Views on the News

By Alan Stokes
May 31 2003

All the latest news and views from the Premiership big guns. Arsenal star Viera demands £75000 per week to stay at his beloved Gunners. Sol Campbell in dispute with FA. And the best fans in the Premier League kidnap a little pooch.

Patrick Viera revealed a few weeks ago that he wanted to remain at his beloved Arsenal for the rest of his career. It now transpires that he loves the club only as much as the £75000 per week he is demanding to stay. Hells bells, it takes me nearly 3 years of hard graft to earn as much as this bloke earns in a week for kicking a football about.

As a genuine fan who believes that football should be made available to everyone I find this kind of payment totally immoral. It is not necessarily the players fault for demanding the money, more a case of the clubs and Chairmen being stupid if they agree to pay it. Obviously, football these days is all about economics as opposed to good old fashioned dreams. However, I can’t wait for the corporate bubble to burst so that football can return to its roots.

I would dearly love all supporters of these big clubs to boycott their matches, boycott their merchandise in favour of supporting their local teams. It would be fantastic if the Man Utd and Arsenal fans took in weekly trips to their local sides such as Exeter, Gillingham and Rochdale and create a bit of role reversal. As United and Arsenal start worrying about money The Grecians and ‘Dale rise from the ashes. It’s nice to dream.

Sol Campbell has apparently got a massive mardy on about being suspended for giving Solskjaer a smack in the teeth. So much so the newspapers have printed that the FA may need to apologise to him in order for him to play for his country. Hogwarts say I.

Playing for your country should be the greatest honour for any footballer. If, for any reason, you put this on the line then my view is that you don’t deserve to play for your National side.

In my opinion, Campbell is one of the most highly paid, over rated players in the Premier League. Bin the cry baby and play someone else who would give their eye teeth to wear the Three Lions. Dump Campbell and bring in Roper.

Fans of Wolverhampton Wanderers are often described in the media as being the best and most loyal supporters in the land. After their recent Play Off victory in Cardiff these nice supporters decided to shower themselves in even more glory by kidnapping a pooch and dumping it in the streets of Wolverhampton. Fortunately “Skanka” was saved from a life of misery in downtrodden Wolverhampton as his decent owners had tagged him. At least the pooch has had a decent upbringing demonstrated by his wee-wee up the Molineux goalpost. Good on ya mate.