IN what appears to be a very brave piece of marketing spiel, a Championship club is offering supporters a ‘money back guarantee’ on their season tickets if they are not happy with the summer transfer activity.
Derby County are owned by a Stateside company and their American chief executive Tom Glick told the club’s website that they are committed to investing in the first team squad in the close season to mount a challenge for a top six place next season.
And Glick says that any fan who is ‘not content’ with the squad assembled will be offered a full refund on their 2011-12 season ticket.
“The summer transfer window opens on 9th May, and we would like the fans to judge us by our actions over the course of the summer,” said Glick.
“We will prove to our fans – with the players we will be bringing in – that we mean business and we will put together a side to capable of mounting a challenge to finish in the top six.
“If any of those fans who have signed up are not happy with what we’ve done in the transfer market on the eve of the new season, then they can come to us and we will issue a full refund.
“We don’t think it will come to that, though, because we are determined to put together a winning team.”
Now I happen to be a Derby County season ticket holder and will renew come what may but there might just be the odd awkward customer out there who will be banging on the door in August demanding his dosh back because Derby haven’t signed Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney!
Beyond belief . . . councillor Simon Blackburn (correct) posted a comment on Facebook from his mobile phone during the Premier League game between his team Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool.
Blackburn is alleged to have said: “Oh my actual God …. donkey-botherers are 2-0 up thanks to two of the worst refereeing decisions!’
For those who don’t know, Blackpool is a very famous English seaside resort, well known for the donkey rides on its beach.
Ironically Blackburn is leader of the Labour group on Blackpool City Council and opponents have labelled his comments ‘political suicide.’
He is said to be horrified that what he thought would be private comments have caused offence.
Silly ass.
Apparently scientists at Qatar University have claimed to have developed artificial clouds to provide shade for stadium and training grounds when the 2022 World Cup is staged in the Middle East country where summer temperatures can reach 50C.
Saud Abdul Ghani, head of the mechanical and industrial engineering department at the university, said the ‘clouds’ are made from a lightweight carbon structure, and carry a giant envelope of material containing helium gas. We’ll see …
The Premier League is set to stand firmly against any moves to reintroduce terracing at top-flight matches in England.
An on-line petition is to be launched by The Football Supporters’ Federation calling for the return of standing areas in the top two divisions.
This has prompted plenty of debate but perhaps the most relevant comment has come from Sports minister Hugh Robertson.
He said that if there was an accident or crowd trouble if terraces were reintroduced: “The minister’s head would be on a spike on Tower Bridge before he could draft a resignation letter.”
It’s got no chance.