Stand AMF

Is it just me or is there a lot of fanzine/mags coming out of late? And they all seem to stem from a disloving of our national game in some form or other. Those dapper gents at Proper mag now prefer their journalism, rambling and real ale, but they had became disillusioned with football long before Stockport County's football league demise. Putting their efforts into the excellent Proper (and Connoisseur Co) with splendid results doesn't leave much time for football. Next up 1500 magazine was released to be distributed at football grounds for supporters do have something half decent to read, rather than the club propaganda issued programmes. Even the majority of fanzines have become less of the fans views as the editors bend over for club and take one so they can get interviews etc.

So this leads me to the next publication, which doesn't so much nail it's colours to the mast, but hoists a massive red socialist flag to right to the very top for all the fat cats and money men to see and fear - ladies and gentlemen I give you Stand Against Modern Football . And it is a mag put together by like minded individuals from all walks of life - supporters of Premier League teams through to non league/foreign and even the odd ex professional footballer - all with the same view. That modern football is shit.

The magazine sets out it's stall by calling itself after something that has become outlawed in modern football. Standing. "Pay up, sit down, shut up, fuck off". That's modern football. And even the odd ground where terracing remains it's overpriced. They talk about living costs and property prices spiraling out of control but I'd dare say the cost of standing has overtaken the rate of inflation - what used to cost a few quid pre 1992 is now (at Hartlepool at least) £20. Same facilities, same ground, same standard of football somehow equals increased price.

This magazine has been coming awhile as more and more get fed up, and in fact it astonishes me that is hasn't come out sooner. The football league has been shafted since 1992 when the breakaway league pulled the ladder up and stopped putting their gold in the sharing pot. It surprises me more clubs haven't gone to the wall in this 20 years period, although many have been, or and still are, threatened with it. Off the top of my head Chester, Halifax and Darlington have all been dissolved to be reformed in the non league pyramid, hearts ripped out of community. But this is what the moneymen wanted, to cut away the dead ducks and make their own businesses more profitable. The likes of C(unt) Martin Edwards himself said in the late 80s that "for the good of the game, they need to be put to sleep".

And where there's a buck to be made even football league teams are guilty of following the Premiership clubs. The template now is to have a souless concrete all seater bowl on the edge of the town in an industrial estate, miles away from the community it serves, whilst the centrally located, run down and ramshackle, but much loved old ground is bulldozed to make flats. Or even the once unthinkable worse case scenario is to have the club taken away and bastardised in attempt to make it more profitable/attractive, as what happened to supporters of Wimbledon when the owners changed them to Franchise FC in Milton Keynes with the full backing of the FA. Delighted to see MK continue to struggle in the lower reaches of the spectrum.

It's all about the money and always will be. The fans are just seen as open wallets to be exploited. The likes of SKY pumps the money in meaning the foreign players came in. Yes the standard of football has increased I'll admit that. But at what cost? Cost! Inflated player wages that the English players also receive by default because 'Johnny foreigner does' but have they improved their game? Have they fuck. Time and time again watching England is a shit experience because the players just haven't advanced or developed. They take this money and they're tactically at the same level they were 20-30 years ago. They're still inept and just plain crap. They're frauds.

Anyway I've gone off on one. Stand AMF is a top mag and it's been needed. And I'll be stood below their red flag saluting and taking arms when the revolution arrives. And arrive it will.