and happy to get 45 minutes."
Ashton was due to earn his first cap two years ago under the management of
Steve McClaren, but the forward broke his ankle on the eve of the match
against Greece. And he admitted he was delighted to have won over Italian
Capello and finally made his debut. "It's been a long wait to get that first
cap and it feels brilliant," he added. "Nobody can take it away from me, but
hopefully I've done enough to impress for the next squad." Meanwhile, Ashton
is optimistic of putting pen to paper on a new deal that will keep him at
Upton Park on a long-term contract. The powerful forward has been heavily
linked with a move to Manchester United, Newcastle and Portsmouth in recent
months, but negotiations with the Hammers have gone well and Ashton is
hopeful the deal can be "sorted out soon".
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Canaries wait on Ashton bonus - teamTalk
Norwich have confirmed they will not receive a cash bonus after former
striker Dean Ashton's England debut on Sunday. Ashton - who moved to Premier
League side West Ham for £7.25million in 2006 - played the opening 45
minutes of the 3-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago before being replaced by
Peter Crouch. As part of the terms of his transfer the Canaries are
entitled to a £125,000 payment if Ashton plays for England while he is still
with the Hammers - but the agreement applies only to a competitive fixture,
not to friendlies. The next opportunity will come when England's World Cup
qualifying campaign starts in September.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Star players' lack of respect towards referees and ever-rising ticket prices
are what bug fans most - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 11:54 AM on 03rd June 2008
Shock new figures today highlight the lack of respect London's footballers
are showing towards referees. At a time when on-pitch behaviour has never
been so scrutinised, the 2008 London Football Report reveals that 67 per
cent of the capital's fans witnessed a player from their club confronting an
official in an "unacceptable manner" last season. The figures appear to
justify the Football Association's "Respect" campaign, which was launched
earlier this year to target the shameful abuse of referees.
Standard Sport's fourth annual survey also highlights fans' concerns about
players cheating and the rising cost of going to matches. More than 2,800
fans took part in last month's poll - undertaken by research company
Football Fans Census - with a minimum representation of 100 from each of the
capital's 14 professional clubs. The results will be published in two parts,
starting today with the fans' verdict on four major talking points - player
behaviour, pricing, racism and hooliganism. Tomorrow, part two features
approval ratings for London's managers and chairmen, plus an in-depth look
at the clubs the fans love to hate.
Ashley Cole's petulant refusal to be booked by Mike Riley during Chelsea's
clash with Tottenham in March was one of the enduring images of last season.
The incident spoke volumes about the arrogant attitudes of the modern-day
players, according to many commentators who warned of such behaviour being
replicated on park pitches around the country. The FA launched their
"Respect" campaign shortly before the Cole-Riley encounter but that did not
stop Liverpool's Javier Mascherano sparking more controversy by embarking on
a running battle with Steve Bennett to earn a red card against Manchester
United.
London fans are clearly fed up with such antics. Deliberately asked about
their own team to get a more accurate result, 67% recalled "a player from
their club protesting to a match official in a manner they believed was
unacceptable". A staggering 18% confessed to seeing such clashes more than
10 times last season. When broken down by club, 91% of Chelsea fans admitted
their players were guilty at least once. That was the highest score in
London ahead of Arsenal (74%) and Leyton Orient (69%). Some 76% of fans
recalled an incident "where a player from their club deliberately dived to
win a free-kick or penalty". This is a one per cent increase on last year
and the highest since the survey began. Diving was most apparent at Spurs
(88%), Arsenal (87%) and Chelsea (85%) while the best-behaved players were
at Dagenham & Redbridge and Barnet (both 50%).
Pricing
Given the millions generated from TV contracts, pressure has been mounting
on clubs to cut the cost of watching football but to little effect,
according to the report. Taking into account ticket prices and other key
expenses such as transport, merchandise and refreshments, the average cost
for adults went up at every London club last season. It equated to an
overall rise of 5.5%. On the face of it, this figure doesn't sound too
outlandish but, when last year's astonishing 22% hike is taken into account,
it is clear fans are still being hit hard in the pocket. Chelsea is the
most expensive day out, with a trip to Stamford Bridge breaking through the
£100 barrier. It now costs adult Blues an average of £102 per match.
Despite freezing ticket prices for a second successive season at Emirates
Stadium, the cost of going to Arsenal has risen from £89 to £92 a match.
Upward spiral: the cost of match tickets have gone through the roof since
this fan watched a top FA Cup tie in 1998 for "only" £22
Spurs and West Ham were also more expensive for fans after both raised
admission prices for the start of 2007-08 campaign, but the biggest Premier
League hike in London was at Fulham where fans reported a 9.8% increase.
Queens Park Rangers fans were hit with a 15.6% rise which is set to be
higher next season after the club's new owners, Flavio Briatore and Bernie
Ecclestone, announced season tickets are going up by as much as 36%.
As Standard Sport reported last week, Rangers are one of seven London clubs
raising prices for their most loyal followers. The report also asked fans if
the cost of tickets would put them off going to games or renewing their
season tickets. Six per cent revealed they would not be renewing and 15%
claimed they would be attending fewer games. In total, 73% said ticket
prices were too high. Broken down by club, West Ham (10%) and Fulham (9%)
are threatened with the largest exodus of season-ticket holders due to
prohibitive costs. A further 24% of Hammers fans said cost meant they
planned to attend fewer games next season, the largest figure in that
category ahead of Chelsea (20%), Spurs (18%) and Arsenal (16%).
Racism and hooliganism
Twelve per cent of fans said they had witnessed football-related racism last
season. The clubs whose fans experienced the highest number of incidents
were Spurs (19%), Millwall and Barnet (both 16%). The problem of
hooliganism in London has also not gone away. Reports of trouble in and
around grounds rose from 17% to 23% this year. For the third year in a row,
QPR were the worst club for hooligan incidents (48% from 30% last year),
followed by Orient (46%) and Palace (42%).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Worrying Comments from Kightly - Rivals.et
By wolvescentral - 03/06/2008 00:12
Michael Kightly set the rumour mill going again after he said "There are a
few things we are not happy about" on relation to his NEW contract. This
will alert Blackburn Rovers, West Ham , Everton and Middlesbrough who have
all been linked to a possible move for Kightly Speaking in the E&S today
Kightly said "My agent is going to have a meeting with Jez in a couple of
weeks. There are a few things we are not happy about. Hopefully, after that
meeting, they can be sorted."
Which reading between the lines means 'my agent thinks that the contract I
signed last year is not good enough anymore'. What Kightly should be saying
is ' Thanks to Wolves I am no longer a non league footballer, I am an u21
international as well. OH and thanks Wolves for paying my wages all last
season when I was injured' !!
On Monday some non league chairman from Grays athletic said "I Know Everton,
West Ham and Blackburn have come in for him. A club has put a £4million bid
in already. People will see who they can get rid of first. West Ham are
going to have a good clear out because they've got too many 'Big-Time
Charlies.' They want players who are hungry. Kightly fits that bill
perfectly."
Lord Moxey countered on the official site "I was very surprised by Mick's
comments. We have received no enquiries or bids for Michael. Our chairman
Steve Morgan went on the record at the end of April with a clear and
unequivocal message: Our best young players are not for sale. We have got an
exciting young team here and we are building something special. Michael
wants to be a of that. We will not allow this kind of rumour and speculation
to disrupt our plans."
These are worrying times for Wolves fans as the Vultures from the
Premiership are circling trying to nick the crown jewels in Wolves crown.
There has already been intense speculation about Wayne Hennessey. As a
poster said on the E&S comment board if Wolves sell Hennessey and Kightly
they might as well put up signs on the turnstiles saying "NO Ambition".
Hopefully Wolves will remain strong and repel all offers but I suppose every
player has his price
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Is it over for Deano - Cmon Yu Irons
03 Jun
Written & Posted by Big Sauze
The Daily Mirror today suggests that Fabio Capello will not pick Dean Ashton
again for England and that he will join the ranks of those that have won 1
England cap. They go on to suggest that Michael Owen will also be scrapped.
Personally I think that the English game very much depends on having a
'target man' up front who brings others into play, and is a threat in the
air, history dictates that we have always played this way, and I don't see
any reason to change it. It's what makes other international teams wary of
us as a team, why should we change, Wayne Rooney cannot fulfill this role
and there are few others in the premiership that can.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers face backlash over season-ticket prices - Guardian Series
A QUARTER of disgruntled West Ham fans are refusing to renew their season
tickets after a hike in prices, a recent survey by Virgin Money revealed.
Of all the Hammers fans polled from a total of 3,567 supporters, one in four
said they would not be renewing their tickets for the upcoming season after
the club announced an average four per cent increase on last year's prices.
If the survey is to be believed, West Ham could stand to lose up to
£5million in revenue as the figures suggest 6,500 of the 26,000 current
season ticket holders may not be coming back to Upton Park next season.
Ironically, the Irons' prices - currently at around £700 for the next
campaign - compare favourably with some of their Premier League
counterparts, with local rivals Tottenham announcing an astonishing 10 per
cent average climb. The average top flight team have increased their prices
by 7.2 per cent but it is the Hammers fans who have threatened the biggest
backlash.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers youngster's brush with a Dutch of class - Guardian Series
WEST HAM youngster Jack Collison believes he learnt as much in 45 minutes
marking Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder as he has done all season with the
Hammers. Collison replaced Carl Robinson at half-time to make only his
second appearance for Wales in the team's 2-0 friendly defeat to Holland on
Sunday. And, after being asked to protect the back four and keep tabs on
Real Madrid's Sneijder, the 19-year-old admitted it was one of the toughest
challenges of his career to-date. "He was playing in the hole and I was
playing in a defensive midfield role," Collison told the club's offical
website. "I was just trying to get in and around him but he is such a clever
player. "I probably learned as much in that 45 minutes playing up against
him as I have all season. To play against someone like that can only help me
progress." Collison has made just two appearances for the Irons first team
but is highly-rated by the West Ham staff and is likely to feature more
heavily next season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Posts
