£3,000,000 to Chinese football !!!

[NAE NOOKIE]

Just cant believe what I'm reading in the paper today:

The UK government has just given three million quid to the Chinese government to pay for grass roots football coaches ........... and wait for this ........ "promote awareness of British football, specifically the English premier league" This on the back of tens of millions in taxpayers money being spent to make the Olympic stadium fit for mega rich West Ham to play in.

Scottish clubs are struggling to make ends meet, our national stadium is a hole, and our f'ing taxes are being used to facilitate stadiums for a club with more money than the whole of Scottish football and pay for coaches in the worlds second biggest economy and 'promote awareness' of the richest and best known league in the world.

Its almost like they are deliberately taking the piss :grr:

[hibs0666]

Just cant believe what I'm reading in the paper today:

The UK government has just given three million quid to the Chinese government to pay for grass roots football coaches ........... and wait for this ........ "promote awareness of British football, specifically the English premier league" This on the back of tens of millions in taxpayers money being spent to make the Olympic stadium fit for mega rich West Ham to play in.

Scottish clubs are struggling to make ends meet, our national stadium is a hole, and our f'ing taxes are being used to facilitate stadiums for a club with more money than the whole of Scottish football and pay for coaches in the worlds second biggest economy and 'promote awareness' of the richest and best known league in the world.

Its almost like they are deliberately taking the piss :grr:

It's a massive export market opportunity and the return on the 3 million investment will be mega. I don't see the problem.

[CB_NO3]

It's a massive export market opportunity and the return on the 3 million investment will be mega. I don't see the problem.
Yip, sure the people of Aberdeen can't wait for a high speed train between London and Leeds.

[bingo70]

It's a massive export market opportunity and the return on the 3 million investment will be mega. I don't see the problem.

Who will the return be mega for?

If it's the English premiership why are they not funding it?

[Bostonhibby]

Just cant believe what I'm reading in the paper today:

The UK government has just given three million quid to the Chinese government to pay for grass roots football coaches ........... and wait for this ........ "promote awareness of British football, specifically the English premier league" This on the back of tens of millions in taxpayers money being spent to make the Olympic stadium fit for mega rich West Ham to play in.

Scottish clubs are struggling to make ends meet, our national stadium is a hole, and our f'ing taxes are being used to facilitate stadiums for a club with more money than the whole of Scottish football and pay for coaches in the worlds second biggest economy and 'promote awareness' of the richest and best known league in the world.

Its almost like they are deliberately taking the piss :grr:

It's a sweetener for future deals, a bit like sending aid to India, one of the richest emerging economies in the world. When it's countries we don't like doing it we call it bribes.

[NAE NOOKIE]

It's a massive export market opportunity and the return on the 3 million investment will be mega. I don't see the problem.

The problem is that taxpayers money is being spent to promote the EPL ..... while on this side of the border where some government assistance would be hugely welcome we get sod all. The EPL hardly needs taxpayers money to promote it ... watch any TV news report from Albania to Zambia and you will see some guy wearing a Man Utd or Chelsea top. If the mega rich EPL needs promoting ( which it doesn't ) let them bloody well pay for it.

If you are talking about replica strips for example, who will make the money?

Adidas ............. German
Puma .............. German
Nike ................ American
Under Armour ... American
Macron ............ Italian

Anybody with a kid playing boys club football will tell you what the outlay is every month, its not cheap ... we don't need to be giving money to a super rich country when there are kids here who's parents cant afford to pay for boots and weekly subs ..... if it was some poor African country I could understand it, but its not.

[Pete]

You can dress it up any way you like, it's bloody disgusting. The English premier league is slowly strangling the Scottish game due to the years of sky "promoting awareness".

Who cares though? We can all salivate over the mega blockbuster super clash between Watford and Stoke.

[snooky]

Just cant believe what I'm reading in the paper today:

The UK government has just given three million quid to the Chinese government to pay for grass roots football coaches ........... and wait for this ........ "promote awareness of British football, specifically the English premier league" This on the back of tens of millions in taxpayers money being spent to make the Olympic stadium fit for mega rich West Ham to play in.

Scottish clubs are struggling to make ends meet, our national stadium is a hole, and our f'ing taxes are being used to facilitate stadiums for a club with more money than the whole of Scottish football and pay for coaches in the worlds second biggest economy and 'promote awareness' of the richest and best known league in the world.

Its almost like they are deliberately taking the piss :grr:


IMO, this is more important and worthier than wasting the £3m on say, hospital beds, feeding our poor, and the likes.

C'mon man, think 'ka-ching ka-ching'.

[Michael]

What? This can't be serious. The money must surely be going somewhere else.

[Bishop Hibee]

This is a scandal. Meanwhile the cost of booking poor quality 11-a-side pitches in Edinburgh soars

Stuff the Tories and the greed is good EPL.

[Ozyhibby]

55% of us voted for this kind of nonsense. Just need to get on with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scottie]

55% of us voted for this kind of nonsense. Just need to get on with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
:greengrin Ha ha

[Pretty Boy]

You can dress it up any way you like, it's bloody disgusting. The English premier league is slowly strangling the Scottish game due to the years of sky "promoting awareness".

Who cares though? We can all salivate over the mega blockbuster super clash between Watford and Stoke.

Spot on.

Sick to the back teeth of the 'greatest league in the world'.

Equally sick of the many 'football fans' in Scotland who have turned their backs on our own league to help pay for this nonsense.

[Greencore]

LOL to the no voters. Don't be so shocked I mean are you really that shocked. We get treated like sh*t not just Scotland look at the Welsh and Northern Ireland leagues.

[anon1875]

The truth is they don't give a **** about Scotland and our game. Scottish football will never flourish again whilst we're part of the United Kingdom.

[Baldy Foghorn]

Not wanting to go all political, but hasn't our government not got more pressing things to spend £3m on? Homelessness, NHS, refugee situation, meanwhile DWP are knocking back claims for ill people who have to go back to work to save benefits....Crazy, and immoral IMO

[CB_NO3]

Its called politics guys. Osbourne spends 3 million on Chinese grass roots football the same day he opens up the bidding for the HS2 rail line. He needs cash to complete this project and were is the cash these days? Yip, China. He wants 13.5 billion in investment from private Chinese firms.

[Northernhibee]

LOL to the no voters. Don't be so shocked I mean are you really that shocked. We get treated like sh*t not just Scotland look at the Welsh and Northern Ireland leagues.

So what are the oh-so-wonderful SNP government actually doing to promote Scottish football abroad?

[The_Sauz]

So what are the oh-so-wonderful SNP government actually doing to promote Scottish football abroad?

Goverments are not here to promote sports of any kind, that why we have FA's and such likes :agree:
Oh and by the way, the SNP does not get any money to do things like that :na na:

[Ozyhibby]

So what are the oh-so-wonderful SNP government actually doing to promote Scottish football abroad?

Nothing I hope. Football is a private industry.
Govt should not be spending money promoting it anywhere.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[007 Mickey Weir]

This is terrible. Things like this and the HS2 rail link is just taking the urine!!!

[Colr]

Just cant believe what I'm reading in the paper today:

The UK government has just given three million quid to the Chinese government to pay for grass roots football coaches ........... and wait for this ........ "promote awareness of British football, specifically the English premier league" This on the back of tens of millions in taxpayers money being spent to make the Olympic stadium fit for mega rich West Ham to play in.

Scottish clubs are struggling to make ends meet, our national stadium is a hole, and our f'ing taxes are being used to facilitate stadiums for a club with more money than the whole of Scottish football and pay for coaches in the worlds second biggest economy and 'promote awareness' of the richest and best known league in the world.

Its almost like they are deliberately taking the piss :grr:
Arsenal got a fair few million from the public purse for their stadium as well. Spurs got f all

[Bishop Hibee]

Nothing I hope. Football is a private industry.
Govt should not be spending money promoting it anywhere.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Exactly. Opera houses etc subsidised to the hilt. The working persons game gets peanuts.

[Beefster]

Exactly. Opera houses etc subsidised to the hilt. The working persons game gets peanuts.

Have you any idea why the likes of opera houses and museums get public money and professional football gets little, if any?

[Mikey09]

55% of us voted for this kind of nonsense. Just need to get on with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


:top marks :greengrin :agree:

[seanshow]

An take take yur bloody panda back an aw.... frigid and all it does is suck up food and heat.

[PatHead]

Arsenal got a fair few million from the public purse for their stadium as well. Spurs got f all

and don't get started on West Ham with the Olympic Stadium.................

[monktonharp]

So what are the oh-so-wonderful SNP government actually doing to promote Scottish football abroad?you are an erse! certainly not spending 3m pounds to promote English fitba in China. what planet you oan?

[monktonharp]

An take take yur bloody panda back an aw.... frigid and all it does is suck up food and heat.that the male, or the female? I get confused a bit, cause there are 50% more pandas in our country than Labour MPs./Lib/tory. which one of them is the most frigid? although they all have lovely job titles.

[Bostonhibby]

So what are the oh-so-wonderful SNP government actually doing to promote Scottish football abroad?

Still talking about banning sectarian hate songs and behaviour from our game in an attempt to improve how the national game is seen by anyone looking in? :dunno: The ball remains in their court.

[monktonharp]

Not wanting to go all political, but hasn't our government not got more pressing things to spend £3m on? Homelessness, NHS, refugee situation, meanwhile DWP are knocking back claims for ill people who have to go back to work to save benefits....Crazy, and immoral IMOsorry mate, this thread has suddenly went all Political when tubes like northern hibby come out with sheite.

[Eyrie]

So what are the oh-so-wonderful SNP government actually doing to promote Scottish football abroad?

What they always do when asked to do something - blame the English instead.

If the Scottish Government has £3m to spare then it should spend it on fixing health, education, police etc, just as the UK government should spend it on health, education, refugees etc.

Football is a popular business that brings in a lot of money from its customers in the stand or watching on TV and does not need a subsidy.

[monktonharp]

It's a massive export market opportunity and the return on the 3 million investment will be mega. I don't see the problem.Stoap yer ticklin' jock

[monktonharp]

It's a sweetener for future deals, a bit like sending aid to India, one of the richest emerging economies in the world. When it's countries we don't like doing it we call it bribes. the Empress of India, would not be Impressed !

[Bostonhibby]

the Empress of India, would not be Impressed !

Nae idea, I always go to the Bombay Garden, but the Taj Mahal is nearer the pub and open later :wink:

[monktonharp]

What they always do when asked to do something - blame the English instead.

If the Scottish Government has £3m to spare then it should spend it on fixing health, education, police etc, just as the UK government should spend it on health, education, refugees etc.

Football is a popular business that brings in a lot of money from its customers in the stand or watching on TV and does not need a subsidy.so what is your stance on this? we're aw the same? cannae get ma heid rooond that so sorry. The "British" government are spending 3m pounds to promote "English Football" in China. they don't want to spend the same amount to promote football in Scotland, do they? a country that they promised and pleaded that they wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom, and if the people from that part of the "Kingdom" adhered to the request, would be given much more powers with the "VOW" that they were promised.then they decided to take money back from the most vurnleble in our society. thankfully, for the "British" government, there are enough people in the 4 countries that actually don't gie a f/ck.

[monktonharp]

Nae idea, I always go to the Bombay Garden, but the Taj Mahal is nearer the pub and open later :wink:typical rural England mentality, I'm all right jack:agree:

[Eyrie]

so what is your stance on this? we're aw the same? cannae get ma heid rooond that so sorry. The "British" government are spending 3m pounds to promote "English Football" in China. they don't want to spend the same amount to promote football in Scotland, do they? a country that they promised and pleaded that they wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom, and if the people from that part of the "Kingdom" adhered to the request, would be given much more powers with the "VOW" that they were promised.then they decided to take money back from the most vurnleble in our society. thankfully, for the "British" government, there are enough people in the 4 countries that actually don't gie a f/ck.

Read my last sentence - no government should be spending money to promote professional football. I don't care if that football is English or Scottish, nor if that government is Scottish or UK, right wing or left wing.

The rest of your post is like too many others in this thread - a political comment best kept on the Holy Ground.

[Hibbyradge]

What they always do when asked to do something - blame the English instead.



Always?

Could you give me just half a dozen examples of that happening, please?

[monktonharp]

Read my last sentence - no government should be spending money to promote professional football. I don't care if that football is English or Scottish, nor if that government is Scottish or UK, right wing or left wing.

The rest of your post is like too many others in this thread - a political comment best kept on the Holy Ground.I have read it. hence my previous response. From the OP, the "British " government want to promote the "English" game in "China" which is not pat of the "UK" which lends the question, do they really need or want us? England, or in part, the south of that country has no feelings for the northern part of "Britain" , be it Scotland or north of the Watford Gap, by the looks of it.

[NAE NOOKIE]

Read my last sentence - no government should be spending money to promote professional football. I don't care if that football is English or Scottish, nor if that government is Scottish or UK, right wing or left wing.

The rest of your post is like too many others in this thread - a political comment best kept on the Holy Ground.

As a matter of a fact I agree with this ... I don't think public money should be spent on professional sport either when there are so many more important things to spend money on.

But it happens and while it happens it should at least be fair. The British government is spending UK taxes promoting the super rich EPL abroad, when you stop to think about it that means that the tax paid by Cowdenbeath on their tiny gate receipts ( the sum is irrelevant in a moral argument ) is being used to attract new customers for Arsenal and Man City.

In football terms Scotland and Northern Ireland are separate entities from England, the three countries football associations are as linked as the Greek and Turkish FAs for example ....... In that context its nothing short of an outrage that taxes paid in part by Scots and Irish UK citizens ( not to mention football fans and clubs in Scotland and N. Ireland ) are being used to promote the league of another country. The fact that it happens to be the richest league in the world and our league hasn't got a pot to piss in just adds insult to injury in my opinion.

Three of our top flight clubs haven't even got 4 sided stadiums, meanwhile public money is being spent in the millions to make sure West Ham United have a huge new roof on a stadium already built with public money which they have practically been gifted .... the latest report is that the stadium custodians, who run it for the public, will be picking up the tab for matchday security and stadium repairs, which all but offsets the 2 million a year West Ham will be paying.

If I was the SFA I would be all over this like a bloody rash, at the very least demanding that a proportionate amount is spent promoting or helping our game ....... but as usual the mindless numbskulls who run our game will just ignore it, that's if the useless buggers are even aware of the story.

[basehibby]

It's a massive export market opportunity and the return on the 3 million investment will be mega. I don't see the problem.

erm...wtf?????

How much is Scottish football going to see of this massive return then?!? I couldn't give a flying **** for the EPL (or Chinese football for that matter) and it's an insult to me as a taxpayer that the UK government is doing this without ensuring that there is an equivalent benefit for the Scottish game (or the N Irish).

What they are shelling out is three times as much as the whole Scottish Football receives from the BBC - it's insult upon insult.

[basehibby]

So what are the oh-so-wonderful SNP government actually doing to promote Scottish football abroad?

At least Sturgeon made a statement on the subject of the BBC's paltry highlights payments (less than Gary Linekar's wages IIRC) - came out in the press calling it a disgrace and calling for parity - a damn sight more than any other Scottish politician has done in living memory.

[WellingtonHibby]

typical rural England mentality, I'm all right jack:agree:

To be fair, if there's a place the UK govt gives less of a flying one about. It's the humber to the wash. Absolutely criminal lack of interest from successive Government stretching back to the Cod wars

[Islington Hibs]

The truth is they don't give a **** about Scotland and our game. Scottish football will never flourish again whilst we're part of the United Kingdom.

Scotland's football problems have nothing to do with the UK Government. The decline of the game is a result of Sky (who have taken an economic decision to back a league with a population of 50m over Scotland's 5m), Bosman (The European Union ruling), the awful dominance of Celtic and their cheating neighbours, and the small minder nature and poor judgement of the Scottish football administrators.

While I find Sky's money highly distasteful, like it or not, the EPL is a massive global brand and very big money earner for the UK.In purely economic terms this £3m grant will probably make a good return.

[Bostonhibby]

Scotland's football problems have nothing to do with the UK Government. The decline of the game is a result of Sky (who have taken an economic decision to back a league with a population of 50m over Scotland's 5m), Bosman (The European Union ruling), the awful dominance of Celtic and their cheating neighbours, and the small minder nature and poor judgement of the Scottish football administrators.

While I find Sky's money highly distasteful, like it or not, the EPL is a massive global brand and very big money earner for the UK.In purely economic terms this £3m grant will probably make a good return.
And sky are getting a bit of help here too since promoting the English league will result in more sales of TV rights being sold. UK government helping out Murdoch and other big media players?surely not

[Golden Bear]

I've quoted the OP and wondering if supporters of the Championship and the other English leagues are equally outraged as some of the punters on here.


"promote awareness of British football, specifically the English premier league"

It's becoming more and more fashionable to play the poor downtrodden wee sowels card - not to mention paranoia of course!

[NAE NOOKIE]

I've quoted the OP and wondering if supporters of the Championship and the other English leagues are equally outraged as some of the punters on here.


"promote awareness of British football, specifically the English premier league"

It's becoming more and more fashionable to play the poor downtrodden wee sowels card - not to mention paranoia of course!

The difference is that, if Bournmouth are anything to go by, any English club can eventually access the EPL riches and even if they don't there is a drip down affect to them from it.

The article said "specifically the EPL" ...... Specifically means, exclusively in my book. Are you saying its right that tax paid by Scottish clubs and fans is being used to promote a league we can never be part of and which in no way needs it, at least compared to us, while our league is a pauper by comparison. If UK taxes are being used it should benefit everyone equally, not the very richest exclusively and not just one part of the UK. It has nothing to do with being "downtrodden wee sowels" or "paranoia" ...... its to do with fairness and an equal distribution of 'our' money.

[Hibbyradge]

Better together. :thumbsup:

[Islington Hibs]

The difference is that, if Bournmouth are anything to go by, any English club can eventually access the EPL riches and even if they don't there is a drip down affect to them from it.

The article said "specifically the EPL" ...... Specifically means, exclusively in my book. Are you saying its right that tax paid by Scottish clubs and fans is being used to promote a league we can never be part of and which in no way needs it, at least compared to us, while our league is a pauper by comparison. If UK taxes are being used it should benefit everyone equally, not the very richest exclusively and not just one part of the UK. It has nothing to do with being "downtrodden wee sowels" or "paranoia" ...... its to do with fairness and an equal distribution of 'our' money.


Governments spend money all the time I disapprove of and as it happens I think if the EPL want to promote themselves that is fine - they should pay for Chinese coaches themselvesif they think it worthwhile however I am sure some English taxpayers don't like the fact that Scotland gets way more per head on public spending than England. Yes £3m that probably shouldn't have been spent, but as often as not it works the other way round to our benefit.

What I think is sad is when I was a boy Hibs literally could compete with Europe's best, harsh economics means that that is nigh on impossible now. We have similar revenues to 3rd tier English clubs. How we resolve that I haven't a clue!

[basehibby]

Governments spend money all the time I disapprove of and as it happens I think if the EPL want to promote themselves that is fine - they should pay for Chinese coaches themselvesif they think it worthwhile however I am sure some English taxpayers don't like the fact that Scotland gets way more per head on public spending than England. Yes £3m that probably shouldn't have been spent, but as often as not it works the other way round to our benefit.

What I think is sad is when I was a boy Hibs literally could compete with Europe's best, harsh economics means that that is nigh on impossible now. We have similar revenues to 3rd tier English clubs. How we resolve that I haven't a clue!

I'd suggest that the blythe acceptance of the government in Westminster's blatant mis-allocation of tax payer's money would be a start. I refuse to accept that spending £3 million on coaching chinese kids in the hope of promoting the EPL is anything approaching a reasonable way to behave for something that purports to be a UK government. If there's £3 million spare for spending on football coaches then let it be spent on UK kids and let the EPL go to hell. The EPL are Scottish football's competition like it or not and have near enough squeezed the life out of it without the government lending them a hand - we should be pressing the government to redress the balance and not the other way round!

[Bishop Hibee]

Scotland's football problems have nothing to do with the UK Government. The decline of the game is a result of Sky (who have taken an economic decision to back a league with a population of 50m over Scotland's 5m), Bosman (The European Union ruling), the awful dominance of Celtic and their cheating neighbours, and the small minder nature and poor judgement of the Scottish football administrators.

While I find Sky's money highly distasteful, like it or not, the EPL is a massive global brand and very big money earner for the UK.In purely economic terms this £3m grant will probably make a good return.

And any of this money will 'trickle down' to improve the football facilities average Scots, or for that matter English, Welsh and Northern Irish people use? Nae chance.

[GreenPJ]

I'd suggest that the blythe acceptance of the government in Westminster's blatant mis-allocation of tax payer's money would be a start. I refuse to accept that spending £3 million on coaching chinese kids in the hope of promoting the EPL is anything approaching a reasonable way to behave for something that purports to be a UK government. If there's £3 million spare for spending on football coaches then let it be spent on UK kids and let the EPL go to hell. The EPL are Scottish football's competition like it or not and have near enough squeezed the life out of it without the government lending them a hand - we should be pressing the government to redress the balance and not the other way round!

The current state of Scottish football is in the main of its own making. Truely inept stewartship and governance being the main reason and the clubs and chairman for chasing every last dollar either to allow them to service a debt or for their own greed, which in turn ended up with them being subservant to media (tv etc) who have no interest in the fans who attend games.

However, you do have to laugh at the thought of tax-payers money going to China to support grass routes football to sell more EPL shirts whose clubs are primarily owned by non UK residents and so that added income to club funds (TV, strips etc) can easily leave the UK without necessarily generating appropriate taxation or having additional revenue circulating around the UK.

[DavieRoy]

Scotland's football problems have nothing to do with the UK Government. The decline of the game is a result of Sky (who have taken an economic decision to back a league with a population of 50m over Scotland's 5m), Bosman (The European Union ruling), the awful dominance of Celtic and their cheating neighbours, and the small minder nature and poor judgement of the Scottish football administrators.

While I find Sky's money highly distasteful, like it or not, the EPL is a massive global brand and very big money earner for the UK.In purely economic terms this £3m grant will probably make a good return.

Taxpayer's money should go on health, education and important issues or grassroots projects, not this.

In terms of Sky money, was it Sky's fault that the SPL (as it was) decided to come off the gravy train in 2002? They also knocked back a massive deal in 2008 to go with a company that was bankrupt within a year. The SPL was on the gravy train, chose to get off it but though they were actually going to get more money at the time, naive from administrators and chairman.

The SFA have a great TV deal in Scottish terms.

What is Scottish football doing to promote itself better? Who cares what England is getting and what help they are getting.

Whether people like it or not, the SPFL need to help themselves. Let's stop looking at England and this attitude of 'England gets this so we should get a proportio.

Fans need a better match day experience at better prices.

The product on the field needs to be better.

Clubs need to engage with the media and give them access that will make the league standout and offer something different.

The League needs to engage with broadcasts to get as much TV money as possible and provide the big rights holders with more exclusivity to make them want to pay more.

Most importantly, we want fans at the games and they will turn up if the product is better, regardless of kick off times.

Basics really but little progress has been made by the league(s).

If the EPL is doing this, that or the other then good for them. I like watching it, I like the coverage in the main but I want the 42 SPFL teams to prosper, hopefully with fans, government and media all buying into it.

[lucky]

The Scottish game lost its decent tv deal when clubs wanted their own station. Then made it worse by jumping into bed with setanta. Then Rangers went burst and Hibs and them got relegated. Scottish is regarded as a joke league by most in the UK. But with characters like RP in place high up in all organisations are we really that surprised?

As for the £3m it's nothing in our aid program across the world. But can anyone tell me what the Scottish Government down to promote football in Scotland? Or is just the case a big boy from Westminster stole the ball and ran away. Let's promote our games and country rather than moaning about others

[NAE NOOKIE]

The current state of Scottish football is in the main of its own making. Truely inept stewartship and governance being the main reason and the clubs and chairman for chasing every last dollar either to allow them to service a debt or for their own greed, which in turn ended up with them being subservant to media (tv etc) who have no interest in the fans who attend games.

However, you do have to laugh at the thought of tax-payers money going to China to support grass routes football to sell more EPL shirts whose clubs are primarily owned by non UK residents and so that added income to club funds (TV, strips etc) can easily leave the UK without necessarily generating appropriate taxation or having additional revenue circulating around the UK.

I would say that most clubs now are working to live within their means ..what brought us to this point is irrelevant, what we have to look at now is how do we progress and sitting back watching 3 million quid being spent on the richest league in the world without demanding proportionate funding for our game isn't the way to go about it.

The total amount of central government money spent on the Olympic stadium just for the benefit of already super rich West Ham would easily cover the cost of a new stadium for Aberdeen a new stand at Tynecastle and to complete the grounds at ICT, Partick, Falkirk and Hamilton ... not to mention fill in the corners at ER.

I cant believe anybody can look at the state of Scottish football and try to justify or excuse UK tax money being spent on super rich English clubs from the public purse that we contribute to while we get nothing when we need it a damn sight more than they do.

[NAE NOOKIE]

The Scottish game lost its decent tv deal when clubs wanted their own station. Then made it worse by jumping into bed with setanta. Then Rangers went burst and Hibs and them got relegated. Scottish is regarded as a joke league by most in the UK. But with characters like RP in place high up in all organisations are we really that surprised?

As for the £3m it's nothing in our aid program across the world. But can anyone tell me what the Scottish Government down to promote football in Scotland? Or is just the case a big boy from Westminster stole the ball and ran away. Let's promote our games and country rather than moaning about others

I'm not moaning about promotion of the EPL or the huge amount of money used to benefit West Ham for the sake of it ..... What I'm moaning about is tax paid by Scottish football clubs and fans being used to do it, while our game gets nothing from the UK government ....... that to my mind is outrageous. If we sit back and blithely accept the situation without so much as a whimper no wonder our league is regarded as a joke.

The clue is in the name .... 'UK government' .... If they are handing out cash to promote 'British football' then promoting the EPL isn't promoting British football is it? its promoting English football.

[Beefster]

I'm not moaning about promotion of the EPL or the huge amount of money used to benefit West Ham for the sake of it ..... What I'm moaning about is tax paid by Scottish football clubs and fans being used to do it, while our game gets nothing from the UK government ....... that to my mind is outrageous. If we sit back and blithely accept the situation without so much as a whimper no wonder our league is regarded as a joke.

The clue is in the name .... 'UK government' .... If they are handing out cash to promote 'British football' then promoting the EPL isn't promoting British football is it? its promoting English football.

Isn't sport a devolved matter?

[Betty Boop]

Isn't sport a devolved matter?

Yea sport and the arts. :agree:

[ronaldo7]

Fisheries is a devolved matter, it didn't stop the Uk Government sending an Unelected Lord with zero knowledge to talks over an Elected Msp with over 7 years experience in the subject.

It doesn't really matter what's devolved, the Uk Gov will do what they want, and just keep sending us our pocket money.

Back on track, it really beggars belief that the Government are sending cash to China when the Premier League have just struck a sponsorship deal for £5.1 BILLION.

Only in Better Together land.

[monktonharp]

Governments spend money all the time I disapprove of and as it happens I think if the EPL want to promote themselves that is fine - they should pay for Chinese coaches themselvesif they think it worthwhile however I am sure some English taxpayers don't like the fact that Scotland gets way more per head on public spending than England. Yes £3m that probably shouldn't have been spent, but as often as not it works the other way round to our benefit.

What I think is sad is when I was a boy Hibs literally could compete with Europe's best, harsh economics means that that is nigh on impossible now. We have similar revenues to 3rd tier English clubs. How we resolve that I haven't a clue!very interesting, that you think that we, or me or my children or grandchildren get more spent on us, by you the English public, than what we actually contribute to the nation. is this to your nation, or to my nation? why do you want us to be part of your nation then? do we have something you need? your prime minister seemed keen to keep us as part of your nation, a year ago.

[monktonharp]

To be fair, if there's a place the UK govt gives less of a flying one about. It's the humber to the wash. Absolutely criminal lack of interest from successive Government stretching back to the Cod warsso, how are things in Kiwi land? your government doin the same as oors? kickin' f/ck oot o' the poor?

[monktonharp]

The current state of Scottish football is in the main of its own making. Truely inept stewartship and governance being the main reason and the clubs and chairman for chasing every last dollar either to allow them to service a debt or for their own greed, which in turn ended up with them being subservant to media (tv etc) who have no interest in the fans who attend games.

However, you do have to laugh at the thought of tax-payers money going to China to support grass routes football to sell more EPL shirts whose clubs are primarily owned by non UK residents and so that added income to club funds (TV, strips etc) can easily leave the UK without necessarily generating appropriate taxation or having additional revenue circulating around the UK.Sorry, but imho you don't "have to laugh", you have to be bloody enraged. if you are not, I pity you for not seeing, and realising what's really going on around you. the present government have no regard to the needs of us, the Scottish public.

[monktonharp]

Taxpayer's money should go on health, education and important issues or grassroots projects, not this.

In terms of Sky money, was it Sky's fault that the SPL (as it was) decided to come off the gravy train in 2002? They also knocked back a massive deal in 2008 to go with a company that was bankrupt within a year. The SPL was on the gravy train, chose to get off it but though they were actually going to get more money at the time, naive from administrators and chairman.

The SFA have a great TV deal in Scottish terms.

What is Scottish football doing to promote itself better? Who cares what England is getting and what help they are getting.

Whether people like it or not, the SPFL need to help themselves. Let's stop looking at England and this attitude of 'England gets this so we should get a proportio.

Fans need a better match day experience at better prices.

The product on the field needs to be better.

Clubs need to engage with the media and give them access that will make the league standout and offer something different.

The League needs to engage with broadcasts to get as much TV money as possible and provide the big rights holders with more exclusivity to make them want to pay more.

Most importantly, we want fans at the games and they will turn up if the product is better, regardless of kick off times.

Basics really but little progress has been made by the league(s).

If the EPL is doing this, that or the other then good for them. I like watching it, I like the coverage in the main but I want the 42 SPFL teams to prosper, hopefully with fans, government and media all buying into it.I agree with virtually all you refer to, but,I am raging about even a measly 3m being taken out off taxpayers money to promote only one country's association. 3m could save the closure of respite/health/or even further education centres for a year instead of promoting a league that props up players wages of £200k per week. ffsake, has the world gone mad?

[monktonharp]

The Scottish game lost its decent tv deal when clubs wanted their own station. Then made it worse by jumping into bed with setanta. Then Rangers went burst and Hibs and them got relegated. Scottish is regarded as a joke league by most in the UK. But with characters like RP in place high up in all organisations are we really that surprised?

As for the £3m it's nothing in our aid program across the world. But can anyone tell me what the Scottish Government down to promote football in Scotland? Or is just the case a big boy from Westminster stole the ball and ran away. Let's promote our games and country rather than moaning about others I wish we had jumped into bed with Santa instead, but, what do you mean by "Scottish government down"? do you mean doing?. and, what the f/ck has international aid from the UK, got to do with giving the Chinese money for fitba'?? gie the money to save the children, or Oxfam not the bloody English/Chinese fitba relationship ffs.

[Vault Boy]

I agree with virtually all you refer to, but,I am raging about even a measly 3m being taken out off taxpayers money to promote only one country's association. 3m could save the closure of respite/health/or even further education centres for a year instead of promoting a league that props up players wages of £200k per week. ffsake, has the world gone mad?

It's a fair point. Whilst the £3m is nearly a certainty to be returned, and then some, where will the profit go? I'll be ballsed if among the dreadful austerity cuts, any profit made should see its way to the most needy in society. It's far from the worst thing to devolve from Osbourne's latest budget... Which is saying something.

Man City have won the BPL anyway, lets move on to a more contested league like the SPL. :greengrin

[GreenLake]

Just cant believe what I'm reading in the paper today:

The UK government has just given three million quid to the Chinese government to pay for grass roots football coaches ........... and wait for this ........ "promote awareness of British football, specifically the English premier league" This on the back of tens of millions in taxpayers money being spent to make the Olympic stadium fit for mega rich West Ham to play in.

Scottish clubs are struggling to make ends meet, our national stadium is a hole, and our f'ing taxes are being used to facilitate stadiums for a club with more money than the whole of Scottish football and pay for coaches in the worlds second biggest economy and 'promote awareness' of the richest and best known league in the world.

Its almost like they are deliberately taking the piss :grr:

I see little difference to this than sending in cheap opium to addict the masses for later profits. They will get hooked on football and pay to see it on television or watch advertising at halftime.

[patlowe]

Normally when there is additional spending by the UK Gov in a devolved area the Scottish Government should get a proportionate amount to spend as they will via the Barnett Formula (probably about £300,000 in this case). Having said that, I've no idea how it works when the spending is indirect (ie through foreign investment) so we probably just have to suck it up and accept that we voted No and that the UK subsequently voted for a Tory government that will ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS look out for the rich and powerful.

[Islington Hibs]

very interesting, that you think that we, or me or my children or grandchildren get more spent on us, by you the English public, than what we actually contribute to the nation. is this to your nation, or to my nation? why do you want us to be part of your nation then? do we have something you need? your prime minister seemed keen to keep us as part of your nation, a year ago.

For your information I am Scottish, I was born in Edinburgh (hence I support Hibs), I just happen currently to live in London. I consider Scotland and England to be part of the same nation- and believe both benefit from that (I understand that not everyone takes that view :greengrin), but it is a matter of fact that London in particular, subsidises large parts of the UK-(not just Scotland). Indeed it is more complex than that as Edinburgh and Aberdeen probably contribute more than they put in. Glasgow and Dundee certainly do not. That is not a complaint , as the point of a nation is, to a degree, to share resource. I can also tell you living in Islington the services are pretty poor, (doctors, schools etc) and as a generalisation they are far better resourced in Edinburgh, partially as there is not the population pressure in Edinburgh there is in London and partly as public spending per head is substantially higher in Scotland than the UK average.

[Golden Bear]

I'd be interested to read the article in "the paper" which the OP refers to.

Can someone post a link please?

[Bostonhibby]

Normally when there is additional spending by the UK Gov in a devolved area the Scottish Government should get a proportionate amount to spend as they will via the Barnett Formula (probably about £300,000 in this case). Having said that, I've no idea how it works when the spending is indirect (ie through foreign investment) so we probably just have to suck it up and accept that we voted No and that the UK subsequently voted for a Tory government that will ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS look out for the rich and powerful.


:agree:No surprise really, they get exactly what they pay for.

[Ozyhibby]

For your information I am Scottish, I was born in Edinburgh (hence I support Hibs), I just happen currently to live in London. I consider Scotland and England to be part of the same nation- and believe both benefit from that (I understand that not everyone takes that view :greengrin), but it is a matter of fact that London in particular, subsidises large parts of the UK-(not just Scotland). Indeed it is more complex than that as Edinburgh and Aberdeen probably contribute more than they put in. Glasgow and Dundee certainly do not. That is not a complaint , as the point of a nation is, to a degree, to share resource. I can also tell you living in Islington the services are pretty poor, (doctors, schools etc) and as a generalisation they are far better resourced in Edinburgh, partially as there is not the population pressure in Edinburgh there is in London and partly as public spending per head is substantially higher in Scotland than the UK average.

Public spending per head is higher in London than any part of the UK.
Public spending in Scotland is lower than our contribution to the treasury.
You could get a job on 'Project Fear 2' when it comes around. There will be no unionist politicians left in Scotland to staff it next time so will be desperately seeking people with a connection to Scotland. [emoji3]


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