General Football Discussion

[Manneken Pis]

Pricier: yes, but in Holland it's still not that bad. K.

I was in the UK last week-end and got to see my favoutite English team (Notts County), in the FOURTH national division (officially called League II to confuse people).

It cost me £16.00 (23.50 Euro, or $28.70).

They really have a problem to resolve there.....

[SE6Ajacied]

Pricier: yes, but in Holland it's still not that bad. K.

I was in the UK last week-end and got to see my favoutite English team (Notts County), in the FOURTH national division (officially called League II to confuse people).

It cost me £16.00 (23.50 Euro, or $28.70).

They really have a problem to resolve there.....

I'll follow that. There is definately a real problem in England at the moment. I don't go to see the mighty 'Pool that much but over £20.00 for League One (Third level) is normal. It's just no fun anymore. When I bought my Ajax-PSV tickets last year WITH the "ticketbox" mark-up I reckon it was only a slightly dearer than to see Blackpool at say QPR (a London team) in League One...that's bad :nooo:

[SoliloQuy]

Hello to everybody, my first post, i'm not too good at introductions so I'll keep it short. I've always had an attraction to Ajax for a strange reason and always try to watch them whenever there on UK television (very rarely) and I hope to learn alot about the past, present and future of Ajax whilst on the forums.


Anyway back on topic, I think in England theres a huge supply and demand even down the leagues so the clubs think they can raise prices to the max to capatalise on this.

And recently there was some research stating that the English 'Championship' has the fourth highest gate receipt funds in Europe.

But I think soon there will be a time when the bubble will burst unless action is taken.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Hoi Solilo good to have you :xyxthumbs:

[SE6Ajacied]

Hello to everybody, my first post, i'm not too good at introductions so I'll keep it short. I've always had an attraction to Ajax for a strange reason and always try to watch them whenever there on UK television (very rarely) .

Welcome SoliloQuy. I don't think we do too bad really with Eurosport and especially now Channel 5 are showing the games again this year. I've just watched the Heracles - PSV game from last weekend. Channel 5's coverage is starting to look more polished and professional this year with good introductions etc.

Changing the subject slightly, and in best trainspotter mode, what are the sleeve patches worn by PSV and Heracles? I couldn't get a good closeup but they both looked different so assume they're individual sponsors rather than "eredivisie" patches like the English leagues - does anyone know if Ajax will be wearing them this year?

[DanK]

Hello to everybody, my first post...

Welcome to the world of ajax SoliloQuy. Enjoy :xyxthumbs:

[SE6Ajacied]

Just found a really good football history site which I thought I'd share. It was actually listed in the "When Saturday Comes" web review so "just found" is cheating a bit I suppose.

Anyway it's http://footnostalgie.free.fr/, in French but still a really intersting looking site even if your French is as bad as mine :D

[SPL]

Welcome Solilo another Brit who has good taste in football to follow the great Ajax.

[Manneken Pis]

Err...didn't know where to put this...from SI.com:

Dutch police send 17,000 text messages in hunt for soccer hooligans

Posted: Wednesday Aug 31, 2005 8:46 AM

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - In a high-tech hunt for hooligans, Dutch police sent 17,000 text messages Wednesday to mobile phones of fans who attended a soccer match between rival clubs Ajax and Feyenoord in Rotterdam last season.

Supporters rioted before, during and after the April 17 match, which Ajax won 3-2. Two train cars were vandalized beyond repair, 43 supporters were arrested, and 47 police officers and an unknown number of fans were injured.

Phone companies voluntarily handed over the mobile phone numbers of people who were in or around Feyenoord's Kuip stadium on the day of the match - traceable using broadcasting masts in the area.

The phone companies did not give individual names to police, and police sent a standard message asking people to come forward if they had information.

But some suspects apparently thought they had been fingered. Four suspects contacted police Wednesday, and a fifth turned himself in directly, Rotterdam police spokesman Ger de Jong said.

"Maybe they just think, 'I'm going to get caught sooner or later so I better just turn myself in and get it over with,''' De Jong said.

Rotterdam police also filmed the clashes, and have posted images of suspects on their Web site, drawing complaints from privacy groups.

De Jong said the text messages and Internet site were simply examples of officers applying traditional investigation techniques to new media.

"This is no different than the requests for information we publish in newspapers or on television,'' De Jong said.

He said posting the images had led directly or indirectly to 100 additional arrests in the months after the game. The images are removed once the suspects are caught, he said.

Some suspects in the case have already been fined or given stadium bans, De Jong said, while others were held and released ahead of their court hearings.

Ajax and Feyenoord have said the next time supporters riot at a meeting of the two clubs, all visiting supporters for both sides will be banned from future meetings for five years.

[English Eagle]

Afternoon everyone,seems like there is an English invasion of new blood on here this week.I thought id comment on ticket prices by saying i was actually glad Palace were relegated from the premier league last year because of the ticket prices.Last Saturday i got my tickets for the away games at Reading(2 adults,2 kids) & Cardiff (1 adult,2 kids) & the cost £104 was less than i had paid for some away games last season for an adult & two kids.....(pause for breath)...To say i was gobsmacked by the ticket prices i paid for the Brondby game last Wednesday would be an understatement.I dont think the bubble will burst in this country because football is so fashionable here again,hence clubs are not bothered about families going because there are plenty of adults who will pay the full price.

[Over Pasanens Head]

I dont think the bubble will burst in this country because football is so fashionable here again,hence clubs are not bothered about families going because there are plenty of adults who will pay the full price.

But you are actually quoting the reason why the bubble will burst - kids will not be in the habit of going and so when they reach adulthood they just won't be arsed to pay over the high level of dosh for something they are not used to going to on a cold, wet January night.

BTW what ever happened to the family section @ Palace - used to be that they organised trips to every away game and all we paid for was the coach costs?

[English Eagle]

Sorry OPH i have to disagree,crowds have risen steadily here since the decline in hooliganism & people will pay top dollar as long as the names are on show.I cant comment on fizzy pop 1 & 2 but the Championship clubs seem to have it about right,especially if you have season tickets like myself

The Sainsbury's end is now the "Croydon Advertiser Family Section" & prices there are pretty good.Im not sure about any family away travel,the away travel stewards for coaches & trains have been the same for about 25 years though so i wonder if its those guys you meant.

[Over Pasanens Head]

Sorry OPH i have to disagree,crowds have risen steadily here since the decline in hooliganism & people will pay top dollar as long as the names are on show.
The Sainsbury's end is now the "Croydon Advertiser Family Section" & prices there are pretty good.Im not sure about any family away travel,the away travel stewards for coaches & trains have been the same for about 25 years though so i wonder if its those guys you meant.

Don't be sorry EE - that is your view and you are more than entitled to it. What goes up invariably comes down though and these things normally go in cycles. The crowds might be there now, but I believe they will fall away in the future - we will have to see who is right - I hope you are .

It probably is the same guys - they really care about the fans.

[English Eagle]

Robbie ,who works in the ticket office,does the coaches . . . Chris & Gildo do the trains.

[Kowalczyk]

Coming up with good news headlines is an art in itself, you know... The ESPN editors must have had so much fun when they came up with this one...

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... 01&cc=5739

By the way: it's got a certain relevance for Ajax as well: this is the stadium where we'll play FC Thun in early November!

K.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Gabriel Urdaneta the player with more international caps for Venezuela (76)plays for Young Boys :headbang:

Sorry.... Venezuelan Pride :eusa_dance:

[DanK]

Well Mr Hiddink and his Aussie contingent started well (if not brilliant) in his first game in charge of Australia. 7-0 against the poor old Solomon Islands.

Highlight was a bicycle kick from Mark Viduka (who plays for Middlesborough in EPL).

Actually if anyone has seen this guy play, I actually compare him to van Basten (dont laugh until you have watched him play). Sure he is not in the same class, but his style is so similar its frightening.

If anyone saw his goal for Middlesborough a few week ago, you will know what I am talking about.

Also, former Ajax boy Jason Culina (i think he made 2 first team apperances, but was always playing in Ajax2), played the entire game and scored a cracker from outside the box.

Story here was that Hiddink tried to buy Culina before the close of transfers but it fell through.

[carcajou]

I actually compare him to van Basten (dont laugh until you have watched him play).

Laughing my ass off. Are we talking about the cow that used to play for Leeds ?

You have to be kidding.

[jakobg]

I saw Viduka in Middlesborough last EPL round and he goal was truly amazing. In form he is a very good player and he'll probably hit the net quite a few times this season.

To compare him with van Basten is not fair though. Viduka is a good player, but will never reach that level.

[DanK]

I saw Viduka in Middlesborough last EPL round and he goal was truly amazing. In form he is a very good player and he'll probably hit the net quite a few times this season.

To compare him with van Basten is not fair though. Viduka is a good player, but will never reach that level.

OK. OK...before I get a million replys to this one...I did say he is not in the same class, but his SYTLE is very similar (ie: the way he holds up the ball, his positioning etc).

Viduka was one of the only reasons leeds actually stayed up as long as he did. He also was an absolute hero for Celtic a few years back (think it was almost a goal a game).

van Basten was my all time hero...no one even comes close to him in my mind.

again...I just think they have a similar style.

no more player comparisons for me...

[SoliloQuy]

Yeah Viduka is pretty good, just is not really consistant enough.

[carcajou]

Viduka was one of the only reasons leeds actually stayed up as long as he did. He also was an absolute hero for Celtic a few years back (think it was almost a goal a game).

Or maybe it was Kewell and Smith....

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

And Ferdinand :worshippy:

[jakobg]

We, who watched Sweden-Bulgaria, got to see Zlatan score in Zlatan style once again. 3-0 in the end of the game with another weird impossible bicycle kick. Lovely.

Marcus Rosenberg sat on the bench the entire game as Larsson and Zlatan played the full 90.

[Wie kent Cees de Wolf nog]

How did Larsson do? Is he completely recovered from his injury?