Driza - of Australian origin, I believe.

The bone debate, the monica refers to a brand of waterproof coat which was my overcoat of choice during non league.

Exactly that Nick. With the global reach of football there is no route to universal spending caps which is immune from legal challenge or unethical misconduct. I admire those who seek to make it a fairer game but as we’ve seen even in that small pond* the calibre and trust is low. What hope when the bar is so low it’s below pitch level?

To have an effective salary cap (as you do in most North American sports) you really need two things (1) a sport that is only really played in one country, or where that country is so dominant that its league can set the rules for the rest of the world (2) specific exemption for the relevant sport from rules ensuring competition and preventing collusion. Neither of those apply to football in the UK or have any prospect of doing so.

$6M man - totally agree with what you say below - the idea of sustainability rules (essentially limiting the losses which a club is able to incur, even if those are funded by the owners) is a reasonable one but it is never going to work, as there are always enough owners/ potential owners who don't want to follow the rules (because they want on-field success over everything else) and it is very easy indeed to get around any set of accounts-based rules and restrictions, quite apart from the fact that any rules which actually did work would be unlikely to sustain legal challenge.

Amen to that.

Maybe I'm wrong but I thought the whole premise behind this sustainability malarky was to stop clubs getting themselves into a mess by overstretching themselves in pursuit of promotion and all the riches they think will come their way, falling short, the owner's pockets being empty and they are lumbered with excessive player salaries and other outgoings they can't afford. Yes, it happens all the time, most of the time a club will then eventually get bought by somebody else and the cycle repeats itself. My challenge is it is thought having sustainability rules is a good idea, then actually make them about sustainability, otherwise don't bother.

Yes you can’t punish us if, as well engaged, well informed and respected owners, we are willing to put money into the club to keep things sustainable.

Tom Beere wasn't that special at Carshalton Athletic

The Football League is sustainable as long as there are people willing to cover losses, for whatever reasons they are willing to cover them. If the Stevenage guy is complaining it is hypocritical as the clubs are losing that much because people like him cough up. It appears unsustainable for fan owned clubs, the sooner we address that the better.

Because sustainable is until it is not. You can’t punish a private owner for being willing and able to out money into a club.

Tom Beere went down a few rabbit holes - he’s got his own “narrative” on various things… Pity really, I imagine he had potential, but he took a different path… 🤷🏻‍♂️

These sustainability rules make me laugh in that clubs can take into account money the owners pump in. Presumably that is just for donations (p&l) and not buying more shares (capital) but nothing would surprise me. How is taking into account what an owner puts in sustainable when they could just decide to stop? Ridiculous.

They'll just hand World Cup tickets to kids and locals if they aren't selling. There is probably a secondary sale to locals at lower prices for group matches at least.

Those World Cup ticket prices are disgusting. If they don't backtrack and prices more sensibly then I hope the games are played in half empty stadiums, especially the final. It will be full of corporate client entertaining, not supporters who have spent years following their country's football team and get priced out. Shameful.

As per Peter Fear and Joe Kinnear, Dazzer

Driza, are you related to Alan and Steve Bone of Wimbledon Rangers fame in the 70s?

I saw the TB thing - fantasy island - agree he looked like a decent prospect and scored the goal to beat AS - however Ardley did not take well to party boys - hence Tom King, Mitch Pinnock and Anthony Wordsworth not featuring much- and from what I can gather Tom Beere wasn’t shy of a party

Players on BBC1 giving out presents to kids at hospital in about 20 mins

He was hardly a key player in that side, scored a vital goal v Accrington but that was about it

It’s crazy Sandy but the final will sell out and they’ll complain if any real football fans of the countries involved try to get in by hook or by crook.

Anyone seen Tom Beere talking bollocks on a podcast?

That's eye-watering, Trigs!

Meanwhile if England get to the final and you want to go and see it on a budget… [Link]

Ticket ballot for World Cup 2026 now open