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Just how many wealthy people are involved in the Barclays Premier League is shown by the list published in The Times today of the richest Premier League owners. No less than 26 names make the list, more than there are clubs in the top flight.
Leyton Orient’s written application for a judicial review of West Ham’s tenancy of the Olympic Stadium has been rejected. The club could ask for a hearing before a court, but that would involve additional cost and would be unlikely to succeed.
There is an increasing resort to judicial reviews by those who perceive that they have been adversely affected by a decision, but the issue is whether the procedures by which that decision was reached have been flawed.
Hereford United players were sent a group text yesterday telling them that they will not get their wages for April. The players were already owed money as they were not paid in full in March.
With the appointment of Anthony Fry as the new chairman of the Barclays Premier League, English football is now headed by a trio of Manchester United supporters. Fry is described as a ‘keen spectator’ at Old Trafford, whatever that means (perhaps that is how fans were described at his alma mater of Magdalen College, Oxford).
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is apparently concerned about how Chelsea might exercise their spending power in the summer transfer window.
Sir Alex Ferguson believes that you should not retire but stay active and engaged. He is living testimony to the wisdom of such a course. He is already planning to strengthen his squad over the summer and United chief executive David Gill has pledged that the money will be available.
Promoted to the Championship, AFC Bournemouth are intending to expand their ground over the summer to provide an extra 3,000-4,000 of capacity. At present the ground only has stands on three sides (which always feels odd) and has a capacity of less than 10,000.
Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov has moved to the top of the new Sunday Times rich list with a fortune of £13,300m. The Russian citizen, born in Uzbekistan, shares with Farhard Moshiri (ranked 41=) a near 30 per cent stake in Arsenal.
However, majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has kept him off the board. ‘It rankles me,’ Usmanov is quoted as saying. At times he has tried to present himself as the person who has the interests of Arsenal fans at heart.
The 5.15 timing for this year’s FA Cup final has provoked controversy. Wigan Athletic fans are particularly aggrieved. By the time the game has finished it will be too late for them to get to Euston and catch a train home. The FA’s response has been to recommend using a coach, provided by one of their sponsors, National Express. But this could mean a return home well after midnight, not fun if you have small children with you.
The row over restructuring the Scottish leagues is rumbling on with no sign of a resolution in sight. The Scottish Football League (SFL) has rejected the Scottish FA’s offer of help in the row. The SFL wants to discuss all the possible options internally, which could include a breakway to join the top flight.
The Scottish Premier League’s (SPL) 12-12-18 proposals were rejected on Monday after they failed to secure the necessary 11-1 majority, St. Mirren and Ross County voting against.