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Is Scudamore inciting violence?

At first glance, the comments of Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore may seem innocent but his lack of grasp of the level of hatred between two tribes of fans is incredulous.


The role of the chief executive should encompass helping Premier League clubs expand as that helps to expand the reach of the Premier League and continue to keep the league at the forefront of football in the world. That doesn't appear to be the case with Scudamore though.
“They’d have to play in the same stadium for the entire year. For the integrity of the competition. You can’t have 19 home games with 10 at Milton Keynes and nine at Wembley – completely, completely unfair. That won’t be allowed in our competition. 
“They know the rules and what we require. They have to provide a stadium. We can’t have a fettered fixture list. Clubs have to be able to deliver 19 home games in the slots that are required. So if they share with a rugby league club, we can’t be fettered as to when those clubs can play. It’s up to them to work out with Wembley or where they want to play, can they deliver that level of commitment to us. 
“The positive is that Premier League clubs are paired – Liverpool and Everton, Tottenham and Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City etc – so it’s perfectly possible to have two teams playing in one stadium. And you might argue that in some circumstances it would be desirable, but I do know the reason why it’s difficult.”

Difficult! You can bet there would be supporters causing trouble and certainly arrests if Tottenham were to play at the home of the hated enemy. Just look at the comments of Jack Wilshere, which should have resulted in a more severe penalty, on the open top bus. Richard Scudamore would not doubt wash his hands and say it's nothing to do with him but if he is suggesting Tottenham share with Arsenal then he must know what the consequences may well be and accept his share of the responsibility for any trouble.

Does he seriously think Arsenal fans are going to be amenable to Tottenham playing at their ground or Spurs fans for that matter. Karen Brady made it clear she couldn't care less about the taxpayer when she said she would prevent Tottenham using the Olympic Stadium because they were Tottenham. She didn't name Tottenham but made it perfectly clear that was who she was referring to.

It seems Scudamore doesn't want us playing at Wembley, doesn't want us playing at Milton Keynes and is doing all he can, without appearing to do anything, to steer us towards The Emirates. Knowing the trouble that would ensue, which he must do, then you could argue that amounts to incitement to violence.

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2 comments

  1. Overreaction with the Wilshere thing. He may be an odious little oik that requires having entourage of goons on hand to get him out of fracas of his making but I wasn't offended by that chant on their bus parade. Seriously it's embarrassing if any Spurs fan was. As for the stadium what Scudamore is saying is you can't split between venues it's got to be one or the other. Wembley wouldn't work because of the cost and Brent council limiting number of events. OS or Emirates wouldn't for obvious reasons so that just leaves MK. It's annoying that ENIC dragged the whole stadium redevelopment for so long (10 years) as the original plan was to move to new stadium from old when 3 sides was completed but I guess costs and plans have changed since then making it impossible to do it that way.
  2. Certainly wasn't an overreaction but a massive under reaction, he is a role model to children whether he likes it or not and is paid a substantial wage to portray the right image. That is part ad parcel of being a footballer and his behaviour was despicable. It isn't about whether he upset Spurs fans, it's a far bigger issue than that.

    So the legal objections by the Ironworks trying to hold the club to ransom and the government taking 18 months to make a CPO decision is ENIC's fault.If you expected to be in in a couple of years you know nothing about building major stadiums or grasping opportunities to turn something into something better when the opportunity arises, like the NFL deal, which is probably the most important deal we will ever make..