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Potter · 19-08-2013, 10:05

I've known Rob for a long time, he was in the same scout group I was in and even became a cub leader after a while. He only had to stop doing that when he was getting more involved in the Stanley.

I think he's been daft to put these bets on given the rules. I think the whole episode is sad and I feel for Rob. He's a lovely bloke.

I do think, whatever your views of this particular case, that we should think about the wider context of our game. As Loweiy mentioned, the football league is sponsored by Sky Bet. Adverts during the games that are on the TV push betting hard. I'm only 27, but I'm sure placing bets a while back was more or less only possible if you went into the bookies, filled out a slip and handed over your cash. You were aware of what you were betting because the money literally left your pocket, went into the till in Ladbrokes and very rarely returned. These days you can bet during the game, at the touch of your smartphone. You have an account with them, so it doesn't feel like you're losing money.

The football league take all this money from sky bet, the proceeds of bets from lots of blokes who, lets be honest can't afford it, yet ticket prices are still high and loads of clubs are on the verge of going under.

We have clubs who are now sponsored by Wonga and Cashconverters. I would hazard a guess that there are many lads who have placed too many bets with Skybet, and are now skint 2 weeks before pay day. Most likely they probably have to take out a pay day loan to cover their bills and to eat. Yet, the clubs these legal loan sharks and betting companies sponsor still keep ticket prices sky high and pay their players eye wateringly high wages. Football is meant to be OUR game, yet I think its not for up for debate who the real winners are out of this sorry state of affairs.

Now I know you might say that this isn't our problem, we are a lower league-side, the problem of high wages, dodgy sponsors and greedy owners is a Premier League problem. But the strength of football in England is the football league. There is a team [and for most people a few teams] for everyone and in more or less every town. We have a cup competition that is the envy of the world, any side in the pyramid with a bit of luck and good fortune can compete with some of the best sides in the country and Europe.

So whilst Rob has made a massive error doing this, I think the people we really need to point the finger at are the betting companies, the administrators, and the greedy corrupt people who run our game. Not a bloke who has made a series of stupid mistakes betting a fiver at a time on daft accumulators, when in all honesty he probably wishes he hadn't p!ssed two grand up the wall.

19-08-2013, 10:05	#122
Potter Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 74 Liked: 24 times Rep Power: 0	Re: Rob heys I've known Rob for a long time, he was in the same scout group I was in and even became a cub leader after a while. He only had to stop doing that when he was getting more involved in the Stanley. I think he's been daft to put these bets on given the rules. I think the whole episode is sad and I feel for Rob. He's a lovely bloke. I do think, whatever your views of this particular case, that we should think about the wider context of our game. As Loweiy mentioned, the football league is sponsored by Sky Bet. Adverts during the games that are on the TV push betting hard. I'm only 27, but I'm sure placing bets a while back was more or less only possible if you went into the bookies, filled out a slip and handed over your cash. You were aware of what you were betting because the money literally left your pocket, went into the till in Ladbrokes and very rarely returned. These days you can bet during the game, at the touch of your smartphone. You have an account with them, so it doesn't feel like you're losing money. The football league take all this money from sky bet, the proceeds of bets from lots of blokes who, lets be honest can't afford it, yet ticket prices are still high and loads of clubs are on the verge of going under. We have clubs who are now sponsored by Wonga and Cashconverters. I would hazard a guess that there are many lads who have placed too many bets with Skybet, and are now skint 2 weeks before pay day. Most likely they probably have to take out a pay day loan to cover their bills and to eat. Yet, the clubs these legal loan sharks and betting companies sponsor still keep ticket prices sky high and pay their players eye wateringly high wages. Football is meant to be OUR game, yet I think its not for up for debate who the real winners are out of this sorry state of affairs. Now I know you might say that this isn't our problem, we are a lower league-side, the problem of high wages, dodgy sponsors and greedy owners is a Premier League problem. But the strength of football in England is the football league. There is a team [and for most people a few teams] for everyone and in more or less every town. We have a cup competition that is the envy of the world, any side in the pyramid with a bit of luck and good fortune can compete with some of the best sides in the country and Europe. So whilst Rob has made a massive error doing this, I think the people we really need to point the finger at are the betting companies, the administrators, and the greedy corrupt people who run our game. Not a bloke who has made a series of stupid mistakes betting a fiver at a time on daft accumulators, when in all honesty he probably wishes he hadn't p!ssed two grand up the wall.