Stranger than fiction

[ForzaWednesday]

On December 18, the day we played at Exeter, a win would have taken Wednesday top of the league. Exactly 101 days later, we're in free fall, heading for, at best, a close call with relegation. For the most part, the playing squad are the same, barring a bit of team "strengthening" courtesy of the new chairman. The collapse coincides exactly with the Mandaric era, under two different managers. You couldn't make up a story like that. No-one would believe it.

I was talking to a certain well-known figure in the business community the other day, and he was saying it's generally accepted by anyone who's seriously analysed the business case that the only way we'll ever have a club capable of competing with the really big boys is if Wednesday merged with United - yeah, I know, boo, hiss, never - get it over with.

Now imagine, just imagine, a set of circumstances in which you could ever conceivably sell the idea of Sheffield City to the two sets of fans, who are sure as hell not going to like it. You'd have both clubs on disastrous runs, in relegation danger in their respective leagues, with no hope in sight. You'd have two groups of fans so sick of it after years of punishment (which continues to have be heaped upon them even after money is made available)

that they'd consider anything, anything to be spared more. You'd have them realising that no change of manager, no new players are going to make any difference at all.

That sound about right?

Now I'm not for a minute saying that anyone, let alone MM, would or could, create such a situation.

But would the businessmen who run the clubs be too upset if the dividend from all those rotten performances was the emergence of a single Sheffield club?

Think about it.

[HOOTIE AND THE SHIT TU]

If Wednesday die, then so ends my love affair with football.

[Guest gerald90]

it can make all the business sense in the world, i could never and will never support a merger with the pigs. Even if it meant we were playing in the sunday league.

I couldn't sit there, next to someone I have a genuine dislike for and pretend that everything is super smashing great because we now all have one club to support, who are doing moderately well.

Sheffield Wednesday should always be Sheffield Wednesday, what would happen to all the history and folklaw that has been laid down over the years.

A merger should NEVER happen in sheffield, it would be a disaster!

[stoff]

No.

[Orlando_Trustful]

If Wednesday die, then so ends my love affair with football.

same

[trevdi9]

BETTER SCENARIO IS GET RID OF THE PIGS PROBLEM SOLVED

[fletch3181]

Never in my lifetime of any future wednesdayite's lifetime."wednesday til I die"

[gurujuan]

Megson and Adams the dream team

[mogbad]

I'd rather we went out of business altogether & never watch a football match again than merge with the scum from S2. Unless of course the new club plays at Hillsborough, is called Sheffield Wednesday & plays in blue & white stripes

Edited March 29, 2011 by mogbad

[dan27]

Why is it the only way to succeed ?

Both teams could easily pull in 35,000 crowds each week if in the top league again.

So why would the clubs need to merge ?

[Guest totemowl]

...

I was talking to a certain well-known figure in the business community the other day, and he was saying it's generally accepted by anyone who's seriously analysed the business case that the only way we'll ever have a club capable of competing with the really big boys is if Wednesday merged with United - yeah, I know, boo, hiss, never - get it over with.

...

I think the first question to answer is, who has seriously analysed the business case?

Second question - did this come from the business community, or the angling community?

[DJMortimer]

Would a merged Sheffield club be able to compete at the very top level as things stand at the moment, simply as a result of it's combined resources?

No.

So the only assumption in the original post that has even the merest shred of credibility, actually is irrelevant. And that's before we even start on the litany of negatives.

[latemodelchild]

No Ta, rather be poo poo then merge.

Next.

[Lees Tom Cat]

If they merged..maybe 60% plus.. of each teams supporters would probably not bother any more.

Edited March 29, 2011 by optimusowl

[owllincoln]

What a load of rubbish. It will never and should never happen.

There are room for both clubs!

[Geedee]

BETTER SCENARIO IS GET RID OF THE PIGS PROBLEM SOLVED

Andy Sinton cost £2.7m when getting rid of sufc would have cost £3.5m

This was suggested and the board decided against this

20 years later we would have now got one of the biggest clubs in this country

[ForzaWednesday]

Would a merged Sheffield club be able to compete at the very top level as things stand at the moment, simply as a result of it's combined resources?

No.

So the only assumption in the original post that has even the merest shred of credibility, actually is irrelevant. And that's before we even start on the litany of negatives.

[ForzaWednesday]

Would a merged Sheffield club be able to compete at the very top level as things stand at the moment, simply as a result of it's combined resources?

No.

So the only assumption in the original post that has even the merest shred of credibility, actually is irrelevant. And that's before we even start on the litany of negatives.

I didn't say I thought it was a good idea. I said there is a business case for it. Along these lines;

i

2 grounds for redevelopment' = 1 new stadium. In the good times we attracted 25-30,000, United 20 plus per game = 45/50,000.

Now 15/17,000 and 12,000 = 27/29,000. So very very roughly 15,000 people who used to come to Sheffield football when it was worth watching now don't.

Of course there will be fans of either side who won't follow a new club, and understandably so. But the number who are willing to turn up to watch the likes of what was served up last night is diminishing. With both clubs in disastrous states of decline on the field, there is probably a sizeable number who would at least look at an alternative.

The corporate facilities at Hillsborough are outdated and inadequate and the stadium is getting tired = squeeze on income in future...

And it's businessmen who run the game.

[DJMortimer]

I didn't say I thought it was a good idea. I said there is a business case for it. Along these lines;

i

2 grounds for redevelopment' = 1 new stadium. In the good times we attracted 25-30,000, United 20 plus per game = 45/50,000.

Now 15/17,000 and 12,000 = 27/29,000. So very very roughly 15,000 people who used to come to Sheffield football when it was worth watching now don't.

Of course there will be fans of either side who won't follow a new club, and understandably so. But the number who are willing to turn up to watch the likes of what was served up last night is diminishing. With both clubs in disastrous states of decline on the field, there is probably a sizeable number who would at least look at an alternative.

The corporate facilities at Hillsborough are outdated and inadequate and the stadium is getting tired = squeeze on income in future...

And it's businessmen who run the game.

But football, despite everything that's happened in the Premiership era, or even the century before that (which some people need reminding even happened at all) is not founded on a 'business case'. Supporters don't go to matches because they want to make a financial investment in something or see a material reward from it.

And where does this thinking stop? If there was a single Sheffield club would there then be a 'business case' for going on to swallow up Rotherham, Chesterfield, Doncaster...? Instead of pie in the sky and the destruction of the very foundations of the last 144 years, we have to face up to the reality that the modern game simply will not allow even relatively big clubs like ourselves to join the elite at the corporate trough. Only a semi-random enormous injection of cash will buy our way into that, and this idea really wouldn't make much difference to someone's willingness to do that, especially when we are the biggest club in the area already. This would be slightly more logical for United to consider, but their fans would be equally dismissive, and rightly so.

Whether there is a 'business case' or not, forget about it. It's a non-starter.

[Geedee]

BETTER SCENARIO IS GET RID OF THE PIGS PROBLEM SOLVED

Andy Sinton cost £2.7m when getting rid of sufc would have cost £3.5m

This was suggested and the board decided against this

20 years later we would have now got one of the biggest clubs in this country