Premier League's Project Restart is simply profit before people

I never thought Scottish Football would be the trailblazer in the UK when it came to the beautiful game, but their immediate ending of the season had all the hallmarks of common-sense.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Elsewhere it appears that money has triumphed over people’s health. One fact re German football returning last weekend, that has been skirted over, the Bundesliga club’s on completing the latest round of games at the weekend, received the last payment of broadcasting revenue from German television.

They were told if football didn’t restart, they simply wouldn’t get paid.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here ‘Project Restart’ is gathering momentum, I still won’t change from my opinion that football should have been voided from top to bottom domestically, and only restarted when it was both safe and appropriate.

Premier League players will resume training this weekPremier League players will resume training this week
Premier League players will resume training this week

With my full time occupation - funeral director - I’m probably seeing things from a different angle, as many others are.

One aspect, clearly money driven, is with the return of competitive sport, betting returns to the agenda, but again sadly no thought for the people in these extremely stressful times where gambling is every bit as damaging and dangerous as drug or drink addiction.

(Then again, why did the Cheltenham Festival go ahead at the beginning of the pandemic?) Once again, profits before people?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To me in some ways this is so hurtful. Like millions of others, I’m still that wide-eyed eight-year-old boy in the South-West corner at the Goldstone on Easter Monday 1973, falling in love with the beautiful game.

Have the Premier League with their conduct and apparent intentions throughout the Covid Crisis shown themselves to be morally bankrupt?

But what are we but mere mortals, pawns in the game?

Football is nothing without supporters, yet they’re prepared to play out the greatest league in the world behind closed doors, to save themselves having to pay back millions in TV money.

At this point I don’t want to appear to be hypocritical, yes the Albion, are in the big league, but they got they’re through merit and anyone who was at Hereford in May 1997 is fully aware of the journey they went on, and I’m firmly in the camp that it’s probably more about those 20 years than the ultimate destination in August 2017.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I believe both Tony Bloom (above) and Paul Barber have conducted themselves impeccably and with total integrity thoughout the crisis. They are not sheep, but they are only one of 20 clubs and must go with the majority.

Despite this bump in the road, I will still continue my love affair with the Albion, and when proper football resumes, ie in grounds full of supporters, I will retake my seat in 1901 East.

What division will the Albion be in then, as many are backing them to be relegated in Project Restart.

Frankly I don’t care, many friends from other clubs told me when we made it to the promised land of the Premier League, be careful what you wish for.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

No one could have predicted Covid-19, but with what’s followed in domestic football, I’m almost getting what they meant.

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton: In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.